Four States in One Day

So...we could have easily made it back to Texas...and to my mom's house by the end of this next day of our adventure.  However, we had a few more stops we were determined to make before making it to our final destination.

We woke up early to make the short drive to...

We did not have a lot of time but we had passed up this park on 3 other occasions so we determined to make this stop.  We woke up early and arrived before the visitor center opened.  We also printed the junior ranger booklet off while at the hotel.  We were set to make it to the main attraction to this park before moving on...not the best way to go to a national park but we still had a lot of miles on the road today!

My first thought when we discussed this stop was to not make a big deal about it...it was just a bunch of sand after all.  However, it turns out the park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, rising about 750 feet from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range, covering about 19,000 acres.  When you look at the pictures we are posting, you can see that the park is lot more than just sand.  It would have been nice to see some more of the park...maybe we will need to make another stop one day.

We came during the snow melt season...there was a running stream between the parking lot and the dunes.  It was not very deep but very powerful.  Little Miss would have floated away had we let her walk across.  The water was also VERY cold...it was snow melt after all!

The rocks in the stream were so beautiful and colorful!

Kangaroo rat tracks!

We made it about half way up the highest dune before realizing that we would not make it back to the van in time to keep up our schedule... definitely needs another visit!  

So we ran back to the van...through that COLD water...and made it to the visitor center just as they were opening the doors.  We explained that we had indeed visited the park before the opening and needed to move on down the road.  The park ranger was a little skeptical until she actually saw that the children had very complete answers to the questions and completed the ENTIRE booklet.  It also helped to show her that we had an interest in other national parks for the day.

We did happen upon an interesting (but quick) side stop as we were leaving Colorado.  Yes...it was a geocache but I am glad we stopped for the history lesson as well.  We had found the Ludlow Massacre site.  This was an attack by the Colorado National Guard and Colorado Fuel & Iron Company camp guards on a tent colony of 1,200 striking coal miners and their families on April 20, 1914.  I do not know a lot of details and I am sure there is another part of the story...not going to go political on this one...but it is sad to think at least two dozen people, including miners' wives and children, were killed over a mining dispute!  So sad...and I am glad we were able to stop and remember even the ugly side to our history.

This was not planned, so we were quickly zooming down the road again heading into New Mexico.  Not a lot to see here this trip...we needed to cross the Texas Panhandle and into Oklahoma by the end of the night.  We found a park with life size dinosaurs for a quick stop and then on to Texas!

Serious about my chicken fried steak!

It was good to cross over into Texas once again...we were there by mid-afternoon.  We then made our way toward Lake Meredith NRA and Alibates Flint Quarry NM.  Unfortunately, the recreation area was closed by the time we got there and the quarry tours were canceled for a ranger training.  We were disappointed but another trip to the area sounds promising for the future!

We were starting to hear the pangs of hunger...a desire for chicken fried steak led us to The Texas Rose Steakhouse!  It was the perfect stop...they served us fresh rolls right out of the oven...still in the muffin tins!  I told the waitress it was good to be home!  She asked where we had been...when I told her she laughed...that is where I call home!  I thought it was so funny that we could pick out the Texans while in California, and now we were picking out the people from California in Texas!

A hop back in the van and we were zooming into Oklahoma.  Thankfully, it was just a short ride from this border to our hotel for the night.  We were greeted by Myrtle (and her brother Ya at Eeh) as we drove into town.

Onward to Colorado

Well, we had a special plan for the remainder of our 6th day of travels...we were going to make a circle around 4 states in SECONDS!!!!!  That's right...we were heading to the Four Corners Monument, which would take us to the disputed corners of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.  All we can say is...it was close enough for us and we were happy to indulge the local tribes and donate to the cause (stupid white man tax) in order to make our stand...quite literally at this spot.  We actually arrived just 20 minutes before closing...we had no idea there was a fence around the area!  However, we were not alone in our desire to be at this spot so late at night (18:40).

We had the joy of taking pictures together just before an older couple joined us.  They asked if the children could join them in a video they were creating to post to their grandchildren.  We were caught circling the monument with the lady sharing the location and the location of her hair!  I guess it was some kind of "Where's Waldo?" idea but it was "Where's Gramma's Hair?"  She told us she would be sure to get that video to us the next time she saw us...we laughed and said we looked forward to seeing it, knowing we would never see them again!

We had a great time in the video and then we were on our way back out to the van, when we saw the most amazing old time car...she was beautiful!  We took a picture...predicted it belonged to the nice couple and before we could leave they did in fact climb into the car to zoom on their way.  We told them they had a great car and we parted ways...just as the gates were closing I might add!)

We then had a nice drive to our hotel in Colorado...our only night on this trip that we arrived in time to enjoy a meal in the hotel.  I think we did a great job of having a fresh meal closer to what we enjoy at home.  We even had time to relax before falling asleep.






The next morning we were off on our Colorado adventure to...

BUT FIRST...it was a special day that I could not allow to pass up...the children had been really upset that we would miss it while traveling but I made plans for at least a little celebration for ... Star Wars Day...May the 4th!!!

I gathered some things at the store the night before, so they would wake up to Princess Lei buns and blue milk for breakfast.  Zaira loved the milk so much that she kept the remainder of the jug beside her long into the day!  Then we had light saber snack...Yoda soda...and Hans Solo Ice cream (rolo candy added to ice cream!) at different times in the day.  I also bought new Star Wars t-shirts for those who needed them.  It was a small way of supporting my Star Wars fans!

This was a stop long in waiting...I had planned a trip to this park 15 years ago, but it was not possible on that trip.  When I realized how close we would be to the park, I knew we had to make the stop...it did not disappoint!  We did not know how long we would spend at this park...we ended up making a full day of it!  

 We started at the visitor center and purchased our tickets for the tour (What do you mean we have to PAY to climb an open ladder 3 stories high and then squeeze through a hole just big enough for an adult!?!) while the children explored the exhibits.

We had about two hours to make the drive the winding road up to the villages and do a little exploring on our own.  The views were amazing and the wildlife was abundant.  Then we enjoyed a picnic lunch while we waited.

Can you see it?  It blends in so well!

Cool ants...but we did not get too close!

What is this thing?  It reminded us of an alien creature!

A bird in the eaves...a swallow, maybe?

These are some pictures we took of the villages as we drove through the park.  We would actually find ourselves walking through the first one in the second picture during our tour.

About 30 minutes before our tour began, we noticed a familiar red car in the parking lot.  It was our "friends" from the Four Corners!  They were so sweet and recognized us right away as they were coming out from their tour.  We talked about the remainder of our trips and decided we would not likely cross paths again but it was fun to see each other again.  Then they told us we would have the best experience as our tour guide truly knew the history of the area.  

Sure enough that is when our park ranger sat down in the waiting area to greet our tour group.  I wish I could share pictures but I promised him I would save them for our family (I cannot even tell you why...its a ranger secret!).  He was indeed sharing his own culture with us today and this included one of his favorite past time activities...spinning yarn!  

Once the tour began, we were taken back in time to some of the best preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States (600-1300 AD).  We would walk down several steps (about 45 steps, according to our number sense children!) before arriving at one our first stops to discuss the reason this was a logical place for these villages...water!...coming through the cliffs from natural springs and run-off.  We then began the climb back up into the village.  This was about 30+ feet of ladder and then we were expected to climb through a small opening into the village area.  Whooo...the worst was over...now I could enjoy the tour, right?  Oh no...that was not the end of my worries...but I did have a reprieve and enjoyed Ranger Aragon talk about the culture (at least to the best of his ability...there are no living ancestors for these people).

We were able to look into the adobe style homes that were embedded in the rock.  We also saw that there were many places that were carved into the rock for various uses.

THEN...we made our way through the little opening we were warned about...actually, it was not too bad...I made it through with a smile on my face and not hyperventilating!  And two more ladders, as we made our way out of the village...the last was the worst to me as it was not secured as well as the others...but I made it...the children all survived without any trouble.  It was AWESOME!!!!

Little Miss going solo on the last climb!

And...in the end...Ranger Aragon did allow me to post ONE picture of him...he was a great guide and I was so thankful to have him there to share his culture with us...a special honor that we will not forget for a long time.  This definitely will be on our favorite list!

A few more shots of some of the villages as we made our way to a second visitor center for the park.

This visitor center was where the children received their junior ranger badges.  Then we walked through the museum attached so we could see the historical dioramas created by the CCC in the 1920s.

The children were completely wiped out by the time we made it back to the van.  Most of them were sleeping just a few miles down the road.  We were crossing the southern part of Colorado.  We were able to see some mountain goats up close and personal...one decided we need a better view of him and posed for us along the cement divider...then he leaped over the edge of the mountain side directly in front of us!  If I was even a little bit tired at that point on the road, I was fully awake now!  It was the craziest thing I have ever seen!

We then made it to the Continental Divide...hopped out of the van...fresh snow on the hills.  We were trying to figure out a way to get a group shot when a kind soul stopped and asked if we needed any help...he kindly took a picture of us.  Then he told us that the most beautiful thing in the world was skiing on fresh snow...it would likely be his last chance of the season.  Not my idea of fun, but we could appreciate the beauty.  

We had one more wake up call before arriving at our hotel...this beautiful deer leaped out in front of us...just missing the van...so thankful for our guardian angels who protected us!

To end our day, this little bird sang us a song and posed for a shot just as we arrived at our hotel!