Grand Canyon National Park,  Great Sand Dunes National Park,  landscape,  Mesa Verde National Park,  National Parks

Follow up

Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

This road trip has been good for me. I’m now in Phoenix visiting my parents for a couple days and sleeping in a real bed for a change. I’ll head back out tomorrow morning and drift back towards home. I find it inexpensive to camp in the National Parks with my senior pass while entrance fees are free. I’ve never been to any of these parks before. This is not a photographic expedition but a vacation. I’m acting like a tourist and shooting from the same locations the tourists are shooting from. I just take more time as I shoot.

My first night was in the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Since it’s late in the season I’m not fighting large crowds. I’m able to select just about any campsite I desire. So far this park has been my most impressive and will stay on my bucket list. Clouds moved in early in the evening then rained hard for a couple hours during the night. I stayed dry but the rain cover on my tent was soaked the next morning. In the above image you can just make out a few people who have climbed to the top of the dunes.

Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park
Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park

The second night was in Mesa Verde National Park. I’ve camped here once before while on one of my motorcycle trips. I setup camp then drove down to the cliff dwellings. I was back around 6:00 pm. As I sat on the back of my Forester eating a plum I notice out of the corner of my eye a movement near my tent. I turned and notice a large bear saunter through my camp, probably 20 feet from my tent. He never looked at me just moved back into the brush. He sure made a stir throughout the campsite. Parents were watching the kids closer and food bas being stored away.

Sunrise at Moran Point, South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park
Sunrise at Moran Point, South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

My third night was spent at the Grand Canyon. Now this place was packed. One campground was full and there were only two open sites when I drove through. I must admit to being very impressed with the canyon. It does take your breath away. It’s beauty cannot be described but must be experienced. I rose early on Saturday morning and drove to Moran Point for the morning sunrise. There were only two of us with our primary purpose to just be there, taking a photo once in a while. After he moved on I had the Canyon rim all to myself. What a place to have quiet meditation.

There are several national parks I can pass through on my way back home, with Zion and Bryce as priorities. I like this idea of making the agenda for the day after I wake up. Since I’m camping, access to the internet is very limited and it’s been nice not having it. Hope everyone is staying out of trouble while I’m gone.

Retired. Having fun with photography. Journal daily. Meditate daily. Learning haiku/poetry. Have a love for fountain pens.

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