It’s the day before graduation and, thanks to friends Jack and Sue, we are getting a tour of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
Exiting the car, a fast moving shadow passed overhead. Looking up we saw a B1 Bomber performing a low level flyover for parents at the stadium! I was too slow to catch a photo.
Walking up through the parking lot we noticed another Pleasure-Way. You might be able to see the camper van in this photo.
Starting at the visitor’s center, we signed up for a tour and wandered around looking in the gift shop. We watched a film on the history of the academy and viewed this mock-up of a typical dorm room. There is no charge for tours, but you have plenty of opportunity to spend money in the gift shop.
Gathering under this sign depicting the cadets code of ethics, we joined our tour guide.
A retired USAF pilot, our guide was very personable and explained what life is like for the cadets. An excellent story teller, he recounted how the windows in the cafeteria were shattered by a flyover just before his graduation.
The area behind him is The Terrazo, where four retired aircraft define the corners of a large courtyard.
Good timing allowed us to see the iconic Cadet Chapel. It closed shortly after our visit for a three year renovation project.
The building actually contains four chapels. The top floor is the Protestant chapel with 17 spires rising 150 feet above the ground.
A huge organ dominates the back wall of the Protestant chapel.
A Catholic chapel with beautiful mosaic work is on the floor below.
A Jewish temple sits at ground level
and shares the floor with a Buddhist Temple.
Some of the tile floor was donated by, and came from, Israel.
Outside the chapel, statues and plaques talk about character, education, and leadership.
Polaris Hall houses the Center for Character and Leadership Development. The 105 foot tower points towards the north star: Polaris.
Statues of famous aircraft fill a plaza around the Cadet Chapel.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit the Academy, we would strongly recommend it.
Next on our agenda was a visit to the Western Museum of Mining and Industry.
A showpiece of the museum is this big DC Generator that they spin up for group tours. Sharing the museum with an enthusiastic group of school kids, we benefited by seeing the generator, spin up to 300 rpm.
Here’s a still shot of the generator, still working after over one-hundred years.
Modern digital meters are easy to use and accurate, but they don’t have the style of this Weston Station Voltmeter.
After walking through an interesting mine replica designed by the Colorado School of Mines, we exited to this display. It talks about the 2010 rescue of 33 Chilean miners using this special cage. Trapped in a mine explosion, they were trapped underground from August 5th until October 13th.
Outside the museum grounds contain lots of old mining equipment like this steam shovel.
Located right across the freeway from the Air Force Academy, this is a good stop for some underground Colorado history. Admission was $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children.
Today’s last stop was the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial on the southern side of Colorado Springs.
Tasteful, full scale sculptures depicted fire fighters.
Stylistically similar to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, black walls are engraved with the names of fire fighters who died saving others.
Dedicated to all the fire fighters in the United States and Canada, this is a moving memorial that we definitely recommend visiting.
On a lighter note, this car passed in front of us while we waited to safely cross the street from the memorial!
Here’s an orientation map for today’s visit to Colorado Springs.