Sweet America, Pikes Peak Mounatin from Garden of the Gods Park, with Kissing Camels in the foreground, located in Colorado Springs, CO.

nobody@flickr.com (Beverly & Pack) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:53:17 -0700

I am releasing this picture for any use, whether personal or commerical. This is my hometown and I love this mountain, Pikes Peak. This beauty belongs to us all, and shall be my gift to you.

When I was able, I hiked this mountain every single weekend, year round. I'm somewhat thick headed, so I only took the tough route from the front - this view, rather than the easy hike up the backside of the mountain. Looking back, the toughest journeys (the snow storms) were my favorite treks. I guess it's symbolic of life's journeys too, the hardest and toughest of times that seem so neverending, do have the best beauty and lessons buried in them.

For the photographers interested, I applied the Fractalius Filter by Redfield to this image.

Pikes Peak Mountain is the place that inspired Kathy Bates to write
"America the Beautiful".

America, the Beautiful by Ray Charles

America the Beautiful
Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Uploads from Beverly & Pack, tagged airforce, with geodata

Sweet America, Pikes Peak Mounatin from Garden of the Gods Park, with Kissing Camels in the foreground, located in Colorado Springs, CO.