A super fun family bike ride is coming up, benefitting cancer patients and their families. Get the details in this conversation with Todd Haller. The 3rd Annual Colorado Springs Witches, Warlocks, and Ghouls Bike Ride happens October 18, 2025, almost entirely on paved bicycle path, from Stir in the Bon Shopping Center, to Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs.

It’s a 3.5 mile affair. Decked out bikes and spooky attire will be on full display (Loving the Springs co-host Al Brody promises to be a standout). The ride benefits the Circle of Hope Fund at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Foundation. The Witches, Warlocks & Ghouls Family Fun Ride was organized by Mackenzie Daly, associate professor of radiation oncology and practicing radiation oncologist, and Tecie Haller, a nurse practitioner in radiation oncology, both at UCHealth.

Witches, Warlocks & Ghouls Family Fun Ride

Registration and Information: https://coswitchesride.com

MENTIONED:

UC Health Memorial Central Foundation

Stir Coffee & Cocktails

Mash Mechanix Brewing Co.

Millibo Art Theatre

Kids on Bikes

U.S. Space Command

Ute Valley Park

Stratton Open Space

Rampart Range Road

Palmer Park

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

Get the scoop on changes in bus routes and schedules in this conversation with Mountain Metropolitan Transit Planning & Operations Supervisor Jacob Matsen. Changes include improvements to the free bus service through Manitou Springs so you can skip parking at the Manitou Incline and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. We also discuss bus stops for the UCCS campus and neighborhood, the free downtown shuttle (Zeb) and hybrid and electric buses.

LINKS:

Mountain Metro service changes: https://coloradosprings.gov/service-changes

Mountain Metro Mobility ADA Paratransit Service: 719-385-RIDE (7433) https://coloradosprings.gov/mountain-metro-mobility-hub

Regional Transportation Planning Update - EP 140 of Peak Environment podcast: https://studio809podcasts.com/regional-transportation/

MENTIONED:

Manitou Springs

Manitou Incline

Pikes Peak Cog Railway

Hiawatha Gardens

Manitou Chamber

Barr Trail

Free Downtown Shuttle (Zeb)

UCCS

Robson Arena

Weidner Field

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

Downtown Colorado Springs

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

We never thought “dick pic” would be part of a film festival, but it did “come up” in this conversation about the 38th annual Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival. Don’t worry, you won’t see one at the festival. You will experience a powerful weekend of films that spark conversation, ignite change, and celebrate storytelling through the female lens. Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Executive Director Nicole Nicoletta spills the tea about the festival – including details about some of the interesting films. She also shares about the year-round events hosted by the organization. The festival takes place October 17-19, 2025 on the Colorado College campus. There will also be a Virtual Encore October 23-26.

LINKS:

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film: https://rmwfilm.org/

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival: https://rmwfilm.org/festival/

Marcy Morrison – Community Leader Making a Difference - Episode 16 of Making Democracy Work: https://studio809podcasts.com/16-marcy-morrison/

MENTIONED:

Donna Guthrie

Rocky Mountain Highway Music Collaborative

Manitou Springs

Marcy Morrison

Matt Carpenter

Robert Redford

Kimball’s Peak Three Theater

Sundance Film Festival

Sundance Institute

Denver Women’s Correctional Facility

Diane Warren: Relentless (film)

Colorado College

Patsy’s Candies

Ruby Greenberg

It’s Dorothy! (film)

Judy Garland

Icons

Girl Climber (film)

The Secret of Me (film)

Baby Doe (film)

The Pic (film)

Lincoln Center

Goat Patch Brewing Co.

Nightingale Bread

Building 3 Coffee Roasters

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Pop Up Cinema at Ivywild

Manitou Art Center

Westside Community Center

Garden of the Gods Resort & Club

Mining Exchange Hotel

Jere Martin

Telluride Film Festival

Thomas Dambo trolls

Mayor Yemi

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

What makes a city or neighborhood “walkable?” Does Colorado Springs have what it takes? What’s being done to improve that? Meet the woman leading the charge, Lelia Gibson-Green, who last week led the 2nd Colorado Springs Walkability Summit. She’s also responsible for persuading Colorado Springs City Council to proclaim today, September 22, Walkability Day. In this episode she shares how she came to be a walkability champion, details of the summit, and what comes next.

LINKS:

Walking Leader Training – September 27, 2025, 9-1:30

Penrose Public Library Downtown

Register: https://forms.gle/V3QE4t46U5h2toR88

MENTIONED:

Hey Neighbor

America Walks

AARP

Downtown Colorado Springs

Mayor Yemi

1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings

Juaquin Mobley

Whealthy Unlimited

Pikes Peak Bulletin

Walk2Connect

Blackpackers

Peak Vista

Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance

Diversus Health

Deerfield Hills Community Center

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

Three days and two stages will turn the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort in Colorado Springs into a slice of music and community heaven October 3-5. Lodge owner Torie Giffin takes the mic, along with GM Sara Branham and Director of Marketing Shelby Clarke, to give us all the details about Buffalo Grass. Our discussion includes how Torie and her staff have turned Buffalo Lodge into a vibrant community hub and music performance center.

LINKS:

Buffalo Grass music festival: https://www.bicycleresort.com/buffalograss

Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort: https://www.bicycleresort.com/

MENTIONED:

Rocky Mountain Highway Music Collaborative

Manitou Music Foundation

Black Rose Acoustic Society

Pikes Peak National Bank

Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain

Cerberus Brewing

3 Hundred Days of Shine

Old Dangerfield Bluegrass Band

Manitou Strings Band

Bald'n Gray'n & one Brunette

K squared

Meadowgrass Music Festival

Colorado Springs Shrine Club

Monsters Mini Donuts

Wobbly Waffles

La Gran Tenochtitlan

Good Grub

Wirewood Station

Magoo

Blue Canyon Boys

John Spengler

Ceria Brewing

Gruvi Spirit Free Beverages

Springs Culture Kombucha

UpaDowna Folk’n’Flannel Festival & Fundraiser (September 20-21)

Cheyenne Mountain Conference Resort

The Broadmoor

Hilton Garden Inn

The Antlers hotel

Kinship Landing

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

Art exhibitions, a film festival, urban terrorists, downtown ambassadors, a walkability summit, and how safe do you feel bicycling our city? These are just a few of the items on our smorgasbord in a free-for-all episode.

MENTIONED:

Ditching Your Turf Grass

Burning Man

Mutant Airplane at Burning Man 2024

The bicycle 3-feet clearance law

New Colorado law now requires vehicles in both directions to stop for a school bus with its stop sign out

Roundabout etiquette

Zipper etiquette in traffic

Seeing more bicycles around town

Air Force Academy

The GoCOS app

Buffalo Lodge

Cottonwood Center for the Arts

First Friday – September 5

Downtown Colorado Springs

Old Colorado City

Manitou Springs

Platte Furniture – awesome basement art gallery

Auric Gallery

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC

Colorado Springs Police Department

Downtown Development Authority

City of Colorado Springs Housing and Homelessness Response

Colorado Springs Rescue Mission

Colorado Springs Urban Renewal Authority

Weidner Apartment Homes

Tejon Street Revitalization project

Urban terrorists

Ivywild School

Bristol Brewing Company

Axe and the Oak Distillery

Bike Colorado Springs

Parking or stopping in bike Lanes

Riding your bike or walking to school

Old Town Bike Shop

Criterium Bicycles

The Next Us

LINKS:

Rampart Rager gravel bicycle race – info and registration: https://rampartragergravel.com

2025 COS Walkability Summit: https://forms.gle/ermeHn7g6mAeUUF38

Doug Mansfield’s Devilish Living Exhibition at Cottonwood: https://dougmansfieldart.com/devilish-living

Erin Kittelson’s Stuck exhibition at Cottonwood: https://peakradar.com/event/stuck/

Downtown’s new Clean & Safe Program: https://downtowncs.com/clean

Experience Downtown Master Plan update – survey open through August 22: https://downtowncs.com/xdt2

Downtown Partnership Annual Breakfast – Sept 19: https://downtowncs.com/breakfast

Colorado Springs Fire Dept: More Than Just Putting Out Fires - Episode 20 of a Place for everyone: https://studio809podcasts.com/csfd-more-than-just-putting-out-fires/

Colorado Short Circuit Film Festival: https://csc.eventive.org

Pikes Peak Regional Perspectives survey for Our Spacious Skies: https://emea.focusvision.com/survey/selfserve/1710/250602?list=2

Bicycle Friendly City Survey: https://www.bikecoloradosprings.org/help-make-biking-better-in-colorado-springs-survey-open-now/

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s...

As the Colorado Springs Independent morphed, and ultimately disappeared from the local news media scene, the longtime Manitou Springs newspaper has been expanding its coverage and distribution throughout the Pikes Peak region. We invited the publisher and the editor to spill the tea on what’s happening with the Pikes Peak Bulletin.

Lyn Harwell, President and Publisher, and Heila Ershadi, Managing Editor, fill us in on developments since Sixty35 Media shut down and cut the Pikes Peak Bulletin loose, including why they are currently running an “emergency fundraiser.”

LINKS:

Pikes Peak Bulletin: https://pikespeakbulletin.org

Emergency fundraiser: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/01bc4b42-8c8d-498e-8e0d-102c48ca4174

A detailed history of the Pikes Peak Bulletin: https://pikespeakbulletin.org/news/a-look-back-through-manitou-springs-history-by-rhonda-van-pelt/

Public Input Opportunities:

Our Spacious Skies – Pikes Peak Regional Perspectives survey by Pikes Peak Community Foundation: https://ppcf.org

2026 Colorado Springs Park System Master Plan – public input phase; survey open through August 3: https://coloradosprings.gov/ParkSystemMasterPlan

Peak Radar 2025 Survey: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/yTJRFDI/PeakRadar2025

MENTIONED:

SoCo Insider

CommunityWorks

CASA

Pikes Peak Community Foundation

Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services

Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region

Downtown Colorado Springs

Experience Downtown Master Plan Update

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com