So let me share my exciting day! Driving south from Salida, I went thru some pretty desolate country in the San Luis Valley, with the Sangre de Christo Mts. (Blood of Christ translation) and the San Juan Mts. surrounding me. The most unique "home" I saw was a lean-to with a hippy van parked in it. You can't believe what people are inhabitating in! The Great Sand Dunes National Historic Site was my first stop. How did such a unique landscape get here? I'd offer you a geological lesson, but I know that's not what this blog is about (always a teacher/student). I waded across Medona Creek to the dunes, and hiked partway up. Sand pelted my skin in this wild environment. Quite an experience. Colorado's National Parks quarter is from this location.
Next stop was Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Bring along a good state map because my GPS and my atlas was worthless finding this spot. I certainly took a roundabout "trail" to get there, but witnessed some interesting remote villages. Thirty-five million years ago, a volcanic eruption encased redwoods that became petrified. Early treasure hunters and tourists nearly wiped out the fossils of these redwoods, plus 1700 other preserved fossils in shale before citizens of Florissant took action.
Colorado Springs was nearby, and one of my Target friends suggested the Garden of Gods (thanks, Marcella). I had visited in 1985, but the vistas were more breath-taking this time! A herd of bighorn sheep surprised me as I had never seen them in the wild! The hiking allowed me to get some kinks out after all the driving.
An oil change, a car wash and an Estes Park library card are on my today's agenda. I'll be checking out the area, and see if there's some snow left to snowshoe on. Too gloomy to post any photos. And tomorrow my adventure with Rocky Mountain National Park begins!
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