A few days ago I returned from a nine day trip to Colorado to visit with Andria, Dave, and the kids, (Nora, Soren, and Susanna). They had a fun Father's Day celebration for me and Dave. I also joined Dave and the kids for a backpack trip to The Great Sand Dunes National Park. Thanks, Dave, for doing the planning on that one, and inviting me along! There was also plenty of time for long dog walks with Yukon the dog, and Andria and Nora. Susanna challenged me in Mario Kart over several days which culminated in a much anticipated championship. Fortunately, Soren was banned from the championship because he would have easily won. I must say, also, that Andria went way out of her way to see that I had all my favorite foods, snacks, and libations. Thanks Johansons!
Below are some photos of the good times that were had.
Father's Day BBQ with burgers and brats (the food, not the kids) - what indulgence! L to R: Soren, Nora, Dave, me, and Susanna.
Me and my daughter - aah!
Father's Day feast.
Nora gave me a demonstration playing her marching tuba, or more precisely, a contrabass bugle. This instrument is heavy, and she marches in the Colorado heat!
Soren has been excelling in his drum skills, and I was hoping to see him perform in a concert that, unfortunately, had to be cancelled due to a family emergency the teacher had.
The backpack trip over the dunes begins. Part way up I started to doubt I would make it. We had to hike over North America's tallest sand dunes, 750 feet high, and descend part way down the other side to find a sheltered campsite.
The starting elevation was 7,500 feet. My pack was about 40 pounds due to all the water we had to carry.
One of my "Uh, oh, what was I thinking!" moments. If you ever had to carry a load up soft sand at the angle of repose, you know what I'm writing about.
The energy the kids had was mind blowing. Here they take a side trip up to the highest point just for the fun of it.
The joys of youth! Susanna has been taking gymnastics classes this year and is a real standout.
We reached the top. At this point I was glad I didn't bail.
After setting up camp and eating some dinner, we climbed to a ridgetop to watch the sunset.
Those are the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background of which nearby Blanca Peak's elevation is 14,351 feet.
Our campsite. Dave and Nora decided to sleep without tents. Because of the brisk wind blowing, Susanna, Soren, and I opted for our tents. Sand still permeated everything.
I love the dunes at sunset and sunrise when the shadows accent all the contours and ripples.
The End
