Annie MacFarlane

The Great Sand Dunes, Italian Dolomites and castles, always castles.

If you have not been to the Great Sand Dunes National Park, we recommend you load up your car with any and every silly bit of camping gear you might own and take drive to this wonderful place.

When you can camp on the park campground you will be able to walk to the dunes from your camp site. It is such a natural place for fun, hikes, inspiration, and just good to be outside hanging around the well serviced by our National Park's system campground. (It also doesn't hurt there are 300 miles of sand so even your campground will feel comfy. HONEST! This is not rugged camping- it is fun, junk-falling out of the car, Cheeto eating, cozy camping and really a blast.

It is very out of the way for some, but well worth the effort. If you aren't into camping, or find the small 88 site camp ground full don't worry. There is a place just outside the park gates that has a small hotel and 300 camp sites all very well situated in the trees, RV hookups and even the worlds best, (ok maybe just the largest) breakfast burrito on the planet.
(You can also reach this burrito in 5 minutes flat from your campsite in the National Park, just in case you need it- so either way you win ok? Don't panic.)

It's called the Oasis and we have had fun therel. If you arrive in the dark and think it is only a gas station, it isn't true, have faith and camp there. It's nice.

The visitor's center is perfect, has the standard free movie, hands on silliness, and the best cute nature hikes right out the back door.

Tip 1 - bring lots of magnets to play with in the sand. It is too darn fun! Kites are awesome and if you go in the spring there is a four inch river to play in that actually has a break and is gorgeous. We vote spring.

Tip 2  -The Alligator Farm nearby is something out of a dream. I haven't decided yet if it is a good dream or bad dream, but it is something to see- once in a lifetime at least. We thought the price to get in was high- but- I don't know how much it costs to keep alligators in the desert so possibly it was a market cost. There are many who want to see big guys wrestling alligators. There are many who might also want to see some huge snakes, odd fish, and who think it is neato to see the escaped alligators outside the fenced areas. Right near where you park and walk. eeps. (When we were there there was an escaped walabee that might have just been munched. I'm not making that up.)

Tip 3  -There is a hike to a waterfall just 4 miles past the visitors center and up a long dirt road. It is so beautiful when you reach the top it takes your breath away. So don't let the dusty trail and rocks make you think it isn't worth it.In the spring and early summer, it is one of those jaw dropper, "faires are real" kind of places. So go check that out.

Tip 4 - If there is a windstorm that makes the sand fly like whips into your eyes and shaves the skin off your body (ehem this does happen and they do close the park for this) you can drive to Salida in one hour or less and they have hotels and hot springs the cutest town ever by a river and cute pizza places galore so...you are safe enough.

Tip 5- Only go in the spring and fall months unless you want your feet to burn to death or you enjoy 110 degree weather times the sand heating quoitent of twogazillionbillion which =BURNINGHECKHOT. get me? May1-June15 or Sept-November. Okay? Otherwise drive fast past the entrance and hope your AC is not on the fritz.

The Italian Dolomites are the most perfect place for a family to have a vacation. It is a wonderful place to get away from the crowded cities, and really get to know some of the best Italy has to offer. Italians specialize in the words "quality of life", and that quality can be found very easily in the inns, mountain huts, and smiling faces you will find on the people traveling and living in the Dolomite region.

The hikes range from moderate to expert, but for the most part are on the easy side (compared to Colorado standards of hiking).

The Italian government, along with many private citizens run huts, called "Rufigos". These Rugigos dot the dolomite landscape every 2-6km. They make for perfect resting, eating, and or sleeping spots. Unlike American huts, which at best contain only shelter and some firewood, the Italian's have perfected what a refuge should be.

They are usually run for the season by a family or staffed by the Italian government. They include, restrooms, beer, wine, hot plates of sausage, polenta, risotto, chocolate, coffee, and all the rustic amenities you would expect from any cute country inn. We took our 2 kids, one of them a four year old on this trip. He managed quite well with the long lunches and rest stops in-between. He is quite the whiner, so if we can succeed on this trip with him, you to can do this with your kids as long as they can walk about 2 miles on not very steep trails.

Well, more on the Dolomites as I get more time.

The Dolomites in Italy, or Il Dolomiti in Italia, are some of the most jagged peaks on Earth. This region is truly an alpine paradise. Supposedly these mountains were formed from ancient reefs, and therefore they pop up in clusters, or groups, instead of traditional straight ranges. Between these jagged, towering groups of mountains are gentle grassy meadows filled with wild flowers and cozy Bavarian alpine towns. Hikers can travel from town to town using the towns as base camp for day hikes, or for longer hikes they can sleep in the numerous alpine huts situated high up in the mountains.

The Dolomites are also famous for their "via ferrate" climbing routes. Via ferrate means "iron way", and these routes have fixed cables that climbers can clip into for safety. This makes it possible for hikers and novice climbers to safely climb large, steep routes that normal would only be the domain of experienced climbers. The via ferrate have a fascinating history; they were initially installed by Italian and Austrian troops who fought a ferocious battle against each other in the Dolomites during the First World War. Tunnels, bunkers, and other relics of the war are found throughout the peaks of this region.

Credit informational text on the dolomites by Jack Brauer- from www.widerange.org - if you would like to see more professional photos of the dolomites, his site is great and is one of the few that really does the area justice with a few easy clicks.