When the 135-year-old cog railway rolled up to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak, many of my fellow passengers bolted straight for the famous high-altitude doughnuts at the visitors center. But I was focused on meeting my cycling guides, who set me up with a bike and safety gear (full-face helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, high-visibility vest, and gloves).
“Once you get around those first few corners, you’re gonna realize, ‘Wow, this is something else,’ ” said my guide, Michael Burke. “It’s like being on another planet. And you feel like you’re flying.”
Indeed, my head was in the clouds—almost literally—as I began my 13-mile descent down the highway, inhaling the thin mountain air and taking in the same sweeping views that inspired poet Katharine Lee Bates to write “America the Beautiful.”
Because we shared the road with cars, we followed the speed limit—15, then 20, then 30 mph. Aside from a couple of short uphill portions, I spent most of the ride lightly hugging the brakes, gliding in a peaceful rhythm under those beautiful for spacious skies. $230 through Broadmoor Outfitters.
Easy does it: Ride the scenic, narrated cog railway round-trip (adult tickets start at $58.50) or simply drive to the peak. The Summit Visitors Center houses a worthwhile museum, a restaurant, and a gift shop.