Thursday, June 13, 2013

June 13

Mesa Verde! It's one of my favorite places.  I came here 33 years ago with my sister and 17 years ago with my boys.  Now it's Kelly's turn.  After driving miles up the cliff we walked the Spruce Tree House Trail.





cliff dwellings

in the cliff dwelling





This is chimney Rock, CO.  It is a newer National Monument in the San Juan National Forest.

We ended the day at the Great Sand Dunes National Park.  We had to drive through 45 minutes of sandstorm to get here.  The sand usually blows through the mountain pass, but sometimes the wind changes direction and blows across the sandy plain toward the mountains (like today).  It is odd to see sand dunes next to rivers, lakes and mountains.  In the winter the dunes are covered in snow.


people hiking the dunes and playing
in the wet sand