Always new Surprises!

As we headed out of town, we took a side trip to Trinidad Co.  We had been here several years ago,  so this was a quick trip through this time just to see it again, and what changes there might be, or what we might have missed.

One of the things we did want to go see this time was just out of town, in Ludlow.  It was the site of the Ludlow Massacre.  It was the Ludlow Tent Colony Site National Historic Landmark.  Jack had to enlighten me, as it was something I had not heard of before.  The coal miners called a strike in September of 1913.  The coal companies evicted thousands of miners and their families from their homes in company towns.  In January of 1914 the United Mine Workers Assoc organized a rally in Trinidad to protest poor working and living conditions.  Governor Ammons called out the Colorado National Guard to help keep the peace and by April 1914, membership in the local militia units consisted mostly of company employees, who sided against the miners.  On April 20th hostilities came to a head, which resulted in the Ludlow Massacre.  Lives were lost on both sides.  The tent colony burned and two women and eleven children suffocated in a cellar dug beneath their tent, know as the Death Pit.  The Death Pit and the monument serve as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the battle.

John Lewis officially became UMWA president in 1920 and remained at the helm for 40 years.  Lewis built the UMWA into a formidable union, raising the living standards of mine workers throughout North America and transforming health care in Appalachia.  His work in creating the Congress of Industrial Organizations (the CIO) in the 1930s brought millions of unorganized industrial workers into unions and led to an increase in living standards for millions of American families.

All this happened long before many of us were even born, and if it were not for memorials like this, we wouldn't know of the bravery of those before us.  That's why I believe it's important that statues, and memorials are important, least we forget...and therefore repeat our mistakes.

We are now in a new area of Colorado for us!  Alamosa!  It's home to a National Park...so, we got to go to another one yesterday!  This one said it was one that is "a least visited park"...well, I had to laugh as we waited in line for an hour just to get into the park!  ;-)  It is the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Colorado!  Well, it was worth every minute of the wait!  After all, we don't have little ones asking "are we there yet?", or anything barking, we had food and beverages, and nothing else on our agenda, so, we were just fine with the delay...The sun was shining and as we inched along, I got out from time to time and snapped pictures!  All was good!

Line ahead of us...line behind us...as far as the eye can see!

Once we arrived, Jack's "parking karma" worked and we got a parking spot at the Visitor's Center, went in and checked things out, saw the video, purchased our postcards, etc. then drove on down to the dunes, and once again found another parking spot, had our lunch then walked on over to see the dunes.  Well, what a site!

First of all, coming from California, I'm used to seeing people experiencing dunes via "dune buggies" - right off the road.  Big white hills, with people driving all around, here and there, up, down, around and around.  So, I guess, that's kind of what I expected.  Nope, not here.

Here, it's treated more like the beach, only...up hill, a 700' hill.  First, you walk, play in a creek, a very cold creek (well, cold to me, not so much to the locals, they thought it was just fine).  Then, after crossing this creek (Medano Creek) you walk along the sand for quite a bit, this you hike up the hill as far as you want (the dunes go up 700') and you slide down on however you want...people bring wooden boards, snowboards, rubber tubes, or just tumble down!  Some just like to climb to the top to sit and look out at the mountains.
People come for the day, bring chairs, tents, buckets, coolers, beach stuff!  It's amazing!

We made it as far as the base of the hills, but by then I was out of steam, no way could I make it up those hills.  By then the winds were really blowing, stinging and I had, had enough.  It was beautiful, amazing, fun, and I was ready to leave.  Leave the "sliding" to the young ones.  Maybe 20 years ago I would have done it, but not today...but I had fun anyway!  Glad we came!  Interesting place, I must say!

...on the road in Colorado, Marie

If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/

Color Colorado Beautiful!

I’ve been to Colorado a number of times, with and without Jack.  When one of my sons lived there, I used to visit the Denver area where he and his family lived, and always enjoyed it.  The trips that Jack and I made together had been car trips, enjoying such fun things like taking the train from Durango to Silverton & back. 

There is something about Colorado that pulls at me in a way that few states do.  Every time we come here it’s like being submerged into a book filled with brilliant colored pictures on every page.  It’s hard for me to describe, but no matter how many times I see this state, and it doesn’t seem to matter where in the state, I am in awe of it.  I am mixed with anticipation to see more and the desire to stay still and keep looking at what is in front of me. 

This trip was no different, and one filled with wonderful surprises and enjoyment.  Last year while we were in Lexington KY we met another couple who also owned an Allegro just like ours (if you have been reading my blog all along, you will remember the story of Jack running out our door to catch them when they drove by us!).  We have kept in touch and they were gracious enough to invite us to visit them in their “sticks & bricks” home in Littleton CO.  Having enjoyed their company so much when we first met them, we were delighted to have the opportunity to spend some time with them again and spend a few days seeing that area of Colorado. 

En route there, from our stay in Texas, we spent just a couple of days in a great state park in Trinidad CO.  We had a site overlooking the lake that was just beautiful!  So quiet and peaceful, you couldn’t ask for anything nicer, a true gem.  Trinidad is just over the state border, and a darling little town.  We took a day and spent all of it visiting every nook & cranny and I had a ball snapping lots of pictures!  The whole town dates back to the turn of the century and many of the old buildings still had some great “ghost ads” on them, and many were well cared for and still being used.  They were a coal mining town, and proud of it.  They even kept the last coal burning steam engine, and have it on display.  Nice stop and worth the visit. 

We needed one more stop before we could make it into Denver, so we chose Colorado Springs.  The campground I chose was one of “convenience & price” over “looks”.  Prices here are “sky high” and all you get for it is a place to park, basically.  Very windy here too.  Seems it just kept following us from Texas no matter where we went!  We only had the rest of that day to see anything because we wanted to pull out early the next morning to get to Littleton at a decent time.  I was hungry by the time we got settled, and having read up on the area, I chose not to go into the Springs, but to go another direction instead, to a town nearby called Manitou Springs.  There was a “castle” there that served lunch and did tours, so I thought, yea, two things in one trip! Ha!  So off we went to the Miramont Castle.  What a great choice I had made!  Lunch was superb and the tour was great...but best of all...I fell in love with the town.  I mean I really fell in love with this town.  This is the first place that I have been to that I have turned to Jack and said (the magic words) “I think I could live here”.  I talked with the delightful gentleman who served us, and asked him tons of questions about living there.  Weather being one of my big concerns, he explained that Manitou Springs being down in this little valley, gets missed by all the big storms...they just seem to “go over the top and sprinkle down instead of getting the full force”.  Snow is minimal and melts quickly, etc.  Hmmm..
We drove around a bit, but really didn’t have the time to get out and walk it much, or to do much “investigating” - this time - but there will be a next time, for sure! 

The following day we finally arrived at our friend’s with open arms and not only “hook-ups” but a guest bedroom and bath all our own!  We were treated like a queen & king the whole visit!  They were wonderful “tour guides” taking us all around, showing us such beautiful places like Chatfield Lake State Park (camping!) and Red Rocks where they have a beautiful, huge outdoor amphitheater where well-known artists come to entertain.  We spent one day visiting a darling little town, antiquing, eating great burgers & sweet potato fries topping it all off with fresh made ice cream afterwards.  Such a beautiful place, great visit and wonderful friends.  With reservations in the Grand Tetons, we had to say our “goodbyes” but with promises to get together again soon, and hopefully meeting up on a camping trip up ahead!

Colorado...we WILL be back!

...on the road in Wyoming,  Marie


If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/