Trip to Garden of the Gods

Jim and I had an amazing trip south of Denver and saw some beautiful country.  We skirted around Chatsfield Reservoir and the town of Littleton where Devra use to live.  We got gas in the car ($2.59 to $2.85 per gallon, Diesel $2.89/$2.95).  Then on to the quaint city of Sedalia.   From there we drove along the South Platte River to Deckers, CO. 

They say you can fly fish for rather large Brown and Rainbow Trout in the Platte River.

We had "Navagale" take us off the main highway so we could see the country better.  We passed through the Pike National Forest where there were remnants of a large fire that burned thousands of acres.  It reminded me of theYellowstone fire, but larger.  Navagale had us at about 8,400 feet elevation.  Here is what we came across, which we would not have seen if we had taken the highway.

 

These photos where taken on our way to our main trip objective, and that was to see the Florissant Fossil Beds and the Garden of the Gods.  We went to the Fossil Beds first where we finally "bet the bullet" and bought a senior park pass for $10.00.   Now we can get into any national park for free.  Jim had to buy the pass as he's older than me......hehe!

The fossil beds where formed millions of years ago by a volcanic lahar (mudflows and streams of stone).  Paper-thin shale is being uncovered ,and by carefully peeling away layers of the stone the scientists are finding many insects and plant life from millions of years ago.  Proving what?  That moths, wolf spiders and cattail leafs are still the same as they were long ago. 

One thing Jim and I learned from visiting the fossil beds is the uncovering of VERY large, petrafied Sequoia Redwood trees trunks.  Did you know there use to be Sequoia Redwoods in CO?

See Jim in the background. 

 Here's another one.  We walked over a mile through the park to see the diggings and the petrafied Sequoia trunks. 

I think I see a fossil snail!!

 We have so many photos of the Florissant Fossil Beds, we just can't download them all.  Ditto for the Garden of the Gods.  These photos speak for themselves. 

 

The "Cathedral"

See the man (or woman's) face?

Do you see the ugly man looking up on the right, and the rock climber on the left?

  We drove about 250 miles in a large southern loop.  It was an eventful day filled with spectacular views. Colorado means