Day 3, 9/4/08

From Alamosa CO - We had a good day today. The prime stop was Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Monument, but the trip here was interesting. We followed the US-50 paralleling the Santa Fe Trail from Garden City to La Junta (CO), stopping at the CO welcome center at the La Junta depot. They have a Madonna Of the Trail statue, like Council Grove KS & Lexington MO. Took CO-10, 1 little-traveled road, to Walsenburg; saw quite a few antelope along the road. Had lunch in Walsenburg - strangest chile relleno I've ever had, essentially an omelet folded around some green chile. Odd, but good.

Spent several hours hiking and shooting pictures at Great Sand Dunes, the biggest dune field in North America. Hiked only into the footdunes (my word coinage - think foothills of the dunes) as my knee is sore.

Dinner at Alamosa was at Mrs Rivera's Kitchen, we had chimichangas with green sauce. mmm!

Todays trip was 350 miles, averaged better than 21 mpg. Tomorrow is the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic railroad! I'm taking 3GB of memory cards & 3 batteries!