In my new LesFic novel Roads and Revelations, my girls stay the night at a hotel in Alamosa, Colorado, a city that used to be one of my old stomping grounds. I lived in the San Luis Valley from age 10 to almost 13, very formative years, and have fond memories of many adventures I had out in nature.
When one thinks of Colorado, it's probably not sand dunes that come to mind; however, the Great Sand Dunes National Park was one of the places I frequently visited, especially during the summer, when I lived in the area.
One of the first trips I made out there was with a group of my classmates when I was in 6th grade. We all piled into the school bus and as we made the drive out there, it was fascinating to watch the dunes grow. From a distance, the park looks like a giant sand box, but when you get closer, you start to realize how truly impressive the dunes are.
Even when you get to the park, you don't fully comprehend just how impressive they are. When you're hanging out, wading in the shallow river, looking up at the dunes and thinking about giving them a climb, you might think you could make it to the highest one in an hour. But when you actually start making the trek, not only does the sand's physical resistance add to the time it takes you to climb, you also realize once you get to the "highest" dune you spotted earlier, there is actually another one, even higher, far off in the distance. You can only see that dune if you climb the one you thought was the tallest.
I never tried to venture out past that first large dune. I was always content, once I'd reached the top of it, to look out and see how much more there really was out there. I'd stand there in awe, experiencing that state of peace that marvels of nature like the dunes can give to us humans: that realization that the world is so vast and overwhelming and you and whatever problems you think you have are so very small in comparison.
There's something special about Colorado in general that will always make me feel more connected to my spiritual core. It's one of my favorite places, and I was more than happy to feature it in the novel.
XoXo
Scarett
When one thinks of Colorado, it's probably not sand dunes that come to mind; however, the Great Sand Dunes National Park was one of the places I frequently visited, especially during the summer, when I lived in the area.
One of the first trips I made out there was with a group of my classmates when I was in 6th grade. We all piled into the school bus and as we made the drive out there, it was fascinating to watch the dunes grow. From a distance, the park looks like a giant sand box, but when you get closer, you start to realize how truly impressive the dunes are.
Even when you get to the park, you don't fully comprehend just how impressive they are. When you're hanging out, wading in the shallow river, looking up at the dunes and thinking about giving them a climb, you might think you could make it to the highest one in an hour. But when you actually start making the trek, not only does the sand's physical resistance add to the time it takes you to climb, you also realize once you get to the "highest" dune you spotted earlier, there is actually another one, even higher, far off in the distance. You can only see that dune if you climb the one you thought was the tallest.
I never tried to venture out past that first large dune. I was always content, once I'd reached the top of it, to look out and see how much more there really was out there. I'd stand there in awe, experiencing that state of peace that marvels of nature like the dunes can give to us humans: that realization that the world is so vast and overwhelming and you and whatever problems you think you have are so very small in comparison.
There's something special about Colorado in general that will always make me feel more connected to my spiritual core. It's one of my favorite places, and I was more than happy to feature it in the novel.
XoXo
Scarett
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Never heard of this area before but it looks spectacular. Sand dunes with snow capped mountains in the background! Like Morocco!
ReplyDeleteAgent Triple P
Yes, it's a beautiful, unique place!
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