Cory turned 32 last Friday and we were lucky enough to be able to take the day off work and act like tourists. I floated a few ideas past Cory and he decided that he wanted to ride the Cog Train from Manitou Springs to the top of Pikes Peak. While there were fantastic Views (see below) we weren’t that impressed with the overall experience. It was….ok, I would suggest driving to the top instead and saving a few bucks.

When we got back to Manitou Springs we shopped for a bit then headed to Adams Mountain Cafe

They adhere to a slow food model, descried as:

THE SLOW FOOD INTERNATIONAL MANIFESTO
Our century, which began and has developed under
the insignia of industrial revolution, first invented the machine and then took it as its life model.
We are enslaved by speed and have all succumbed to the same insidious virus: Fast Life, which disrupts our habits, pervades the privacy of our homes, and forces us to eat Fast Foods.
To be worthy of the name, <em>Homo sapiens</em> should rid themselves of speed before it reduces them to a species in danger of extinction.
A firm defense of quiet material pleasure is the only way to oppose the universal folly of Fast Life.
May suitable doses of guaranteed sensual pleasure and
long lasting enjoyment preserve us from the contagion of
multitude who mistake frenzy for efficiency.
Our defense should begin at the table with Slow Food. Let us rediscover the flavors and savors of regional cooking and banish the degrading effects of Fast Food.
In the name of productivity, Fast Life has changed our way of being and threatens our environment and our landscapes. So Slow Food is now the only true progressive answer.
That is what real culture is about: developing taste rather
than demeaning it. And what better way to set about this than an international exchange of experiences, knowledge, products?
Slow Food guarantees a better future. Slow Food is an idea that needs plenty of qualified supporters who can help turn this (slow) motion into an international movement with the little snail as its symbol.

We sat on their patio and had the best food!

We then went for a 78 mile bike ride on Saturday that went surprisingly well. On Sunday we helped my parents settle in to my brothers house where they are staying for a few weeks while looking for a house here in Colorado. We also had the chance to celebrate my dad’s birthday with him for the first time in years. It was such a great weekend but it left me behind at work and home. Gees, how do you fit it all in?