Sand Dunes

 On the way down to the Sand dunes, I stopped and explored the garden of the gods for a little bit. I wish I could’ve stayed longer, but the weather wasn’t cooperating, and I knew that there was also a chance of rain at the Sandune tonight and wanted to make sure I got there and could at least get my tent set up before the rain started. This was the right call, but I would love to go back someday and spend more time there. 

I got two great Sand dunes national Park around 4 o’clock went to the visitor center. Got a map and then went to my campground to get everything set up just as I was putting the last steak in the ground for my tent. It started to rain really hard so I retreated to my car to get my air mattress inflated. I had to fully deflated after Rocky Mountain so my dad could fit in the car, so inflation is about a 15 min Adventure, as I can’t tolerate the sound of the air pump for more than a few minutes, but it is absolutely worth it because my mattress is comfortable and leads to pretty good sleep. I’m also also going to be camping for the next eight nights and don’t plan to deflate it in between locations so I’ll only have to top it up.

After dinner I went on an evening walk down to the dunes- about 1 mile from my camp site. It must be a dry year as the “lake” wasn’t much more than a small stream but it’s against an amazing backdrop of the dunes. 

After my walk I got to work on this parks stack of post cards. It’s fun to send the people I care for a glimpse of the road. I finished up the cards and set up my chair for some stargazing. I’ve been going to bed early most nights on this trip but the stars will be so bright from out here I couldn’t resist. However we need to talk about the bugs.  These bugs are bigger and more per than any I’ve encountered this far. I am sprayed head to toe in 12  hour bug spray and yet the mosquito are crawling everywhere even landing on my nose and fingers while I’m walking. 

The stars were spectacular as was the moon full bright and lighting up everything. It was like sleeping with a perfect nightlight. When we had the place in the country, I could go out and look at the stars at night; it is one of the few things that I have missed.

Life all national park campgrounds have been to quiet hours are between 10pm and 7 AM. Everywhere else that has been strictly at 10 PM. Parents put their children in bed everyone quiets down and I can sleep. Last night however, quiet hours started more around midnight. There were still many fires going, children running around and camp songs being sung even after that but it got soft enough to sleep. I did wake up incredibly rested at 6:30 this morning like more rested than I woke up in the Airbnb for three days not sure what that says about me, but it definitely says a lot of positive things about my air mattress. Probably one of the best purchases I made for this summer.