2013 October 31
Another day filled with awesome scenery.... It was cold when we woke up. 22 degrees. There was a dusting of snow during the night. We drove to Mesa Verde National Park. Highly recommend this to anyone who has the opportunity to see it. This is the place that many of the Pueblo people in this area (1200-1300a.d.) lived in cliff dwellings. They were not rediscovered until early in the 1900s. We were able to use stairs to reach the dwellings. They would have used notches in the wall of the cliff. The altitude was similar to the area we visited in Peru earlier this year, Cusco and Machu Picchu, around 8000 ft.
A lovely drive along highway 160 took us to the Four Corners. This is where the states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico come together.
The end of our driving today brought us to Blanding, Utah. The plan tomorrow is to see the Valley of the Gods, the Natural Bridges National Monument, and Canyonlands National Park. There are also some individual rock formations along the way that we are hoping to view. Tomorrow night may be Moab, Utah.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
2013 October 30
This morning we went to Great Sand Dunes National Park. These dunes are up to 700 foot high at the base of the mountains! Incredible scenery. There is also a nature preserve on the park grounds. Saw deer wandering through the park, like the bears in Yellowstone. Just outside the park we went to Zapata Falls. Actually we only heard the falls after walking to their location. To see them we would have had to walk across the water and slippery rocks. As the air temperature was in the low 30s, we were sure that water was colder. There was also supposed to be a lake. We followed that trail for over a mile, up the mountain, over a rocky path and finally decided it was more than we were prepared to finish. So we ended up with some great exercise and pictures of our trek, but no waterfall and no lake!
The afternoon was spent traveling to our next overnight stay in Durango. That meant we drove scenic highway 160 over the mountains via the Wolf Creek Pass. At the top the temperature outside was 22 degrees and the snow was falling. The snowplow was out clearing the roads. Went through two tunnels, saw some outstanding scenery and were glad to have successfully completed the trip.
Tomorrow will be Mesa Verde National Park for sure. The four corners are possible. We will end up somewhere in Utah near Canyonlands National Park. There are a number of scenic spots to see along the way.
Still having issues with inserting pictures to the blog. Will continue telling the story.
This morning we went to Great Sand Dunes National Park. These dunes are up to 700 foot high at the base of the mountains! Incredible scenery. There is also a nature preserve on the park grounds. Saw deer wandering through the park, like the bears in Yellowstone. Just outside the park we went to Zapata Falls. Actually we only heard the falls after walking to their location. To see them we would have had to walk across the water and slippery rocks. As the air temperature was in the low 30s, we were sure that water was colder. There was also supposed to be a lake. We followed that trail for over a mile, up the mountain, over a rocky path and finally decided it was more than we were prepared to finish. So we ended up with some great exercise and pictures of our trek, but no waterfall and no lake!
The afternoon was spent traveling to our next overnight stay in Durango. That meant we drove scenic highway 160 over the mountains via the Wolf Creek Pass. At the top the temperature outside was 22 degrees and the snow was falling. The snowplow was out clearing the roads. Went through two tunnels, saw some outstanding scenery and were glad to have successfully completed the trip.
Tomorrow will be Mesa Verde National Park for sure. The four corners are possible. We will end up somewhere in Utah near Canyonlands National Park. There are a number of scenic spots to see along the way.
Still having issues with inserting pictures to the blog. Will continue telling the story.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
2013 October 29
Yesterday we started our trip to the southwest. Planning to see many of the national parks on our scenic route to Chino Valley, Arizona. Plan to spend some time with friends in Arizona before finding a new route to return home around the middle of November.
This morning we were in Dodge City, Kansas where we spent our first night on the road. We toured a museum that included some original buildings, Boot Hill Cemetery, a saloon, store fronts, and many items from historical Dodge City.
On the way "out of Dodge" we stopped at a place where we were to see wagon wheel ruts from the many wagon trains that traveled the Sante Fe Trail. The trail wasn't that obvious to us.... but the information at the site was interesting. Apparently, this area was on the border between the US and Mexico. The 100th meridian.
Then we drove through the rest of western Kansas and into Colorado. In Kansas we saw many sorghum fields, a few sunflower fields, a farm that raised game birds (pheasants, etc.), and many large cattle feeding stations (ranches). Not many trees along the way.... lots of open land. Into Colorado there were some changes in scenery. At first, more trees, then different types of shrubbery, then finally, mountains. We thoroughly enjoyed the views and are looking forward to the rest of our trip.
We are spending our second night in Alamosa, Colorado. We are only 35 miles from our first national park. First thing on tomorrow's agenda is Great Sand Dunes National Park!
Having trouble uploading pictures...... will try to figure out what the problem is..... wish I was more techy!!
Yesterday we started our trip to the southwest. Planning to see many of the national parks on our scenic route to Chino Valley, Arizona. Plan to spend some time with friends in Arizona before finding a new route to return home around the middle of November.
This morning we were in Dodge City, Kansas where we spent our first night on the road. We toured a museum that included some original buildings, Boot Hill Cemetery, a saloon, store fronts, and many items from historical Dodge City.
On the way "out of Dodge" we stopped at a place where we were to see wagon wheel ruts from the many wagon trains that traveled the Sante Fe Trail. The trail wasn't that obvious to us.... but the information at the site was interesting. Apparently, this area was on the border between the US and Mexico. The 100th meridian.
Then we drove through the rest of western Kansas and into Colorado. In Kansas we saw many sorghum fields, a few sunflower fields, a farm that raised game birds (pheasants, etc.), and many large cattle feeding stations (ranches). Not many trees along the way.... lots of open land. Into Colorado there were some changes in scenery. At first, more trees, then different types of shrubbery, then finally, mountains. We thoroughly enjoyed the views and are looking forward to the rest of our trip.
We are spending our second night in Alamosa, Colorado. We are only 35 miles from our first national park. First thing on tomorrow's agenda is Great Sand Dunes National Park!
Having trouble uploading pictures...... will try to figure out what the problem is..... wish I was more techy!!
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