Kevin - Jimmy Camp, Colorado Springs, CO Just in case you don’t already know the traditional methods of detailing a moving camp, the journalist usually states the date (in some fashion) and the evening campsite is the location stated for the END of the day’s travels. I’ll be providing a date for each day we’re on the trail. In total, we have about 3 months for the Trek (about 90 days) of which we expect to be moving forward about 74 days. We take Sundays off and have some ‘down days’ planned for other activities – presentations, family events, etc.
We started the day by driving back to the little hills (see yesterday’s post) and continuing our biking going north on Hanover Road. The goal was to get to a historic camping location along a small creek – Jimmy Camp. The route would have taken us along Santa Fe Road through the small town of Fountain Colorado. BUT … the road was a very narrow 2-lane with NO bike shoulder. Just the white side line and a drop off into gravel and dirt. Nope. Denny and I have made it this far in life and we’re not taking any unreasonable chances.
So, we stopped where the biking got dicey. We had some clerical work and communications to attend to and local libraries are great resources. We caught up on paperwork and made contacts with people and places in front of us. More about that tomorrow.
In the late afternoon, we headed up west into the source for the name Colorado Springs. The early journals frequently mention the source of the ‘fontaine qui bouille’ – ‘the spring that boils.’ There are about a dozen springs a few of which have distinct carbonation ‘fizziness.’ I kind of liked it but not Denny. Navajo and Cheyenne Springs seemed the best.
The springs were well known by the indigenous tribes. Dr. Edwin Long is the first Anglo known to have seen the area in 1820. By 1845, the springs were well enough known that Lt Franklin mentions them in his South Pass Expedition journal, but none of Kearny’s men came up to the springs. George Ruxton came hunting up the canyon in 1847 while he was hanging out at Pueblo. None of the Battalion records mention visiting the springs. Fremont stayed here for a week during his 4th expedition of 1848. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the place was a booming health, tourist and bottling plant industry.
On the advice of my good friend Paul Sandor, we drove through Garden of the Gods, but the afternoon clouds and drizzle had set in. Consequently, we didn’t hike any part. Another day.
All in all, it was a busy day and a good preparation for tomorrow.
