Biker Day

It’s spirit week at the high school for the return to 4 days of  school a week. D-man is actually participating which is great to see. Today was biker day and we got him all decked out. Marshall laughed when he realized that all of D-man’s ensemble was from his wardrobe..... t-shirt?, jacket and boots. 

From Hawaii to Maine

And every state and District of Columbia BUT..... West Virginia and Mississippi. 

Both of these seen in Grand Canyon National Park 

Great Sand Dunes National Park

A great final day of our spring break at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. We got up and out by 9:30 after eating the hotel breakfast. We picked up our sand board and sand sled. We hiked up quite a ways - the dunes are HUGE and the boys enjoyed riding down them (Marshall and I each took a turn as well). 

We then drove the 4ish hours home and were able to chill out at home before reality sets in. It’s not a typical vacation for us and it is our first weeklong adventure since Spain (we all went to the cabin last summer but Marshall wasn’t able to take the time off). We had time off at Christmas together, but it’s different being away together on vacation.  

The Dunes in front of the Sangre de Cristo range 

Ready to go! 

A bit chilly 

Surfers 

That is the boys down there 

As good as it gets up here 

Marshall up above 

Leave only footprints 

A Bonus Day

We didn’t have much of a plan for the last couple days of our journey other than get to the Sand Dunes. The boys were excited to have a hotel pool open for a morning swim and Marshall and I took the opportunity to walk around downtown Durango to grab a coffee and breakfast burrito. 

After checkout, we checked out the railway museum, drove around the Fort Lewis College campus and walked around downtown as a family. We were all impressed with the free museum and it was a nice day to be outside. The drive to Pagosa Springs and up over Wolf Creek were beautiful and the view of the Sangre de Cristo range on the way to Alamosa was stunning. 

It was a short day on the road and we chose to stay in Alamosa (a bummy town according to D-man) vs. right at the entrance of the park. While Mexican food was originally the plan, we decided we wanted to eat outside and found a brewery downtown with outside seating before the sun went down. We wrapped up the night touring Alamosa State (not a great feel to campus). Being able to see these these different campuses and talk about them is something D-man hasn’t willing to do so this is progress. 

View of the river from our hotel room in Durango 

 



The cool coffee shop we got our coffee in downtown Durango 

Historic hotel on Main Street 

The view of Durango and the mountains from Fort Lewis College 

Historic train depot 

The museum 

The mountains above Pagosa Springs 

San Luis Brewing Co for dinner 

The moon rising above Alamosa 

We missed the 1st palindrome on this trip, but got the 2nd one - 186k on our Honda minivan. 

The GC Baby

Sometimes your travel plans don’t work out exactly like you hope - apparently, I’m not good at controlling the weather..... (or the timing of spring break). Either way, these are things out of my control. Of course, one can always hope things turn out a bit differently (and if you are me, second guess our travel choices). But, we have our adventure and memories and an experience that is only ours. 

We arrived to snow flurries and wind on Thursday evening and headed right for the rim. Little did we know, those were the best views of the canyon we would get (but we were so cold and not dressed appropriately, we left quickly). Marshall and I ran to get pizza for dinner and we had some wine with the Wrights after they arrived later that evening. 

On Friday morning, I bundled up and trekked to the rim, as expected, there was not much to see. However, I had the trail to myself and definitely peaceful and beautiful in its own way - no crowds, no noise and a way to be with nature and a vastness you know is there but cannot see. 

I got back to the motel and warmed up and dried my socks and made some coffee. We got a late checkout and stopped by the general store for our free coffee/tea and stocked up on candy.  

We spent some extra time in the park in the hopes it would clear before we left, but it didn’t happen (it did happen, but we were not sticking around to see it). Our attempts to view the canyon did prove fruitful (compared to seeing the nothingness we had been seeing) and the boys were good sports with our efforts. In a way, our attempts to spot clearings in the cloud became our GC experience and maybe the boys will appreciate what they did see a bit more (or I can tell myself that so I don’t sulk more). 

We arrived around 11:00 (lost an hour) at the hotel in Durango) after a very desolate drive through the Navajo Reservation high plains (with some snow and rain thrown in). 

The Thursday night view 

Our best view 

The best we could do... yes - there is a canyon back there 

Headed toward the rim on a snowy trail in the morning 

Glimpses of the canyon on my walk 

It’s down there......

Beautiful in its own way 

A view we caught on Friday! 

And just like that, it was gone 

We tried! 


Sun peaking thru.... 

The clouds look like snow 

We caught this seconds before it was clouded in again. 

Sedona

Several people told us that we needed to stop in Sedona on our way to the Grand Canyon and it did not disappoint. The boys both swam in the pool before we left and we enjoyed a leisurely morning before heading out. 

There was some major traffic coming up through Sedona, but it gave us time to take in the beautiful vistas. We did the airport loop hike which was longer than anticipated and a bit chilly, but worth it. We all devoured the sandwiches we made for lunch as we hit the road for Flagstaff. The drive out of Sedona was also beautiful. We zipped through the Northern Arizona University campus to get the feel for a college campus in a less urban setting. And after driving through a snow squall, we’re on the way to the big hole in the ground. 

Morning swim - the heated pool was key

Sedona 

Our hike 

Taking a break  

The other side 

Wrapping up the 3.2 mile hike 

Snow plow!?!)