There’s something magical about nature in the wild.
Horses, majestic as they are, are not particularly exotic animals. We routinely see them on farms and in stables. But catching sight of a pair of mustangs, unbridled and unbroken – standing free on a wind-swept mountain – is an entirely different experience.
Yesterday's view from our campground near Great Sand Dunes National Park
Resting in a valley, surrounded by the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, lies Great Sand Dunes National Park. We arrived here yesterday and were mesmerized by the scenery. The rolling dunes, framed by rugged snow-capped mountains, were like nothing we’ve ever seen. Shannon and I both felt like we stepped out of our car on to a different continent.
Although a brewing storm added dramatically to the atmosphere we were hoping for clear skies to improve visibility. This morning’s agenda included a 750 foot climb to the top of the dunes for a view of the park’s 330 square miles of rolling sand and, if we could procure a sandboard, surfing our way back down.
Mother Nature had different ideas. We awoke to find 4.5 inches of snow on the ground and near whiteout visibility; conditions more appropriate for staying in bed than for sightseeing. Maybe we should just trade the sandboard in for a sled.
Karma is indeed a boomerang. It’s only October 8 and we’re snowed in. I can’t help feeling this is payback for last year’s gloating.
This morning's view from our campground near Great Sand Dunes National Park
With 22 lakes and more than 170 parks, Minneapolis is an outdoor lover’s dream. Its park system has been called ‘the best-designed, best-financed, and best-maintained in America.’ We found ourselves drawn to Lake Harriet, one of seven bodies of water comprising the city’s Chain of Lakes, all of which is found just 10 minutes from downtown city skyscrapers. Awesome.
When we go hiking we expect there to be a payoff. We don’t go to stroll around the woods, commune with nature, or ‘find ourselves.’ We want to be rewarded for our efforts. Few places we’ve visited have been as rewarding as Watkins Glen State Park, in the Finger Lake’s region of New York State. Read More…
Everywhere Once 