We're Back

For some unforeseen reason, our original blog was flagged as "spam" a few weeks ago, and according to the blog corporation (if there is one), it cannot be recovered. So...here's our new and improved version. If you are reading this, I would assume you know our new address. It is quite simple and very similar to our old. It is now your goal to let the world know (since I'm certain we are world-renowned). With that said....
This past weekend we traveled to Ridgway, CO with our trusty side-kicks Chris and Sarah Gilstrap for the annual "hot air balloon festival". The weather was great and spirits were high. We made the 5 hour drive Friday after work, and stayed in a Holiday Inn in Montrose, courtesy of Dad Gilstrap. We spent Saturday in Ridgway, where they had a car show and live music (Papa A, this one's for you). We set up camp in the ravaging wind at Ridgway State Park. We sacrificed our immediate comfort for an outstanding view overlooking the reservoir and Mt. Sneffels, although the wind diminished as the night went on. That night, we soaked in the nearby hot springs with the local hippies, and closed the evening with a fireside chat.
We woke just before 6am to Chris barking orders, and quickly packed up camp to make the 6:30 scheduled balloon launch. We pulled into the "downtown cow pasture" and waited patiently for the first of many balloons to inflate. One quickly followed another, and within thirty minutes, they were all airborne. To our delight, we watched as balloons took off, landed, changed passengers, and took off again. However, the nine hour return trip trumped our desire to watch this spectacle, so we zoomed (we took the Mazda, which already has an additional 12k miles since September) south toward our next leg of the journey...The Million Dollar Highway.
For those of you who have been down Highway 550 from Ouray to Durango, you will understand when I say that this is one of the most dangerous stretches of road in the United States. They say that the road, which was built in the 1920s, cost the state $1 million per mile (roughly $10 mil today). This area is often referred to as the "Switzerland of America". If you search for this highway online, you can get a more accurate portrayal. You may not think it is interesting, but I am fascinated, especially after driving it.We took a brief stop in Durango and finally turned back east. Three hours later, we arrived at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. These dunes put Michigan dunes to shame. The tallest dune here is almost twice as tall as the tallest in Michigan...and they are in the middle of the mountains. The constant wind from the adjacent plains picks up sand, and when the wind hits the mountains, the sand is deposited. Once again, you may not care, but I think it's an astonishing thing.
After seeing the dunes, we hit the road for the final three hours. It was wonderful to see a large section of Colorado we hadn't explored. It will be difficult to improve upon this trip, but Colorado has plenty more to offer. Until then, good-day.
Papa K, this one's for you.