COLORADO SPRINGS — It is warm in Colorado right now and on the way to hot. It is also spring break. The combination of the two is proving good for outdoor businesses.
"We've heard about the Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, how beautiful Colorado is, and this is a perfect opportunity for us to be in the midst of God's creation and to praise God," said Sister Bernadette Nguyen with Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province.
Spring break is for more than kids and college students. More than a dozen Catholic sisters from Texas who are also educators, visited Garden of the Gods on a warm March day.
They signed up for a guided tour on an open-air trolley.
"It's beautiful weather here today, refreshing and very nice," Nguyen said.
"People love that open atmosphere," said Arrow, a guide with Adventures Out West.
There are a lot of outdoor options in the area.
"The Jeeps, we've got Segways, bikes, zip line," Arrow said.
Businesses offering outdoor fun will squeeze in some sales on the sunny days of a typical winter.
"We do them even in the snow," Arrow said.
"We try to get out here when we can, brave the cold when we can and make things happen for folks," said Keith Cassity with the electric bike rental company, Amp'd Adventures.
This winter, days in the 60s and 70s have been common. It results in a lot more people opting to sign up for some outdoor fun.
"It's definitely been a lot more busy for us this winter. Certainly, have had more business than we usually do, which is great for us. We're happy to show up to work, show people around, and give them a great time," Cassity said.
There won't be any complaints about some snow or rain to counter the extreme lack of moisture so far this year. Holding off until the spring break season is past is also fine by locals building a bottom line in the outdoors.
"Hopefully we'll be doing it in shorts and a t-shirt next week," Cassity said.
The spring break momentum is expected to continue. Tour guides say, during early March visitors have largely been from school districts in Texas. Spring breakers from more states and locals districts are expected through the rest of the month when temperatures are likely to be even higher.
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