How to Pack Maximum Enjoyment Into Two Campground Stops

Tommy’s birthday, Independence Day, and a Castle, oh my!

Our site in the KOA campground with its green grass.

Our three-night stay at Pueblo South / Colorado City KOA Holiday was a pleasant one. KOA “Holiday” parks have tons of amenities, unlike the more basic “Journey” locations. For just $39 per year, a KOA membership gets you 10% off each booking, plus points toward a free stay. We got lucky with a 20% discount, paying around $50 per night, which is a great price during the summer.

The park owner was sweet, though a bit finicky about the grass. We couldn’t put up our awning holder poles because they require large nails to keep them in place, which he didn’t want on his lawn. With the wind howling, I skipped setting up Paddy’s playhouse outside, and he did well, having been stuck inside for ten days.

I used Canva to make this collage of KOA photos.

As you can see from the photo collage, this park has something for everyone: two dog parks, a walking trail with an old phone booth, a clean but freezing pool, a playground, and cabins for non-RV guests. There’s also a Circle K with a designated area for big rigs to fuel up, and a variety store close by. It was an easy walk to grab some Scoops for my salsa.

Tommy used some downtime to contact Entegra about the electrical issue in the RV. There’s a short affecting the outlets, causing our recliners not to work correctly. They are also the outlets we use to charge our computers. With his handyman skills, Tommy was able to remove the faulty outlet, so the recliners and other outlets are now working. We’re still working on the complete electrical fix, but getting rid of the extension cords was a big relief.

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I booked a week in Colorado Springs at The Foot of the Rockies RV Park for our next stop to enjoy Tommy’s birthday, the 4th of July celebration, and a visit with our RVICS friends Tom and Shelly. They are currently volunteering at the Glen Eryie Castle. It’s not an RVICS project; they are working there on their own alongside some Sowers. The Castle has a fascinating history dating back to 1871.

Glen Eyrie was purchased as the headquarters of The Navigators in 1953, following an ambitious and miraculous campaign that raised the down payment of $100,000 in just six weeks. Founded in 1933, The Navigators has upheld the mission “to know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same.”We had never heard of the organization before our friends introduced it to us.

Since we don’t have a vehicle, they happily picked us up, took us for a bite to eat for Tommy’s birthday, and then took us to the Castle for a tour. It was great to have personal guides show us the fantastic place. Tommy isn’t into museums or tours, but even he was impressed. Our friend Tom is working to help put a sprinkler system in the 154-year-old building, which is quite a feat. It’s a job projected to take years to complete, with a ten-million-dollar price tag.

My photos of the Castle, the view below from one of the windows, and the huge wiring job.

Tom took us through all four stories of the Castle, and it was impressive to see. Shelly has been working in their amazing gardens. She showed us numerous areas that were weed-free due to her efforts. The gardens are all beautifully maintained by volunteers. Tom took us around in a golf cart, and we had to stop for the herd of sheep crossing the road.

There are many of them on the 700-acre property. If you are in the Colorado Springs area, it’s a must-see. It’s next door to The Garden of the Gods, another excellent tourist destination. I can’t speak to it, because I didn’t make it there for a visit.

The rock formations on the Castle grounds were amazing!

The Foot of the Rockies RV Park is situated in a prime location for visiting tourist destinations or enjoying a great meal. The park manager is a lovely lady. She gave us a site at the top of the hill so we could see the 4th of July fireworks all over the city. You can see the entire city from our campsite.

Tommy’s birthday was the day after our visit with Tom and Shelly, and I was determined to make it a special occasion. If you’ve followed my posts, you know I’m adamant about getting in my 10,000 daily steps. I decided I’d walk to the Pepper Tree Restaurant, which was less than a mile away, to see if it was doable for Tommy. Since half of the walk was uphill and I was huffing and puffing when I got there, I knew walking was out of the question for my husband. What kind of woman would expect her husband to walk a half mile uphill to enjoy a birthday dinner?

As you can see, it was quite a hill to climb.

Thankfully, Uber works well around here. It was $10.00 one way for that short trip, but my honey is worth it. We had the most amazing restaurant experience we’ve ever had. It was top-notch all the way. From the bartender to the tableside chef, and everyone in between, the staff was some of the friendliest and most accommodating we’ve experienced.

This is what you call putting on the dog!

We shared the 8 oz. Steak Diane, cooked at your table, and Ratatouille, accompanied by side dishes and a salad. I’m so happy Tommy suggested we start with a bowl of their French Onion soup. I’ve never tasted one better. We had a couple of sangrias specially made for us by the bartender to accompany our fabulous meal. We don’t usually dine in such opulent establishments.

I spent more money on this meal than any I can ever remember, but every once in a while, you’ve got to splurge. It was worth it for my honey’s 73rd birthday. We actually got three meals out of it. I made french bread out of our leftover San Fransciso sourdough for breakfast and we had plenty for a second dinner.

Here’s the link to my video of our meal being cooked at the table. It was impressive. Steak Diane was divine.

I decided to walk to Walmart the next day. Having a destination helps me stay on track with my steps when I’m not out in nature enjoying the scenery. On the way there, I passed the Texas Roadhouse. It’s one of our favorite chain restaurants.

Since it was only half a mile away and not up a hill, I persuaded Tommy to walk there for dinner on the Fourth of July. He said there was no way he was going to walk home. We had a tasty meal, and the Uber ride home was only $6.00. I gave the pleasant driver a four-dollar tip, so it didn’t feel like a waste of his time.

More fabulous food photos. Am I making you hungry yet?

We took a food coma nap after our meal so we could stay up and watch the fireworks. We invited some friendly people from the park to join us to watch the fireworks shows that were taking place all over the city. They were indeed going off everywhere, but none of them were close enough to get good photos.

Our site looking over the city was meant to be shared.

Tommy took an Uber to Ace Hardware to purchase parts for fixing our electrical issue. Come to find out, the reason the dryer wasn’t working is that it’s on the same electrical panel. While I’ve been writing this post, Tommy replaced the bad outlet and the others, and our recliners are working fine. Yahoo!!

Next, we are headed to the Terry Bison Ranch Resort in Cheyanne, Wyoming. I’m sure to see lots of animals. The ranch has horses as well as Bison. They offer trail rides and a train ride. We’re only staying two nights, so I don’t know how much fun stuff I’ll have to tell you about. I’m sure to enjoy fantastic walks while we’re there.

If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for coming along with me. I look forward to seeing you online soon. Have a blessed day.