Not So Extraordinary!

So there is inevitably going to be some unextraordinary as we chase the extraordinary. I cannot remember what possessed us to plan a stop in Colorado Springs, CO, but it was a bust. If you love this corner of the world, I apologize, but I'll admit perpetual gray skies and rain didn't help.

I always lament when a week of summer promises rain in Charleston and I pass an obvious tourist with sand buckets and a new grocery beach umbrella. There is something in me that truly wants vacationers to experience Charleston and the coast in its glory. It is similar to those who tell me they've visited my beloved hometown of Chicago in February. Enough said.

So, we made the best of dismal, expensive Colorado Springs. All of the major tourist attractions are privately owned and pricey. We took a vote on Pikes Peak, Cave of the Winds, or the Manitou Cliff Dwellings and the cave won by a landslide. We also hit all things free including Focus on the Family's headquarters. A free coffee bar, music, an awesome book store, cartoons, a three story slide, and an indoor play world sucked us in for hours. Rain also gave us ample time for school and an excuse to spend a few hours at momma's happy place, Barnes and Noble.

 

Yes, totally snapped a pic of their $15 promo.

R's landform study!

M's landform study!

R's rock and mineral study!

At this point in our trip, most of our stays have been in national parks. They are vastly different, each offering a unique history, breathtaking natural beauty, and various ways to get out and enjoy the outdoors. They are a huge part of the extraordinary we set out to explore and they have not disappointed.

After Colorado Springs, I was all to happy to return to my comfort zone at The Great Sand Dunes National Park where adventure awaited! It was a true testimony to the girls' bravery and stamina as the sand dunes were steep both on the way down and up! Props to Shawn who carried the sand boards for all! Sand boards... another privately owned business and heavy expense we didn't expect. The NPS does not provide sand boards. FYI... pocketing the wax and trying the next day on the lids to momma's storage bins is a no go. Can't say we didn't try.

THIS!

Fearless!

Such a fun visitor center!

Magnetic sand found in the dunes!

Jr. Ranger Badges!

As we travel, we are constantly struck by the beauty, the magnitude, yet the intricacies of God's creation. We are in awe of rare and breathtaking sites such as the dunes. Learning how they are made possible by the unique positioning of the surrounding mountain ranges and weather is fascinating. Mere piles of sand they are not. I skipped videoing a run at one point and lied on my back at the top of an enormous dune, in the warmth of the sun and sand, and just watched white clouds move in what I can only describe as a dance overhead. It was nice to have a moment in it all to myself. 

I envy Shawn's enthusiasm for exercise as he awakens early each morning to run or bike. I think each of these places has something to offer the individual, alone, in its midst. They are sights too powerful to depart unchanged. I don't carve those moments out for myself enough to my own loss. Someday I vow to be as enthusiastic as my husband at 5 am! My experiences are nonetheless powerful, but they are most often seen through a mother's lens as I revel in the awe, the teachable moments, and the excitement of my children. There are a few places to which I fully intend to return, hike, and you know, have a moment. 

Mesa Verde National Park was another national park that did not disappoint. It was also an extraordinary opportunity to witness human ingenuity. I remember studying the Anasazi tribe and cliff dwellings in elementary school. I vaguely recall a diorama in a shoe box. Today, what our dated textbooks call the Anasazi, are now called Ancestral Puebloans. Anasazi is actually a Navajo word for enemy and descendants called for a new, politically correct name. The Ancestral Puebloans left the cliffs for various reasons and split into many tribes including names I've heard such as the Hopi and Zuni. As you can tell we loved learning it all! We spent hours in their museums, did the ranger led hikes, and climbed through the cliff dwellings. We were amazed! 

A kiva, where their religious ceremonies were held.

How they got in and out of these dwellings is unbelievable!

We'll take the ladder!

Cliff Palace!

At the end of our day a storm rolled in, not phasing the wild horses grazing nearby or our ranger, but we managed to squeeze in a final hike to Step House. Driving home through this intimidating landscape so high above sea level brings a storm up close and personal. Menacing clouds seemed an arms reach away the whole drive, yet we beat the rain and later discovered we'd also beat the hail! 

Jr. Ranger Badges!

We closed our time in Mesa Verde with a nighttime ranger program where the ranger mixed PowerPoint with songs on his fiddle and taught us the history of this incredible place. On the way back to camp we turned off the flashlight and the stars...you can even see the Milky Way out here!

We surprisingly did Mesa Verde in one day, so we drove the scenic byway leading through the mountains to Telluride, CO out of pure curiosity. Oh. My. Goodness. First, the drive rivaled Going to the Sun in Glacier. Shawn and I just kept gasping around every turn while the girls were somehow not equally impressed and sketching in the back while Chance slept. We arrived and here was a mountain town I could absolutely live in, even in winter! These towns in the west, I am just blown away by them, nestled in a valley amongst the mountains. Who knew this was an option? We strolled around town for the day and completely took advantage of the sweet man operating the town's free gondola system. I cannot count the amount of times we rode from Telluride to Mountain Town. 

Chance...what I wouldn't give to know what was going through his mind. We couldn't decide if he was truly at ease and catching a nap or silently cursing us and refusing to acknowledge our presence. We decided on the latter as he would not open his eyes even when spoken to.

It was a random day completely unplanned and these are the days we are looking forward to chasing as we press on. The first part of our trip has been heavily scheduled as tourism season necessitates advanced reservations. However, it leaves us always pressing forward and not being able to decide to stay in a place like Rocky Mountain NP longer, or to pull off the road at the hand painted sign that says, "Dinosaur Tracks This Way." Yes, I want to see the dinosaur tracks in your yard in the middle of the desert for $5, but alas we're still five hours from our next reservation and must press on. Perhaps we are leaving on a high note, spending instead the perfect amount of time and leaving our hearts set on returning to each and every one of these gems...

except Colorado Springs. I will not be returning there.