Colorado Trip - September 2026

Park Stickers:

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison
• Colorado NM
• Curecanti
• Dinosaur National Monument
• Florissant Fossil Beds
• Great Sand Dunes
• Hovenweep
• Mesa Verde
• Rocky Mountain National Park
• Yucca House

09/02/2026 - Florissant Fossil Beds - Very peaceful. Sat on a bench and listened to the wind blowing through the Ponderosa Pines. Touched a large Ponderosa pine and told it it was beautiful and smelled like butterscotch pudding. The fossils of insects and plants were fascinating to look at. The redwood fossils were impressive. A grumpy old man there said they looked like flower pots because plants were growing in the middle depression. They did and I like the idea of a fossilized redwood stump that was destroyed by a volcano supporting new life.

09/02/2026 - Great Sand Dunes - Second stop of the day and I spent most of my time there with my mouth open. The size of the dunes and the natural forces that created them was something to think about. The sand had magnetic particles (Magnetite) in it and the sand was soft like powder, not scratchy like beach sand. We passed a UFO spotters site on the way there and I kept joking and saying, "If I get abducted I'm gonna be mad! I made it this far in life without being abducted by aliens and I have no intentions of starting now!"

09/03/2026 - Chimney Rock - This was a nice find as we drove to Mesa Verde. It's a relatively new park designated by Obama. We drove to the visitor's center and looked at the displays and the astrological significance . Then drove up the mountain on a gravel road with steep drop offs. I was a bit uncomfortable but there was no where to turn around so onward we went. Totally worth the white knuckles and butt clenching to get there! We walked slowly on the trail because we were at 11000+ feet. 40% less oxygen the park ranger told us. Think it through lowlanders :) I stopped to think about my wishes for the world and feel the wind when two ravens swooped over me from behind, so close I could hear their wings. I watched them circle over the canyon then fly away. I felt very grateful to experience that in an ancient site while I was meditating about the world.

09/04/2026 - Hovenweep - Stopped by 4 Corners on the way here and it was fun to stand in 4 states at once. We felt silly and giggled a lot. I can now say I have been kissed in 4 states at the same time. The drive through Utah made me feel like an ant at the bottom of gravel pit and I got tired of the boring rocks and boulders. Once we got to Hovenweep I got over that. Studying the settlements and how they related to water sources really made me think about how we take water for granted here in Virginia. The red stonework building, that are still standing, was a testament to hard work that lasts. Thought about my German stonemason ancestor to built in a similar way with different rocks

09/06/2026 - Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Beautiful views. I really enjoyed the pink pegmatite veins on the cliff face. Saw the Kokopelli design, a spider, and various little design. The short hikes to the overlooks were challenging, not because they were long or hard, because of the elevation. Had to walk very slowly to not loose my breath. Totally worth the views though.

09/08/2026 - Dinosaur National Monument - The fossil wall was the best display of dinosaur bones I have ever seen. Seeing them as they were found made the bigger picture clearer. After taking the shuttle to the wall of bones, with very chatty people who were in town for a UFO conference, we got a printed guide and spent a long time identifying the different fossilized dinosaur remains. Then we touched real dinosaur bones. Not sure what I expected but it just felt like a rock, but I can say I have touched a dinosaur bone now! 😄

09/09/2026 - Bear Lake Nature Trail - Here we walked around a large deep blue lake. We walked slowly taking frequent rest breaks because the park ranger from Chimney rock warned us about altitude and I do not question Park Rangers when they give a warning. We saw a swarm of dragon flies that were either fighting or mating. Could have been either, not sure. I have never seen so many dragon flies in one place and it was a treat. At another rest spot a chipmunk was eating seeds from a pine cone and I watched them for awhile. It finally got full and decided to be mischievous, walking right over to my foot. I lifted my feet and told them I didn't have anything for them. Thankfully it didn't try to climb up my pants leg. It was a close call but they thought better of it. I felt so relaxed and refreshed after walking around the lake trail. I decided I need large bodies of water in my life to feel peaceful. But I grew up on the water so that makes sense.