It's more than a huge litter box...

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is another "What the Heck!" is going on here oddity of the San Luis Valley. This high valley (average altitude 7,600 feet) is home to an alligator park, a UFO viewing platform, the legacies of the Spanish Land Grants and numerous farms growing red potatoes, alfalfa and Barley. In certain towns, English is a second language. Green chile and breakfast burritos are standard fare in the cafes and diners. The SLV is one of my favorite regions of Colorado. 

Back to the Dunes: The San Luis Valley is hemmed in between the San Juan and the Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges. The winds here are relentless and don't believe in time outs. The more-than-never-ending breezes vacuum up the topsoil as it rolls along the valley floor. Boom! The winds strike the obstruction of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. The earthy grains drop out. Wallah! Instant (geologically speaking) Great Sand Dunes National Park. 

That's your lesson for the day.

Great Sand Dunes park is another Colorado wonder. Visit it. Make an effort to spend some coin in the nearby communities. This is one of the poorest regions of the Centennial State. But, thats another story. 

Final photo: I don't always hike alone, I had Ladybug company. 

Happy Friday,

Jeff

You Meet the Nicest People V...

at the Durango Diner.

Meet Dean, he was the other Assistant Boatman on our June, 2014 Grand Canyon raft trip.

Unlike me, Dean knew what he was doing. He was able to discern the bow from the stern. He knew what an Eddy is. I kept thinking it was a guest I haven't met yet. He was a pleasure to be around and fit in perfectly in the overall scene. He's a new buddy of mine.

Here's my pre-blog post I wrote about my experience. It was a tough voyage for this old guy.

Assistant Boatman II

In 2011, I acted (right word) as an assistant boatman. The experience was positive enough that I decided to give it a go again.

Lynn (boatman extraordinaire) invited me along for Round Two.

Sadly, the times they are a-changing on the Colorado River. The new generation boatmen are half my age, nimble, experienced and crazy fast in getting chores done.

The next generation also views the Grand Canyon as one vast sleep-away camp featuring swims through rapids, cliff jumping, tug-of-wars and other X Games diversions. All this complete with a "last one in, is a rotten egg" attitude.

Silly me, I thought National Parks were a place to seek solitude, beauty and serenity.

For the first time I my life, I felt like a doddering old man. (I was the oldest crew member among seven). I was humbled and intimidated at the same time.

So... I'm announcing my second retirement. I'll go back to doing what I'm good at. Being a gainfully unemployed retiree.

See, I even have a stone La-Z Boy throne for my non-work space.

BTW. The Grand Canyon is still one of the best places on the planet. In my future, I'll see it at my own pace and schedule. It'll be quieter too. 

And I did go back, just last month. 

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2015/04/why-do-you-think-it-named.html

The Idea of Home...

Is a funny concept. 

When I moved my few belongings to Tucson, Arizona  in December 2009, it didn't take me long to shake my head and think, "this ain't home." My interior attitude became "I left the Renaissance of Colorado to return to the Dark Ages of Arizona!" That state never felt right to me. 

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/04/so-long-tucson.html

In the four years I overwintered in the Grand Canyon state, whenever anyone asked, "where do you live?"

My quick answer was, "Colorado!" 

The Centennial State is where I spent the majority of my 60 years on Earth. Colorado is where I have the most friends, former lovers and now a few family members. (I'm hoping to have more Sambur's here soon!) I've climbed 50 of its 54 over-14,000 foot mountains. (I have the four human sacrifice ones left.) I've backpacked in its many Wilderness areas. The towns and roads are familiar to me. 

If you named a mountain destination, I could inform you on where to go for a beer, a hotel and a breakfast burrito.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2014/08/there-will-never-be.html

Colorado is my turf. This state feels as comforting to me as a summer's evening drinking an IPA on a brewpub's patio. Now that's comfort! 

I rue the day that Sid (my Dad) passed along his cold weenie gene to his youngest son. I wish it weren't so. Searching and wandering for eternal summer is hard work! 

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2015/03/two-years-of-being-homeless.html

But then again, this blog wouldn't exist without the wandering and wondering. Until I figure out a full time home, I'll just keep saying Colorado is home. BTW: Barley the Van has a green and white license plate to prove it. 

This spring, summer and fall, Colorado will be my residence once again. I am looking forward to it. 

Who wants to play with me here?

Cheers from Durango

Jeff

Photo explanations:

I looked into buying this fix-er-upper at Hovenweep National Monument, but the NPS wasn't selling.

Sometimes the road to forever leads to a windmill and water tank!

Final photo: That's my parting shot after my 28 year career as a Fort Collin's firefighter.