Pam Sirko drives up and down Highway 24 with a trailer hooked to the back of her pickup.

Every car she passes gazes at her load with amazement and awe. People along the road stop and stare.

That's because she has six huge white elk lifelike statues nailed to her flatbed.

"It's the 'Wow' factor that seems to get people," she said. "People see them and want to know more. This is what I do all day."

The elk are part of Sirko's Rocky Mountain Elk Tour project that is set to kick off May 19 throughout Teller County. It will run into November. A kick-off party is being planned for May in Teller County.

The Elk Tour is a way for businesses to advertise and for tourists, or residents of the area, to take a scenic drive through the majestic countryside and be wowed by the product.

"Teller County gets a lot of traffic, but people don't stop," said Sirko, a Woodland Park resident. "This is part of a public arts project designed to get people to explore Teller County."

The Elk are made in Kearney, Nebraska, by America's Fiberglass Animals. Sirko has orders for 14 of the elk, and hopes to double that order by May.

The elk weight 140 pound each, stand nine feet tall and are eight feet in length. It takes four weeks to make one elk. They are made out of fiberglass and steel.

Residents can purchase an elk for $2,000 (Sirko's cost). Businesses or schools can purchase the elk for $3,500 to $4,000. The Elk are then designed and painted by artists, school children, or business owners. They will then be put into place at various locations throughout Teller County. The base of the elk will have the sponsors' name.

Among Sirko's clients that have purchased elk are the city of Victor and the city of Colorado Springs.

Gold Country Realty, Cripple Creek

Expect a Miracle Foundation

Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak,

Colorado Springs

The Woodland Park Fine Arts & Crafts Fair

The Susan Kathleen Black Foundation

Born of the Flames, Cascade

Colored Rain Gallery, Florissant

Mueller State Park, Florissant

The Gordon Jackson Foundation

Jeff Musgrave of Peak Antler

Curves of Woodland Park

The City of Victor and their schools

For more information call 687-8767 or visit www.elksrus.com.