Alamosa, CO - A Nice Hike, Rainbows and Gators!

Friday, August 23, 2013

We drove from Raton Pass, NM to Alamosa, CO yesterday.  It was a nice drive.  Not too many hours for my driver.  He liked that.

We were talking to a campground worker in Raton Pass before we left.  She said they have had over 30 inches of rain since the first of June.  Can you imagine?!  They really needed it as this area of the country is in a drought, too.  But she said they are glad to see a bit of sunshine now.

We drove over La Veta Pass on the way to Alamosa yesterday.  It's the first big mountain pass we've driven over.  Or at least the first one listed in our Mountain Directory, which makes it official.  :)  It wasn't bad at all.  (We actually snuck up on one in New Mexico when we went to Elephant Butte back in March that was worse than this one.  Or maybe it snuck up on us and that's what made it worse.  LOL)

Once we got parked and set up at the Alamosa KOA (our first KOA park--kinda fun!  I know...the littlest things tickle me.), we headed out for another first--our first official hike.  Woohoo!  (Let me put this in context.  When we were at Karen and Greg's, Max would never even walk from The Turtle up to their house--a distance of all of about 1/4 mile.  So this was a big accomplishment, boys and girls!)

We headed out to see Zapata Falls.  First you drive about three miles off a paved road up a very, very rocky dirt road.  Mercy--so glad we didn't have The Turtle with us.  Talk about what would have been an earthquake inside our house!

When we finally got to the camping area at the top, though, the view was spectacular.

Then--the hike to the Falls! 

But before we knew it, we were there.  Come to find out, to really see the falls you have to wind your way back into this crack in the mountain.  Ummmmm....after seeing these much younger folks turn around and come back without making it all the way in,

we settled for enjoying the cool air and water from the stream.  It was a nice first hike!

Then to top it all off, we got back to The Turtle just in time to sit out a short rain shower, and then we were treated to this.  Nice day.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Today's big event was the Colorado Gator Farm.  Yes--gators in Colorado.  According to the brochure, "the gators act as garbage disposals for this Tilapia fish farm...."  With over 400 gators as well as exotic reptile, etc., we just had to see it.  Yeah...tourist trap.  Just had to do it though.

But first, look at my man.  He said if he was going to be gator fodder, he was going to do it in style.

Gators and other critters abound...

On the way back to The Turtle, I had to snap a couple of pictures of things that fascinate me.

A solar panel farm!

And BIG square hay bales.  Where I come from, about all you see anymore are round bales.  Back in the "old days" we had square bales but they were nothing like these big babies.

Until next time...take care!

Paula