Operation Exodus: Part 3

Our next day in Colorado started out much like the day before it - except there was no sleeping in this time - our bodies were still on Texas time anyway (which is an hour earlier) so it still FELT like we were sleeping late. We hit the breakfast buffet early with the hopes of some early exploring before the sun got too high in the sky. And after that first taste of Garden of the Gods, we decided more time was needed to FULLY explore the park. With backpacks laden with lots of water and walking sticks in hand, we set off for the park. The early hours were most certainly in our favor - both in terms of the cool breezes and the blissfully empty parking lots!


On this visit, we enjoyed several hours of ambling along the many trails. We covered paths we had missed the day before and got to see some familiar sights from a whole new angle. We took one trail that wound its way through a truly beautiful field of sun flowers. I loved meandering along with the red rock formations making for a stunning backdrop against the bright yellow flowers. Wonder Boy, however, was not as enamored with this part of the trek. Those sun flowers are a pretty big attraction for local insects - especially the honey bees - and while they were not interested in us in any way, he made sure we made our way through that section of the trail as quickly as possible.

Every time we visit Colorado, I want to pack our bags and bid a final farewell to Texas. And if ever a place evokes that desire in me, it is most certainly the Garden of the Gods! This place feels like a serious slice of Heaven on Earth. I would love to live close enough to make spending time there part of daily life. If nothing else, I certainly want to make sure we come back here some day - and not too far in the future. In fact, I would love to see the park in winter, with a fresh coating of snow transforming and recreating this amazing landscape.