Full Dune

Rise and shine today was a bit slow on the Jack end of things. After having been up half of the day already, Kim was able to rouse me sometime around—egad!—9:00. Delving today into the make-your-own-waffle section of our hot breakfast, we loaded the hump before heading out, bound for Colorado and the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Arriving a few hundred miles and hours later, we hit up the park HQ, got some info and headed out quickly to find a spot to grub, and some libations for ‘round the fire later that night. Finding both at a very discombobulated gas station/restaurant (cause aren’t they just the greatest) we ate some Northern New Mexican/Southern Coloradoan food, snagged some wood and marshmallows and what would later be discovered to be some sort of wimpy Utah-like 3.2% beer.

Finally we were bound for the dunes and to set up camp. As we approached the camping area we settled on, the heavens opened up and we sought brief respite in our tent.

After a half hour or so it passed and we headed to the dunes (some of which are over 700 feet high!). With Stella on a leash (at least until under cover of dune) we hiked up and across ridge after ridge of dunes heading upward until we reached a large dunewall (that word does not exist, but it must). Here we made an accent that felt to be 90 degrees.

After finally making it to the top, we surveyed the unique land that is this park. The gigantic dunes that nestle themselves right up to the base of monstrous green mountains on one side, and a large expansive plain on another.

Heading down at breakneck speed (see images of me running like a madman below)

the three of us made our way back to our tent site. Sitting around the campfire, eating velveeta shells and cheese, I couldn’t help but imagine my mac and cheese to be hard tack, and I part of a train of merchants travelling on the trail that cut right through these dunes running from Santa Fe to California. This trade provided useful exchange of blankets and goods. Although a far cry from those days, we are indeed headed out West. With no blankets to exchange, I can only hope my acting skills and Kim’s nursing knowledge will cut it in the Concrete Jungle.