The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-07-28
SOME WESTERN
EXPERIENCES
CHAS. K. MEYERS WRITES AS TO HIS TRIP
FROM DENVER TO SALIDA
THROUGH THE ROYAL GORGE
A Side Excursion to Poncha Springs With
Young Robert Plimpton and a Plunge in
Great Hot Pool.
Denver to Salida

Denver to Salida
The day began at the Oxford hotel
where awoke to find my German
friend, Hermann, awake and dressing
He was German seventy years old
on his way to Seattle to see his aon,
who was in the navy and on the arm
or steamship, Colorado. Took
j my baggage to the depot and was
soon in the car of the Denver & Rio
Grande. Took pains to get On the
right side of the car so l could see
the mountains. The range, snow
capped to the north and west appear
ed in plain view with highest
peak. Longs Peak. This range as
it came in view with the winding
about Of the rain was beautiful to
see. A plain. of course. stretched
out to the foot hills. The wagon
roads were good. There were some
green spots, where the land, could be
irrigated. Indeed this is he case
everywhere in western Nebraska and
Colorado at this time Of the year
green where there is water and barren
wast& when not.
Behind me sat young man who
was going to Colorado Springs. He
was reading at times the Bible. in-
forming me that he chose chapter
and read it every day for q month.
We came to station where some
small boys were selling flowers
Columbine, the state flower Of Colo
RADIO. i was out on the steps Of the
car. thought of my Haddie' and
Babs" who might have been out to
make a little money and bought a
bunch. The young man followed
suit. He remarked that it would be
nice to give the flowers to some of
the young ladies on the car. and did
give mine to girl sitting just ahead,
but he held on to.his and took them
off the cars. We soon came in view
| Of Castle Rock. It was not high,
stoOdsout on my side Of the cars. A
palisade of rock which completely
crowned small hill. Now as the
train turned about 'Pike's Peake''
could be seen looming up snow capped
to the south and west. A train on
the Colorado Southern passed us.
i Shortly we came to sPalmer
Lake. - On the left side of the train
u was the body Of water, on the right
the town nestled in mountain valley
and in the pine trees. The rocks on
the mountains were distinctly red.
As we swept by on the train Palm
er Lake struck me as the handsom-
est place had seen and the chances
are that it will remain in memory as
, the lovliest spot on the entire trip.
!. High mountains with red rocks in
strong evidence. dark pines in the
valley peering above red rooted
| cottages, here and there the sur
shining just right. Beautiful! long
! to be remembered palmer Lake. /"
Now Pixies Peake comics neare,
, and we are right up against it. .
With naked eye Iscannot see the sta.
. tion at the top. The train stopped
} at Colorado Springs. just sat anc
: gazed at the big peak and paid little
] attention to the city expecting to stof
on the return trip. It did seen
> strange to be at the very foot Of
Q Pixies Peake' the Que mountain Of
the Rocky Range of which had heart
. so many times and the only one
could call by name. There were
8 other mountains near which seemed
8 quite high, SO this one did not over
9 whelm me with its majesty at all.
: Here the train filled up with pass
engers. With my grip, suit case an,
overcoat in the seat l had backin,
which allowed me to sit SO to look on
r with much comfort on the scenery.
Behind me was couple from nea
Detroit. Michigan. think hi
name was "Yerkie." It was ,
pleasure to see so fine, and refine
woman. and he seemed her equa
if man can. She was CONSTANT
noting the flowers. Saw the red an
yellow of the cactus blossoms; til
s. "soap weed" spikes. We wer
y seemingly beginning to follow u
4 the Arkansas river. the valley O
a which is the passage way of th
IL IL Denver & Rio Grande through Cole
is RADIO. 1t now was on the right
re The hills or rather mountains wer
growing higher and more bleak
Sc The sage brush was in strong evidenc
rs and the cactus began to grow tall
Just before noon we came to Pueblo
big city. where we had twenty mir
utes for dinner. l paid forty cent
and had all l wanted to eat. Th
ls curiosity here for me was the 'sMes
ts lean Ovens" These were out door
Ia ~ Z,