The Pikes Peak Range Riders

This prominent statue on the southeast corner of Pikes Peak and Cascade in downtown Colorado Springs honors the Pikes Peak Range Riders. What are the Range Riders? They're an institution! They exist, among other things, to promote the annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, held every summer in our city. The rodeo is a big part of our local culture, not to mention a huge source of revenue every year, since people come from all over Colorado and the surrounding states to either participate or spectate. And did you know that the majority of the profits from the rodeo go to charity?

Every June the Range Riders host a street pancake breakfast in the heart of downtown, and everyone's welcome. Right after the breakfast, they hop on their horses and go off on a five day ride. This tradition goes all the way back to the 1940s. I have never participated in the street breakfast, mostly because I'm never up early enough. This is inexcusable, because for five years I worked right smack in the middle of downtown on Tejon and Kiowa (you can read about those days HERE), and yet I still never made it to the street breakfast. Shame on me! My New Year's resolution for 2013 is to become more of a morning person, so maybe this summer I'll finally get to eat some of those pancakes. If I do, I promise to take some pictures for you :^)