14,000 Feet Above the Sea

Pikes Peak and the Cog Rail Way

The glossy red cabins come strolling by indolently challenging our patients. Finally docking up to the boarding steps showing of its gleaming silver name, Pikes Peak Cog Rail Way, we would all soon be on our way towards the next great adventure. “Tickets please!” says our tour guide and off we went. Up, up, up we go slowly but surely to the top of the world, 14,000 feet above the sea.

The Pike's Peak Cog Rail Way

Here are some pics!

A Visit to the Snake Man!

Hey Everyone!

Today was rather interesting...

I mean I can remember just waking up and thinking to myself, "I hope something interesting happens today and that I don't get stuck with nothing to do at home..."

Just then, later that day, Mom got an email saying that the "Snake Man" is in town!

So we admittedly eat lunch got dressed and headed out to see the awesome snakes!

Check out the video!

Enjoy,

~The Renaissance--Man




Peace Out!

The Garden of the Gods

The “Real” Mountains

Colorado Springs, Colorado

-----Gorgeous… Just Gorgeous… That’s the minimum I can say about the divine beauty of the mountains we saw in Colorado and I can rightly say that because truly such a world was created by the divine God almighty. Creation to me is almost holy and can barley be put into words and as for the pictures down below, they simply do not say enough. It was great to be in the Rockies. You can probably tell by now I’ve never been before; however, I’m sure anyone who is reading this and has been before will agree with me to some extent that life in the mountains is magnificent. Unless, of course, you get stuck in a snow storm but that’s when you break out the snow boards and life really begins! I hope to get to do that this fall but it all depends on whether or not it’ll work out, but to get back to the story.
-----We finally arrived to the great and majestic city of Colorado Springs where we would stay the night and begin exploring such a vast alien world my siblings and I have only seen in postcards and Television. They lied… It wasn’t everything we expected—it was so much more. It’s funny how plans and dreams can seem as just talk but now we were actually living the dream and we all hoped that it would last forever.
-----Rising early, we are off to behold the famous and glorious Garden of the Gods which is just awesome to think that such an enormous rock formation so unlike the rest of its surroundings could exist. Winding around the red and jagged garden we all with gaped mouths stood in wonder. Begging to get out of the car we made it to the mighty “Leaning Rock” where we first laid steps on a new world filled with new discoveries. It is so much fun to have younger siblings. Just to watch them learn, explore, and wonder about life is in itself an adventure. I am very pleased to of had the opportunity these last eighteen years to have the privilege of being homeschooled and having the chance so many miss to witness the growth of my family. This is totally worth the experience and has increased my joy of life tenfold. To think we still have so much more to do.
-----After a mere hour or so of exploration, we finial loaded back up the van and headed out to our next stop: the Pikes Peak Cog Railway (say that ten times fast). We would soon travel trough the historical town of Colorado springs and wind our way to the Cog Rail way where we would make our climb up to the top of the world—14,000 ft above the sea.

Working Out!

----So I was trying to hit the weights this week, you know, get back to the "Y" and work out... But instead I got and excellent opportunity to go out and help a good family friend build his house which beat going to the gym any day!

I learned how to put in electrical outlets, door knobs, lights, and I learned all about the pain of being electrocuted (Which I don't suggest trying)...

---All in all, it was an wonderful handful of days absolutely filled with honest hard work. For once I am happy to come home and with a smile on my face I can honestly say, "The work is done and I feel accomplished."

Just as a side note I'm also very happy because I got my XM radio to work again!!!

So...

---I'll be filling in the rest of these Vacation Updates and highlights relatively soon, in the mean time I think I'll take a shower, finish editing my Uncle's Wedding (Which I'll tell you all about soon), and I think I'll also do some brain storming on this storyboard I have to put together for a music video I'm producing.

Until next time,

~The Renaissance--Man

Peace Out!

An Oakley Summer Vacation

An Oakley Summer Vacation

By Robert W. Oakley

Preface

A long hard school year finally comes to an end with a distant haze of memory: an eighteenth birthday, an Eagle board of Review, graduation, and the dreaded SAT. The summer finally arrives over the horizon with unbridled joy causing me to forget about the stress and look forward to a new beginning in an adventure I hope to never forget, my very own Oakley family vacation. After the long day of packing up the bags and double checking the list of important things to bring—Myself, Ryan, Reece, Russell, Madelyn, and Rowan—we would all set out of the comfort of home and into our old yet reliable E-150 Conversion Van. . . We've only owned it for seven years. . . However, it has served us very well. I'm sure the thought of driving all the way from Katy Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; to Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota sounds a little absurd but trust me it is well worth the Trip. Imagine cruising through the beautiful red Desert of New Mexico with its endless stretch of highway and round hills and mountains. Imagine the even more magnificent Garden of the God's hugging the mountainous terrain of Colorado. Finally, you make your way toward the immense Pikes Peak, 14,000 ft. above the sea. Even still, the Wonder of Yellowstone lingers on your mind with its beautiful wild life and its mysterious wonders. The infamous faces of our forefathers would soon be next marking the end of such a great adventure; however, with the thought of home now on your mind, you know you'll miss such beauty, such wonder, and such joyous life. I tell you now friends, a trip like this is indeed well worth the while, for these are the adventures of the Oakley Family and these are their stories they wish to tell and have last forever. Amen

Heading Out

New Mexico

It's simple, right? Make a list, pack the bags, check it twice, and head out. . . Well, coming from a large family of eight I can tell you right now it isn't easy but it's always nice to have the extra hands when it comes time to load up the van. I'll save the head ache and move on. Farwell good home and hello open road! Our first stop is El Paso, TX where we would spend the night hoping for more vast sights to see other than flat terrain. Sure enough the very next day our prayers would be answered with the satisfying red mountains of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Madilyn, our sweat and only sister, was so excited to see such a colossal sight she immediately exclaimed, "Look! Look! A Volcano!" Of Course we all held our tongues at the same time finding it rather difficult to keep from laughing. "You've seen nothing yet" is all I could think. We stayed the night in the cool desert city of Albuquerque with the next day guaranteeing the "Real" deal concerning mountains. Apart from driving some of the time (which I didn't really mind), the trip was turning out just wonderful. One interesting experience while driving the endless highways of New Mexico, we managed to come upon the border patrol and border security. I thought I was going to have to get out and sign agreements and show ID, but sure enough as soon as we made the stop to be inspected, the inspector simply stood up to the van, took a look underneath the car, then gave us the A.O.K for departure. . . Not the most exciting experience but it was an interesting one. . . One thing I would consider exciting though would have to be taking pictures and shooting video. I was determined to insure that this trip would forever last in the Oakley archive of vast adventures which will soon lead to my next adventure, capturing and editing over seven hours of tape plus developing over 16 rolls of film. . . Yep, I'm a trooper when it comes to documentary. New Mexico is simply beautiful and I just couldn't get enough on how gorgeous even the desert can be; however, the trip is far from over, in fact, it still has just begun.