Day 14: (3of3) Saturday May 16th, Driving to Mesa Verde National Park

After we left the Great Sand Dunes, We traveled back across most of Colorado heading towards Mesa Verde. This time south and then West. Another long drive and beautiful scenery. 

This one included a summit crossing at dusk, 

The frosty trees should have been an early warning of what was to come! 

with falling temperatures, rain that turned to snow,

  snow that turned to unplowed slippery roads, that turned to an unplanned u-turn, otherwise known as a 180. Not a sole on the road though, so Yay, no harm no foul. 

Our 180 was a slow motion event that was a gentle sliding affair. The truck and trailer gently slid as a unit, together. I was turning the wheel into the slide, keeping everything straight, but we were still going both sideways and downhill until eventually it had gone 180 degrees and we were in the snow bank on the side of the road facing the wrong way! 

And then the ever helpful GPS Nav system says "Make a U-Turn" hahaha. Okay, we'll get right on that. 

We were able to just make a wide u-turn and continue on our way. As I mentioned, no one on the road in either direction so that part was easy peasy.  The rest of the drive down ( I traded with Daryl as I was shaking like a leaf) was a white knuckle affair with Daryl Driving barely 15 mph  until we came down past the snow line and into warm rain. Whew that was a bit intense. Once we were past the snow line everything opened up beautifully. Such gorgeous scenery. 

We arrived after hours at our camp site in Mesa Verde so the check in place was closed, but they had a packet taped on the window for us, listing our camp site with a map. Backing into a camp site in the pitch dark in 29 degrees is a bit tricky. Then after about three tries, and finally getting everything set up and the leveling blocks in place and everything unlocked, locked, winched, and situated. We closed the door of our trailer, declared victory, and realized that because our leveler is on the tongue of the trailer hitch (the part that got tweaked in the 180 unplanned u-turn) We had put leveling blocks under the tire when it really didn't need any, so the trailer had a high side. We both look at each other laughed and said, "we sleep with our heads on the high side" and went to bed! 

Day 14: Saturday May 16th, Great Sand Dunes National Park

We were on the road by 12:30 pm from Garden of the Gods heading to Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Driving there, we kept thinking, We are headed towards sand dunes aren't we? shouldn't we be able to see, well, Sand and dunes? Turns out the Sand dunes are right up against the mountain, so you don't see them until you are basically on top of them. 

 

We watched the video in the visitor center that showed how the dunes were created. Basically take a dried up inland sea, add lots of one directional wind, and mountains to put the breaks on. all that sand hitting the mountains created the sand dunes. The Dunes are not growing anymore as the dried up Sea has long been blown away. But they are ever changing from one day and one moment to the next. 

To get to the Dunes you have to walk across a 'river' or a wash. It's about a hundred yards across and ranged from 3 inches deep, or to up to a foot deep if you timed it right (or wrong). The water comes in 20 second surges, so you try to time it to jog across staying ahead of the deeper surge. Zig zagging a path across. I had my rain pants and lady bug rain boots so I was all set.

Daryl crossed in his keen's with his pants rolled up. All good, except for two things, the sand in the shoes rubs against your feet, and it was COLD.

 The Rangers had said there are no trails to follow so it's a go anywhere you want. There isn't a cutoff time either so you can be out there as long as you want. The ranger told us to just keep an eye on the sky and if we hear thunder get off the dunes. You don't want to be the one item standing taller than a dune when lightening strikes! Sounds like good advice. 

It's a bit of work walking on sand dunes. Think of walking on a dry sand beach, however, that only has about a foot of loose sand. Now picture a hill full of all sand. When you step on it, it slides and your foot goes any and all directions. So you are not only working to get yourself uphill, but you are fighting to maintain your balance the whole time. The edges of the sand dunes were dramatically sharp, one side you could walk right up to the edge (though not advised as the sand shifts all the time) and the other side is just a sheer wall. (This is Daryl looking over the edge of a dune, Yikes) 

Notice the dark clouds over Daryl's shoulder? Just after this picture was taken we heard thunder. We both looked at each other and wondered if it was really thunder. Then just to make sure we understood, the sky opened up with a deep loud rolling, and rolling thunder. That got us heading back down and out in a hurry. Running down the slopes was a lot of fun!

Just as we got down from the First Dune, the dark clouds opened up. But it wasn't rain that started to pelt us, it was Hail! Yes I said Hail.

 As we made our way back, more and more hail covered the dunes until they looked like snow covered hills instead of dark tan sand dunes.

One last water crossing

and we were back to our truck

Wow what an adventure! The sand dunes are beautiful and amazing.

Day 14: (1of3) Saturday May 16th: Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs Colorado

Saturday May 16^th: Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs Colorado

Today is the 20^th anniversary of the Garden of The Gods 

and they celebrated with the opening of a new attraction inside the visitor center called the 

Parks Geo-Trekker Theater, with its four giant video screens in "better than HD" quality, and surround-sound audio system and lighting effects.  Visitors can watch screenings of the new 14-minute film, "How Did Those Red Rocks Get There?" 

This is going to be a paid event, but it was free today. Everyone files inside a circular seating area with everyone facing outward towards four

screens, each wall is showing the same thing.

Then the simulation starts and you have a pilot who takes you through time visiting the earth at various points in it's history to see how all the layers of the mountains are formed. Very good CGI effects showing molten lava, dinosaurs, including one that comes up to the “window” of the space ship and licks the window then sneezes booger goo all over the glass.  Heh

And of course all the rocks of Pikes Peak going through it's various stages of being out of water, underwater, covered with glaciers, in a desert, mountains, erosion, bigger mountains and finally Pikes peak today.

The park is Free to the public everyday and it is really beautiful with lots of pull outs to enjoy the views, parking, picnic areas and hiking trails. It only takes about 20 minutes to drive through, maybe ½ hour with photo stops. 

But you can park and hike around on the various trails too.

We were pulling the trailer and there weren't many unoccupied trailer spaces to park in, so we drove through with only two parking stops. Then we drove through again so that Daryl would be able to see the sights. Then after the visitor center we drove through again because we missed the exit, then we drove through one more time because we took the visitor center exit instead of the main entrance exit which meant we would have missed Balancing Rock.

 One of the most photographed and impressive natural anomalies. 

A Beautiful day for a beautiful place.  

Day 13: Friday May 15 (My sister Annette's Birthday) Wild Animal Sanctuary

Wild Animal Sanctuary, Outside Denver

(Happy Birthday to my Zaestra Annette!)

Pouring rain on and off today, but today is the day I am going to the Wild Animal Sanctuary. I'm always excited but hesitant to see a sanctuary. Is it going to be a real sanctuary for the animals, or is it a tourist trap? Lots of places say they are in it for the animals, and even giving them the benefit of the doubt that their hearts are in the right place, most are not done with the animals best interest at heart. They don't always have as much space as they truly need, only what is available.

This Wild Animal Sanctuary I am glad to report does have the best interest of the animals as their primary focus. This is a 720 acre Sanctuary for Predator type wild animals that have been rescued from various circumstances, such as circuses or side shows. Some are from when people think, “oh how cute, I would like to have a cute cuddly tiger cub for a pet”, and then the tiger grows up! The rescues would also come from those people that are selling the tiger cubs, as they most likely had a backyard breeding set up, and they are horrendous conditions the animals live in. Barely enough room to move, they have never known grass and they just keep cranking out cubs. At least these are the lucky ones that were rescued and they come here to paradise!!

By the time I arrived the rain had stopped. I was dressed for it though, red and Black lady bug boots, blue rain pants and my multi colored polka dot rain jacket. Yeah, not going to loose me in there. Heh.

One of the brilliant additions to this sanctuary is the “Mile in the Wild” walkway Over the enclosures. You walk out over the enclosures which house Lions and Tigers and Bears, as well as Wolves, Lynx, and some porcupines. These predator animals do not have natural “air” enemies so are not threatened or anxious about anything above them. As I walked across the enclosures, the only interest the animals paid to me was an occasional glance or an ear twitching around in my direction.

 These lions are in the heated indoor portion of their enclosures which have an always open access door to the outside large acreage  portion of their forever home. 

The sanctuary has been in operation for 30 years, family owned and is a tax deductible non profit whose mission is primarily to get as many of these majestic wild animals out of their unnatural, most times in-humane conditions and back out into a situation that is more natural where they can roam freely. That and educate the public to decrease both circuses and people trying to raise wild animals in their home.

The Sanctuary operates on a rotational basis of rescuing an animal, putting it in a small, but roomy outdoor/indoor enclosure where it can get used to the sights and sounds of the sanctuary. Then the animal is moved to an enclosure that has neighbors of the same species so that it can start to make friends. They call this the Tiger House right now. Although it would be whatever species currently in need. The bear house, the lion house, etc. 

Each animal is supervised for its particular style of living; Loner, pack, families, etc. and when they have bonded into their appropriate groupings, they are moved to their forever home, usually of 20 acres farther back and out on the property. Sometimes the animals arrive already in packs or groups so they can go almost immediately out into their homes. Once they move onto their forever homes, that frees up the circular house for the next group of animals in need.

These animals are so well fed and cared for. You only need to look at them to see how relaxed, fat and healthy they are. 

Relaxed Tiger

Bear nap

 But you could also watch all the rabbits running around in their enclosures to know they aren't starving because the rabbits seem absolutely unconcerned that they are living in with carnivores.

I loved seeing the care free running and playing of the wolves, the bears waddling around, scratching their backs, or coming in and out of their dens. Note the horses in the background are also unconcerned with the bears.

Wolf Play

Lions laying around in the grass

and the Tigers playing in their swimming pool.

At the end I went into one of the visitor centers which has 6-7 screens set up with ever rolling movies of stuff going on at the Sanctuary, various rescues of animals currently at the sanctuary, how the Mile in the Wild walkway was undertaken, and so much more. I stayed at the sanctuary for 4 hours, but I'm a die hard for this kind of thing. You could walk one end to the other and back (two miles total) in about an hour with stops to read the informational boards or listen to the audio information by calling (phone) and dialing the particular stop numbers. 

I was the last person to leave the Sanctuary. They close at 8 pm. Yeah, I would go back again. 

Then I picked up Daryl  at the airport. Yay, Daryl is back on the road trip again. Tomorrow we are leaving Pikes peak area, but we are going to see Garden of the Gods first. 

Day 12: Thurdsday May 14, Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings

I spent the morning trying to get hold of someone about fixing the Microwave. The Microwave is fine, it's just the screws keeping it in place are not. Or more accurately they have decided they no longer want to be associated with the microwave, or the wall it's screwed into. Whenever we have driven for awhile, we find two or three microwave screws on the floor, We are afraid we are going to enter the trailer one day and find the microwave in pieces on the floor. Seems no one can really help. Turns out we have everything under warranty, and even though if anything goes wrong you can take it to any service center. We inaccurately heard that as, "If anything goes wrong 'while you are on your trip' you can take it anywhere to be serviced." What that really meant was, if you bring it here in Fresno we will get you in immediately, however, if you bring it anywhere else, you will be at the back of the line for repairs, and that could mean up to a month or two out. Really??? what good is a warranty repair while you are on the road, if you can't get anything fixed on the road??
Did find a dodge dealership to take a listen to a sound the truck developed. Turns out it's an exhaust manifold leak. Nothing to stop us from our trip, no harm to truck, just makes a ticking sound sometimes. That's a relief.
Now, onto something fun. The Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings   are a small self guided attraction. You can use the  QR code on your cell phone and listen to an audio tour.  What I really liked about the place was the up close and personal aspect. It's self guided so no waiting and you get to walk through and on and under all parts of it. Be sure to watch your head, low ceilings.


The average height of the men back then was 5'4 and the women 5'.

I'm 5'5 and I managed to bang my head twice on rocks and beams, ouch!

This is an example of a special T shape entry way with hand 'rails'

 Making it easier to enter and exit with the ledges on either side to hold onto. All houses of the Puebloans whether cliff or mesa dwellings had the high threshold doorways.(but not with the T shape) Speculated to keep rodents out and kids in.









There was a really nice museum there too. Learned a lot about the way of life back then. These are speculations as to how the above ground mesa dwellings were built.  

also the Puebloans had cradleboard heads from being carried around in hard wood cradles. Note the Basket Maker Indians (skull on the left) did not have the cradle board skulls as their cradles were made out of flexible reeds woven together allowing the soft skulls of infants to shape correctly. 

When I got back to the RV Park, I went in and asked our hosts where there was live music and food for the night. He gave me a bunch of good suggestions and I was headed to the r-pod to change when I noticed our neighbors next to us, the ones with the two cute dogs, were sitting outside in their chairs. Being the shy unsociable one that I am (ha), I asked if I could say hello to their dogs. So that turned into them inviting me in for wine and peanuts, showing me around the inside of their RV, and we talked and talked about their trips, our trip, etc etc until their dinner was ready. I scooted back over to my r-pod and didn't want to go out anymore. I had such a wonderful time with Sam and Sally and their two dogs. I made some Rice a Roni (broccoli au gratin) had some wine and crawled into bed and watched This is the End on my computer. It was a good night. Missed Daryl, but it was a fun day/night.

Day 11: Wednesday May 13 Pikes Peak Colorado

We stayed at Pikes Peak RV Park. Very nice, couple owned. They stayed an hour past check in for us and they personally guide everyone into their designated spots. ( I suppose that helps keep the damage to the sites at a minimum) Our site was up against the creek so we had beautiful creak sounds to lull us to sleep for two nights.

Pikes peak is over 14k feet, however, due to nasty
weather conditions on the peak, the top portion of the road was closed and we could only go up to about 12k feet.




I suppose that might account for why we didn't see bigfoot.

We did get to see some beautiful scenery

 

and some interesting rock formations;

can you see the sleeping (winking)dragon in this picture ?

It was a great day out. We ended up with a couple of hours before Daryl's Flight and we noticed there was a Distillery nearby, Stanahan's.  We thought they did tours, and they did but not until 3 pm which is when Daryl needed to be at the airport so we couldn't wait, but because we had come all the way out there, let us go ahead and taste the whisky they make. It was very smooth, we bought coasters. heh

After dropping Daryl off at the airport, I hit the projects list. I went to the store and bought a wall mounted coat rack, a white board, and a wall mounted clock. The coat rack is awesome. Now when we come into the trailer there is somewhere to hang coats and let them drip dry onto the mat below. The clock is a digital one, supposed to have an alarm and show the temperature and day.The clock had to go back.  I don't know why, but the display doesn't show up so well inside the r-pod. That and the second hand is soooo loud at night when you are trying to sleep!