Our Crestone, CO visit has been a blast. Being with Tracy and Eric is always fun. I have known Tracy since 1978 when we and many others worked together positioning LERN to become the leading association in lifelong learning. We so much enjoy sharing what we have been up to and what its going on in our friends’ lives.

Besides time together, the highlight of the visit was our time at the Great Sands National Park. The Park includes the largest sand dune in the US, as well as some terrific hiking trails. During our Crestone visit, the winds have been blowing, so lots of sand dune dust. Pictures do not do the sand dunes justice, especially when the are framed by the majestic Rocky Mountains.

At the GSNP Tracy, Melinda and I hiked along the Wellington Ditch Trail; a trail that back in the day was a ditch for water transportation that took a person one day to dig one foot of the ditch. Melinda did great hiking and was very excited being out exploring nature. After our time at the GSNP we went to Emma’s Mexican Restaurant in Alamosa, listened to Eric educate the media about the upcoming Denver mayoral election, and then headed back home to play a new game, Qwirkle.

After Melinda’s successful day of hiking at the GSNP, she decided to join Tracy and me as we hiked/walked the area around our house. BTW: The house was perfect and from our window the view of the Rocky Mountains was breathtaking. The streets/trails around the house can be confusing, but we plotted out our 6 mile trek and started walking. Melinda decided not to walk the whole route and assured us she remembered how to get back to the house. When Tracy and I returned, no Melinda. We got in the car and for two hours searched for her. I was ready to call in the Crestone Search & Rescue when we found Melinda way off the beaten path. Since the Crestone area is known for UFOs, I was convinced she had been abducted.

We are so happy we had a road break and time with Tracy and Eric. Our last night we met some mule deer up close and personal and enjoyed a libation at the local pub. Now we are leaving Colorado and heading to Utah.