Vacation Day 11 (Estes Park, CO to Colorado Springs, CO)

Friday (August 2) – Trip Day 11 – (Estes Park, CO to Colorado Springs, CO) – I am so tired of driving.  It is harder here as the freeways are really congested and there is a lot of construction on the I-25 (the main route south from Denver to Colorado Springs.  Denver was like driving in Los Angeles except smaller thankfully.  We only made one stop today (before a storm hit).  We stopped off at the Air Force Academy just north or Colorado Springs.  

 After passing the guard house (with ID and full car check) we went on 3 miles to the visitor’s center and toured that building and watched a 21 movie detailing a the year of a 1^st year cadet.
 

 This is what a typical dorm room looks like for two new recruits.

 We then walked over to the famous Chapel and walked around it – including the 4 different worship areas (general, Catholic, Jewish and Buddhist. 
 

 Main entry into the top chapel - I guess it is a non-denominational chapel.

 Looking down the center isle from the back.

 The architecture is a series of triangles.  These are the stained glass windows on the sides of the chapel.

 This is the alter area.  We weren't supposed to get up that far and got run out.  But it wasn't our fault - someone took down the barriers.

 Downstairs are three other churches - this is the Catholic chapel.

 This is the Buddhist worship area.

 Finally the Jewish synagogue.

 This is the main center of the campus.  Nothing is more than a 10 minute walk.  To the left is a class building.  Then there is a small looking library - it is dwarfed by the other buildings.  The big, long building to the right back is another class area.  The building on the far right is the cafeteria.

 .  As we were getting ready to leave here all the 4^th Class (Freshmen) come marching in.  They are in their Basic Cadet Training getting ready for the start of the academic year.

 From the chapel viewing area you can see a dorm building in the foreground.

 We stopped at the football stadium and also at a B-52 that is on display near the gate.

After this we drove on to our motel as the rains began to fall.