Sorry it has been a while since I updated the blog. I have been off the grid for quite some time. I was even having problems just keeping my cellphone charged.
I visited Roswell, NM and did not come across any little green/blue people with large eyes while there, however, I did get the feeling that I was constantly being watched. It was really strange but I just never could find the alien.
I also saw lots of irrigation and it made me thing of how much water is the source of life. I know that I while traveling keep a close watch on how much water I keep available. So I saw this and tried to show how water can change the very land.
What I will say is that Roswell has an awesome Museum of the Southwest that is well worth the time to go and see. Also the Contemporary Art Museum is wonderful, they bring in new artists every year, give them a place to stay and a stipend and let them create. The works of art are just amazing. I don’t recommend the Alien Research Museum unless the Roswell Incident is your life.
From Roswell I traveled north to Santa Fe for a few days. I camped at the KOA in Santa Fe. I arrived in the afternoon and watched the clouds come in. Yes, it rained and turned very cool for the entire time I was there. I got a couple of photos while camping.
While in Santa Fe I visited the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and the Andrew Smith Gallery of Photography. They are next to each other and are wonderful. I especially enjoyed the Photography Gallery because they were highlighting works by Ansel Adams. I especially loved the fact they had Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico displayed as Adams developed it in 1941, his redevelopment in 1961 and again in 1988. It was amazing how each was so different but still having great affect.
After Santa Fe, I headed north again to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. I traveled through some heavy rain until just before I arrived. I got set up watching it rain across the valley and a dense cloud cover overhead. Then suddenly this is what I say:
The next day I took a hike out onto the dunes and waded the seasonly stream that flows at the base. The sun was just coming over the mountains and I could not help but take a shadow portrait
I also wanted to give you a sense of the scale of the dunes so here is a man with his sons getting ready to sand board down a dune
Just a couple more of the dunes:
The next day I went to Zapata Falls to hike. It was in BLM land and National Forest. Here are a couple of photos from that day.
The morning I left Great Sand Dunes, I had a herd of Deer wander through camp.
I decide to backpack to the South Zapata Lake. It started out at 9400 feet above sea level and at the lake was 11,900 feet. I had a 40 pound backpack and it was only 4 miles. Well, I quickly fund out that I am not young. (Notice I avoided the “O” word!) I finally gave out at about 3.5 miles and set up camp. About 50 minutes after I set up the afternoon rain began. This quickly changed to pea-sized hail. So it definitely was an adventure. It took me 5 hours to get as far as I did. The next morning I headed back down and it only took 3 hours down. My legs felt like I had been walking up the down escalator for 5 hours. I did find this during the hike.
After I got back down to the car, I rested, repacked, and headed to Colorado Springs to visit with my old boss and friend, Jody Holtz. Been taking it easy for a couple of days, getting the car’s 30,000 mile service. Tomorrow will be Garden of the Gods. Probably head out again the day after.
It has been great fun over the last five weeks. Looking forward to new things and experiences over the next six.
Allen
No comments:
Post a Comment