June 2007
When we arrived at our cabin in Colorado we soon discovered that our well had become artesian and there was now a small stream flowing down from it. This appears to have been caused by heavy winter snows and it will dry up in the summer. Our granddaughter Aspen soon discovered the advantages and stamped in and out.
Our land has never looked so green and there were wildflowers everywhere. We had found a single cactus last autumn but now we found many more in the area which gets most of the sun and most were flowering.

Aspen playing in our stream

We went camping with our daughter’s family and our mutual friends Gail and Tom at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The weather was less than perfect but we had a great time despite rain, cold and mosquitoes. The dunes are caused by millennia of dust blowing up the face of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Snow melt washes it all back again and these vast sand dunes are the spectacular result. It strangely feels like being at the beach when the sea is over 1,000 miles away!
Bears (brown) are a problem throughout Colorado and the campsites at the Dunes have bear proof larders made of steel. The compound containing the trash dumpsters is reminiscent of Fort Knox!
We now have our new Jeep and the visit gave us the first opportunity to try out the off road capabilities in the plentiful soft sand that makes up some of the trails. Great fun and we did not get stuck. In all we had a great break and so different from being on the boat.

Colin the cactus flowering at the top of our lot
Bear proof larder on our campsite at Great Sand Dunes National Park
Bridget and Mark with Aspen at the Sand Dunes
The Fort Knox for trash disposal and bear exclusion
The Sand Dunes seen from the SW with the Sangre de Cristo range behind to the E
The sign for the trail to Zapata Falls near the Dunes

Our youngest daughter Eleanor and her boyfriend Martin were visiting and they came camping as well as going off white water rafting for which the area is famous (or infamous - only four deaths by June...).
We went with Gail and Tom to the FIBARK festival in Salida which celebrates the area’s watersports with a parade and competitions.

Aspen enjoying food and camping with the ever hopeful Chloe in attendance
Our youngest daughter Eleanor reading to her american niece
Tom Clark marching with fellow anglers in the FIBARK parade
The jeep parked near Rough and Tumbling Creek
These trees have been felled by beavers - they use the trunks and braches for dams and eat the foliage
The local beaver odge which is entered underwater

More camping with Gail and Tom followed all this and we were treated to an exploration of the area around where we have our cabin.

We drove some backwoods trails and saw extensive beaver dams and ponds before going to the top of the Weston Pass.

This pass is where the stagecoach crossed the mountains between Fairplay and Leadville before there were railroad links and the summit is at 12,000 feet. The trip must have taken a long time!

Aspen playing in the stream in real time

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