Pikes Peak part two

It's odd, I didn't take any pictures of the teeming masses that swarmed the summit.  I was likely just too tired.  But here's Chris in front of the excellently retro train that eventually took us back to civilization.  Would you believe we got applauded?  The train tour guide lady announced that there were several people on the train that had climbed the mountain, and there was a very enthusiastic response from the crowd.  It was quite nice, but I know if I would have heard that, I would have thought, "What, they couldn't go back the way they came?"

We had to take a more traditional "we made it to the top" picture, as well as the other ones you'll see below.  This is usually how we have to do it, because at the top of most other mountains, there's... nothing.  It's the way we generally like to have it.

The building behind us is the giant cafeteria/restroom/gift shop thing that everyone crowds into for most of their time atop Pikes Peak.  I don't get it.  This particular sign is around back, where the train comes in.  It says "A summit photo is a lasting memento of your trip to this world-famous peak."  Oh, the Americans and their "world-famous" crap. 

This sign is around in the front of the building, closer to the huge parking lot.  This is the entire group that climbed the mountain with Scot (except his wife and child, who drove up for the occasion).  Even the dog, Floyd, came with us -- he had more energy than anyone.  One of the guys brought a bottle of 14er beer (brewed by Avery Brewing in Boulder) that we cracked and passed around to celebrate Scot's amazing achievement of 58 14ers in just two or three years.