Day #4 for #4

On day four it was decided that we would camp in a KOA in Alamosa, CO. This afforded us the opportunity to get to the internet, make telephone calls, replenish our water supply and get some supplies.

This strategy also allowed me to show #4, both the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Fort Garland. Great Sand Dunes has only reached National Park status within the last couple of years but it has been a magical place for eons.

Imagine 30 square miles of sand dunes, some that are 650 feet tall, pushed up against 13,000 foot tall mountains. You really can't visualize it. You have to see it to believe it.

Just to get an idea, look at #4 in the picture on the right. Under his outstretched arm is a speck. That speck is a person. Click on the picture to get a better view and look at the specks to the right of #4's head....those are people too!

Before we got to this magical place, I got to get my kitsch fix for the day....Not too far west of Alamosa lies the little town of Monte Vista. If you ever get the urge to see a drive-in movie but don't want to do it in the cramped quarters of an automobile, Monte Vista is the place for you! Monte Vista is the home of the Movie Manor a Best Western motel with it's own drive-in theater. All of the rooms have a view of the screen and you can tune in the sound in your room.....If you want to go the old fashioned way and watch from your car, you can do that too.

After we explored the Great Sand Dunes we headed for Ft. Garland, an old restored cavalry post about 16 miles east of the Dunes. Frequent readers will remember that I love western history and this place is special to me. When we complete this trip I'll do a special post to tell you about the special thing that I was able to do while visiting Ft. Garland. I will tell you that we spent an hour or two looking the old fort over and seeing all of the displays.

Finishing up this tour we headed back to Bivouac for dinner. Day #5 will take us to Cottonwood Lake.

Thanks for visiting.