This morning we met up with Hardy and Judy for a drive along the Highway of Legends, a scenic byway that circles the Spanish Peaks on Hwy 12, starting at Trinidad. We stopped at the welcome center in Trinidad and got more info on the drive ahead.
Most of the attraction of this drive is the spectacular views of the Spanish Peaks and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It winds through several historic towns, but we didn't really encounter much info on legends. We saw the coke ovens near Cokeville. It's easy to see why the ovens are there--coal veins are visible all around.
We stopped in Stonewall and ate lunch in the Shopping Bag (that's right, the Stonewall Shopping Bag) It includes a nice diner style restaurant, plus "Liquor Store, Groceries, Gifts, Fishing Supplies, Hunting and Fishing Licenses, Laundry Mat, RV Park, Rental Cabins, Motel Room/Apartment, Notary Public." The warm, fresh apple dumplings a la mode were the piece de resistence. We also enjoyed watching the flocks of hummingbirds around the feeders hung outside each window.
We stopped at a Forest Service Recreation Area to visit Blue and Bear Lakes, peaceful little gems. We walked around the lakes and took a short hike into the aspen forest. Although the path seemed somewhat obscure, many who had walked there before us had left their initials in the aspen bark.
One of the really striking features of the area is the dikes that radiate out from the Spanish Peaks, formed as the peaks were pushed upwards through the softer sandstone layers above, cracking them open. Liquid magma filled in the cracks, and then after long ages, the softer sandstone eroded away, leaving the striking dikes exposed. One of the most massive and spectacular is the Devil's Staircase. Another interesting one is called Profile Rock.
We're continuing to hope for clear skies tomorrow to view the Perseids. We'll make the trek out to Doc Hudler's cabin high in the mountains for the star party.
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