A Day Trip in Colorado

Even though we've lived in Colorado for almost 20 years, there still are an amazing number of "tourist traps" that we have somehow missed.  Today's  "missed treasure" is Bishop Castle.  Bishop Castle was built by a single man, beginning in the 1960's.  You can read all about it on his website.
A couple weeks ago, Mr. IM's law partner visited with his daughters and inspired us to go.

 On the road on a gorgeous Saturday morning...

 Surprisingly, the castle is located right off the road-we parked on the side and crossed the highway to join about 250 bikers and a few other tourists driving cars.  Check out that dragon!  Wow!

 This is quite a project for one person--wow!

 We stood at the bottom for a few minutes and admired the castle while deciding what to do first...

 There go Mr IM and The Boy--I decided to stay nearer to the ground.  Mr. IM said something like "oh, just come up, you can just turn around and come down" (later, while watching someone come down these stairs he said, "gee, I wouldn't want to come down those steps!")

 And up and up and up....

 While the boys explored up high, I explored ground level--some interesting things to see.  I also had a funny exchange with another person whose feet were firmly planted on the ground while his friends/family went up--he said, "Not going up?"  I said, "Nope...not gonna do it".  He said, "Yeah, I jump out of airplanes for a living, but I'm not going up there--no chute..."

 I was later convinced to go up two levels using these stairs--it wasn't too bad, since it is enclosed.

 This place really is cool!  I guess weddings and parties can happen here--some of the stairs would be very interesting in heels, but then again, so are grassy meadows...

 Here we are, up one level of stairs--actually a fairly large "party room"--very nice--flat floor

 beautiful stained glass..

 Secret passage?

 View from another floor up--beautiful scenery and large room--if you can get to it, it would be a great wedding/party site!

 Cute bear from the very bottom floor--he is pretty cute.

 I think he might be crying--this is when we wouldn't buy the $50 sword from the gift shop.  I contemplated a $30 purse...then noticed that it not only had a Colorado flag, but also a marijuana leaf.  Hmm.  Not really my style.

 Viet of the scenery, including porta potties (for The Girl, because of her love of porta potties, of course)

 The boys went up in the gatehouse--I again stayed close to the ground...

 Up they go...

 The Boy, waving from the top

 One last view as we head out (look how blue the sky is!  After a month of (unusual) rain, it is soooo nice to have  blue Colorado skies again!

 Couldn't talk about this without showing this shot--motorcycles lined up along the road as far as the eye can see!  The Castle is on a "ride route" and since there are porta potties and snacks, it is a popular stopping point!

 Now what? you ask?  The open road (with Pike's Peak in the distance)

 Ah, What is this?  Well, this, my friends is THE Supermax facility for the United States...name a terrorist and they are probably contained here.  This would be the facility that was "being populated" in the movie Con Air...

 We rounded out the day by driving home past Castlewood Canyon Park--causing The Boy to ask if we could hike there (no...it has been raining for month...anything with the word "canyon" in it isn't a good hiking spot until the water levels go down!)

And home before the thunderstorm!  Whoo!
A great day trip--lots of fun and very pretty!