Pikes Peak of Colorado

[Bob Nodine]

Pete on Rawhide recorded the song One Eyed Purple People Eater. He was from the same town as Roger Miller, Erick Oklahoma.

Now there is a classic I can still sing today. "One eyed, one horn, purple people eater, sure looked strange to me"

Speaking of small towns that spawn multiple musicians, one is just a ridge over from me, Maynardville and Luttrel, Union County, TN

What musicians are from Union County Tennessee?
Proudly, Union County is home to many artists who have been successful in their endeavors such as Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins, Carl Smith, Lois Johnson and Kenny Chesney

 

[Bob Nodine]

Rawhide trivia(from memory)


Jesus, one of the wranglers, is credited as 'hey soos' to kinda make fun of the
Hey boy and hey girl characters on 'have gun will travel'

.

Ah, Have Gun-Will Travel, Paladin, Paladin, where do you roam. I loved that show and watched every time it came on. Of course it was Black and White. I believe one of the first regular shows in color on television was Bonanza. We did not get a color television until about 1966. I remember going on service calls with my uncle to repair color televisions. He was the first person in Ashville, NC that could repair a color television. He moved there after graduating from trade school. The only folks that had color television then were rich and about the only programs in color were football games and the Rose Bowl Parade. I think it was about 1957 when we went on a call to a house that the color television would not work. Turns out that the maid had unplugged the set to plug in the vaccum cleaner.

 

[PreCambrian]

I am not sure what model that you had but the vehicle restrictions for Pikes Peak are "Bus or RV wheelbase cannot exceed 19 feet or 228 inches and can not exceed 24' in overall length for any bus or RV operating on the Pikes Peak Highway."

We were recently in Colorado Springs and thought about taking our 22E there but we are 6" too long.

 

[Mofingus]

I am thinking of driving Thor Vegas going up the Pike Peak in CO in the cross country trip.

Wondering whether the E450 engine can make it.
Have someone dine so?

I was a conductor on the Cog Train for 3 summers and my future wife, whom I met as a waitress on the top of Pikes Peak, worked there 8 summers. We both have had a lot of experience with both the road, train, and trail.

1) Your Thor Vegas should have no problem with the trip to the summit. On the way down you will want to use the engine to help maintain a lower speed (i.e. use a lower gear) and avoid riding the brakes. They will stop you at Glen Cove to check your brakes and make you stop if they are hot. Stopping at Glen Cove on the way down is a good idea anyway since there are things to see there as well. Using a lower gear and being easy on the brakes will make the trip a snap. The road is somewhat windy, so you won't be flying along anyway. (Check your RV they do have some size restrictions for the road.)

2) The road is paved all the way to the summit. Back in the day it was gravel the last 6 miles. It's a nice, well maintained road. Check on activities that might be going on when you plan to go. There is the Pikes Peak Hill Climb each year (professional car racers), and I've seen a cycling race going up the mountain when I was last there visiting. It is a beautiful trip on the road, but make sure you check the weather report. It can snow in the summer at the higher altitudes.

3) The Cog train is a fantastic way to go from Manitou Springs to the summit. Beautiful scenery and tour. The downside is you are limited to the amount of time you can spend on the summit. Back in my conductor days it was a 40 minute summit stop (it may have changed since my conductor days... so, check first). For most people that was plenty of time.

4) The hike is definitely a long day trip. It's a nice hike, but you need to be in shape to hike the Bar Trail. Many people make it a two day camping trip, which is much more pleasant.

5) Altitude - It is over 14,000 feet so you most likely feel the lack of oxygen, especially on your way down the hill. That is when people tend to get drowsy. If you have any heart issues, it's not a place for you. And, they will not allow infants go up to that altitude. Many of the passengers on the train slept on the trip back down (3hr 10min round trip). Working there it took me about a week to acclimate to the altitude on the summit.

6) On the summit - Take it easy and move slowly. You may feel faint or breathless if you run around, or move too quickly. Take your time and sit and put your head between your knees if you feel light-headed. Some people hyperventilate occasionally and you can use a paper bag to breathe with if that happens. Don't let this scare you off. Most people do just fine.

7) Be careful on what and how much you eat on the summit. I would avoid carbonated drinks. I can't tell you how many times people got sick on the way back down on the train after eating chili dogs and drinking coke.

One last item. If you have kids with you, there is an amusement park at the base of the mountain on the road up Pikes Peak. It is called the North Pole and is a fun place for the kids.

I hope this little synopsis helped. It's a trip you don't want to miss if you have the opportunity. Best wishes.

Doug

 

[Jimbo56]

When Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood were getting started they were told by some big Hollywood character that they would never make it in Hollywood. I suspect they understood that "can't never could do anything" and plowed ahead. I remember Clint Eastwood's start in the Italian western's. I was in the Air Force and stood in line to see "A Fistful of Dollars". How many of you remember that Clint Eastwood was part of the cast of Rawhide, a 1959 television show. My Grandmother loved that show and would never miss an episode.

Wasn’t he Rowdy Yates. I watched that as a kid.

 

[Jimbo56]

Ah, Have Gun-Will Travel, Paladin, Paladin, where do you roam. I loved that show and watched every time it came on. Of course it was Black and White. I believe one of the first regular shows in color on television was Bonanza. We did not get a color television until about 1966. I remember going on service calls with my uncle to repair color televisions. He was the first person in Ashville, NC that could repair a color television. He moved there after graduating from trade school. The only folks that had color television then were rich and about the only programs in color were football games and the Rose Bowl Parade. I think it was about 1957 when we went on a call to a house that the color television would not work. Turns out that the maid had unplugged the set to plug in the vaccum cleaner.

I had a client who passed away several years ago. He was Richard Boone’s stunt double in Have Gun Will Travel. He was in several other movies as well. The upstairs in his home was an old Western movie museum. He had a pistol used by John Wayne. A holster autographed by Jimmy Stuart. All kinds of autographed pictures with him and the actor. He told me one time that if it was a western, filmed between 1945 and 1965 he may have been the guy being shot and falling thru the saloon window.

 

[Jimbo56]

Some pics from his collection.

 

[Ben Jammin]

We were just up there 2 days ago. Don't do it. Going up isn't the big issue, but coming down will be. Also, parking at the top is madness. Use a regular sized vehicle or the cog rail. That road isn't designed for large vehicles, nor is the parking lot. We hit nasty weather on the way down which left the road covered in hail, so always consider the potential for bad weather up there.

 

[ducksface]

Acting has always been a problem for me.
I often can see them following a cue or if it's take 17.
But
Richard Boone
And
Brian Keith

I've never seen either of them utter an unnatural phrase or move incorrectly or awkwardly.

Just as some think
Bullit
Is the consummate chase scene,
And I have to tell them of the 6 hubcap and the vw they passed multiple times and the
just. Plain. Stupid. Stupid. sound track...

I'm sure we're going to differ, specially on Brian Keith.

Brian Keith was in an excellent short lived western series directed insanely well by
Sam peckinpah.
I don't remember the name of the series.

 

[lwmcguire]

I was a conductor on the Cog Train for 3 summers and my future wife, whom I met as a waitress on the top of Pikes Peak, worked there 8 summers. We both have had a lot of experience with both the road, train, and trail.

1) Your Thor Vegas should have no problem with the trip to the summit. On the way down you will want to use the engine to help maintain a lower speed (i.e. use a lower gear) and avoid riding the brakes. They will stop you at Glen Cove to check your brakes and make you stop if they are hot. Stopping at Glen Cove on the way down is a good idea anyway since there are things to see there as well. Using a lower gear and being easy on the brakes will make the trip a snap. The road is somewhat windy, so you won't be flying along anyway. (Check your RV they do have some size restrictions for the road.)

2) The road is paved all the way to the summit. Back in the day it was gravel the last 6 miles. It's a nice, well maintained road. Check on activities that might be going on when you plan to go. There is the Pikes Peak Hill Climb each year (professional car racers), and I've seen a cycling race going up the mountain when I was last there visiting. It is a beautiful trip on the road, but make sure you check the weather report. It can snow in the summer at the higher altitudes.

3) The Cog train is a fantastic way to go from Manitou Springs to the summit. Beautiful scenery and tour. The downside is you are limited to the amount of time you can spend on the summit. Back in my conductor days it was a 40 minute summit stop (it may have changed since my conductor days... so, check first). For most people that was plenty of time.

4) The hike is definitely a long day trip. It's a nice hike, but you need to be in shape to hike the Bar Trail. Many people make it a two day camping trip, which is much more pleasant.

5) Altitude - It is over 14,000 feet so you most likely feel the lack of oxygen, especially on your way down the hill. That is when people tend to get drowsy. If you have any heart issues, it's not a place for you. And, they will not allow infants go up to that altitude. Many of the passengers on the train slept on the trip back down (3hr 10min round trip). Working there it took me about a week to acclimate to the altitude on the summit.

6) On the summit - Take it easy and move slowly. You may feel faint or breathless if you run around, or move too quickly. Take your time and sit and put your head between your knees if you feel light-headed. Some people hyperventilate occasionally and you can use a paper bag to breathe with if that happens. Don't let this scare you off. Most people do just fine.

7) Be careful on what and how much you eat on the summit. I would avoid carbonated drinks. I can't tell you how many times people got sick on the way back down on the train after eating chili dogs and drinking coke.

One last item. If you have kids with you, there is an amusement park at the base of the mountain on the road up Pikes Peak. It is called the North Pole and is a fun place for the kids.

I hope this little synopsis helped. It's a trip you don't want to miss if you have the opportunity. Best wishes.

Doug

Great overview, certainly had to be an interesting job

 

[Mark54]

I am thinking of driving Thor Vegas going up the Pike Peak in CO in the cross country trip.

Wondering whether the E450 engine can make it.
Have someone dine so?

Just keep this one in mind...