Gee, what was he talking about in that song? :D
The Pikes Peak Cog Railway is in Manitou Springs, as well- I know they run this early in the season, but they don't get to the top until it's plowed through. A great day trip though.
Pikes Peak is the site of America's oldest road race, run every July 4th- although up until a few years ago, it was dirt. I remember several years friends and I would drive up to a campground near the top and party all night above 12,000 feet. Weed was completely unnecessary at that altitude, but that didn't stop us! I grew up living a mile high, and that was still so far up there I could run out of breath just holding a conversation.
The next morning, we would see all manner of racing vehicles roaring up that dirt road as fast as they
could go. Bikes, cars, racing buggies, even semi tractors! I'm telling you, the 8th wonder of the world is watching a longnosed Kenworth getting sideways flattracking around a dirt corner at 35mph with a 4000 foot dropoff right next to it!