Travel Thursday!

Okay, after taking a few days off to travel to my favorite D location, let's get back to business.   Yes, this week we tackle all places "D".


Durango, Colorado
This is a gorgeous town, surrounded by the San Juan Mountains, in southern Colorado.  There is so much to do here - fly fishing, skiing, hiking, backpacking, etc.  But my favorite is the Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad.  This train makes the one-way 45 mile trip from Durango to Silverton Colorado in about 3-1/2 hours.  It leaves Silverton for the return trip 2 hours later.  Roundtrip is about $80 - and worth every penny for the experience of riding this narrow guage train and the scenery!

Death Valley
The lowest, hottest, driest location in the country.  Hard to believe a place like that could be beautiful - but it is!  Located mainly in California, near the Nevada border, this area is like nothing else.  Hot - yes, but a truly unique beauty.  Interesting factoid - the average annual rainfall is 1.58".  Yes, that's ANNUAL!!  A few years ago the valley experienced more rain than normal and an incredible explosion of wildflowers.  The other thing I love about the valley is the mysterious moving rocks.  No one knows for sure how the rocks move - could be they are sliding on a thin ice sheet formed when the temperature drops, could be wind driven - either way, they are fascinating to see.

Disneyland
Uh, yea, what can I say.  I started visiting Disneyland in 1964, and have been a regular ever since.  There is something about this park that makes me feel safe, welcome, and loved.  That sounds a little strange, given that so many think it's "just an amusement park".  As a child, it was a favorite for my family, we even saw Walt in the park in 1965.  When I moved to California in the early 80's, it was about 10 miles from the base where I was stationed.  I remember going out to the base softball field and watching the fireworks.  I visited about once a month in those days.  I found that when I was having a bad day, this was the place that made me feel better.  As I began learning more about the park and Walt's vision, I saw Disneyland in a new light.  I became fascinated with the technology and ideas that the Imagineers used in the park.  I still visit regularly, but my visits aren't always about the attractions.  I can easily spend many hours in the park studying the details.  Needless to say - this is my favorite of ALL locations.  Not only is it my favorite to visit by myself, but it's my favorite with my own family.  Not only did I 'grow up' in this park, but my son did as well.  He was 9 months old on his first visit!

Me at Disneyland, 1967



My son Tony, near the same spot as my photo, 1989

My son Tony, again near the same spot, on his 21st Birthday in 2009

Devils Tower National Monument
While I have traveled all over the state of Wyoming, somehow I’ve missed Devils Tower. You know this geologic landmark from the movie, Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind. This ‘tower’ is located in the northeast corner of Wyoming, and is said to be the core of an eroded volcano. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Devils Tower the first national monument in 1906. Interesting factoid: as a publicity stunt, a man parachuted onto Devils Tower on October 1, 1941 - he was stranded for six days before he could be rescued. There are many hiking trails available, and in the winter they double as cross-country ski trails.


Denali National Park

Yet another destination high on my list. Established in 1917, it was originally known as Mt. McKinley National Park, named after President McKinley. Interesting factoid: the park was established as a way of protecting the large mammals, not because of Mt. McKinley. In 1980, the area, along with an additional 4 million acres, was redesignated as Denali NP. This land is teeming with wildlife and plants, especially during the warmer seasons. From the large mammals - Dall sheep, caribou, moose, grizzly, and wolves; to the smaller mammals - fox, weasel, wolverine, lynx, marten, pika, porcupine, beaver, and many more. In all, there are 37 mammal species recorded in the park and preserve. If you plan to visit – summer is your season as temperatures in the winter can easily reach -40F! The park sits between Anchorage and Fairbanks, in eastern Alaska.