After the slight timeout for Todd to sacrifice a “spare part” (apparently the gallbladder isn’t all that essential), we made it to Colorado Springs, and the house/pet-sitting finally began. Yes! We spent a month in scenic Colorado Springs, where Kim’s lovely home is situated on a mesa (flat mountain) with gorgeous views in all directions.
One’s perspective changes here. At 6,000 feet, Colorado Springs is higher than the famous “Mile High City” of Denver and heck, we are higher than just about all the mountains in the east! And from here, the long line of amazing mountains in the distance soars another 6,000 to 8,000 feet above you for miles on end. One wonders about those pioneers that didn’t just stop but instead found a way through! Heck, it’s Sept/Oct and we’ve already seen snow on the top of Pikes Peak from here.
We could also peer out at the mountains in the other direction while enjoying the pretty landscaping in the front courtyard, where the brave hummingbirds entertained us with their antics among the flowers.
On our daily walks with Mochi, we enjoyed sharing the mesa with the Magpies and several large-eared mule deer who call the area home.
“What?“
Sorry, Dude
Like the hummingbirds, the mule deer were seemingly unafraid. In fact, we didn’t really have to go for a walk to find them. They’d find us, stopping by to look in the bedroom or sunroom windows.
So, back to just what is a Mochi. Well, in this instance it is an adorable 12-pound ball of loveable furriness, not a sweetened ball of Japanese rice.
We’ll let the pictures speak for themselves:
Too cute, right? 🙂
Once she got back home, Kim – with Mochi glued to her side lest she disappear again – insisted we not miss the splash of Colorado fall color and shooed us out of the house to visit Mueller State Park. Off we went. Water bottles? Check. Hiking boots? Check. Something warmer than shorts & summer shirts? O-o-o-o-ps.
It was nearing 80 degrees in Colorado Springs but in the mid-50’s up on the mountain, and our jackets were at the house, 45-minutes away. Fortunately, Todd remembered the small vacuum-packed bag of winter clothes still in the car. A quick change in the restroom and we were ready to hike… with long johns hanging out from under our summer attire. Oh well, you do what you gotta do. 🙂
After the celebration dance at the top, we continued on, as advised by the kind woman at the visitor center, who promised a fabulous view from the ridge. Or perhaps she was just trying to get rid of the goofy looking tourists…?
Mochi, not to be outdone, gamely joined us for a “hike” near the house a couple of days later.
Todd, Kim & Mochi on the trail 
When she got tired, it was time to go… into the backpack 
After the somewhat comical “carefully-shove-the-pup-into-the-bag” process, it was all smiles for that plan
From Kim’s backyard, we could see the standing rocks of the Garden of the Gods in the distance, so we took a ride one afternoon to see them up close. More than 1,300 acres of the prettiest, jagged-ish, rugged-ish stuff around, given to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909 by the children of Charles Elliott Perkins in fulfillment of his wish that it be kept forever free to the public. Wow.
That’s some gift!
Thanks, Kim, for sharing your blessings with us and allowing us to care for your home and sweet pooch.
And that’s a Mochi!
Our Travels 