My heart never ceases to long for the red dirt and majestic mountains of Colorado. I wish to walk and climb in the Garden of the Gods. How I desire just to catch a glimpse of Pikes Peak! However, whenever I am missing Colorado, my mind always wonders back to one particular place. One interesting town. Manitou Springs.
I will not forget the first time I entered Manitou. I remember thinking, “Well, this sure is an interesting little place!” I stared out at the shop windows, laughing to myself at some of the random signs. Then we drove straight up the ridiculously steep streets, looking around, trying to read the tiny little signs out in front of buildings to figure out where Summit Ministries was.
Later on, my new friend and I went down town to get custard and hang out. We walked down Main Street. Shades of rusty red and brown were all around us, matching the special dirt of Colorado. The colors of the earth were accented with bright yellows and blues and greens and oranges of shop signs, the giant rubber duck outside the duck store, or random spray-painted pieces of plywood covered in peace signs, reminding passersby’s of the town’s hippie flavor.
As we continued to walk, we passed adorable little homes. They were tall, not wide, with white railing on decks and down the stairs. The railing was matched by white trim along the front door and the edges of the windows. Some of them had a slight Victorian look, which I love! My friend and I made a little loop, down one side of the street, and up the other, until we reached the famous custard shop. It is a little rock building on Manitou Avenue with black tables with green umbrellas outside it. We got our custard and sat down on a wooded bench not far from the shop. There we could see much of the town. Several of our fellow Summit students were lined up at the custard shop, awaiting their little taste of heaven. Down the streets we watched people go about their day. Some hippies dressed in very colorful, strange clothing strolled in and out of the shops. In the distance we could see the mountains; Pikes Peak majestic with his crown of snow. Off to the left and a little further down the mountain was the Incline. One mile, straight up, of wooded stairs. The view was a gorgeous watercolor painting of the light blue sky, puffy white clouds, royal purple and blue, vibrant green, and of course, my ever favorite red. All the colors blended together and embedded themselves into my memory.
This unique town has found a place in my heart. It holds a place of fond memories and will always call me to return. Someday, in the near future, I know I will be back. Meanwhile, you should visit it for me. Go tell Manitou hello. Walk its streets. Look up at the mountains. And don’t forget to eat some custard!
