So Many Memories

We first came to Southern Colorado to work on genealogy.  I knew that my great grandfather George Polhill had homesteaded in the area and I wanted to learn more about him and this part of our state.  Since then we have returned to Trinidad State Park once and more than a dozen times stayed in Lathrop State Park, including three times as volunteers.

This week, we are staying in LaVeta, a small town about 20 miles away.  But we returned to Lathrop to walk on the trail around Martin Lake on Tuesday.

We saw many of the wildflowers we had become accustomed to in years past.

 

We also saw a snake--probably a bull snake.  One year we came on a rattlesnake as we were showing our granddaughter Kylie around.  Both Kylie and our grandson John spent time with us here.  Sometimes, they even brought their parents, our son Eric and his wife Liz.

I don't know much about geology or geography.  I do know that is thin rock walls are caused by motion in the earth.  Here they show up all over the area.

At  one location, this rock formation called Profile Rock can be seen from mile marker 9 on the Highway of Legends (Hwy 12).  It is said to show profiles of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, as well as a train on the trestle.  I don't see the former presidents, I do see the train.

We saw this old barn with a rock wall in the background.

These signs certainly reflect a highway through rural Colorado.

These vistas are part of what made our many stays in the area so appealing.  No wonder my ancestor chose to settle here.

We went over Cuchara Pass at 9995 feet above sea level.

This shows how thin the walls of rock are.

 Of course, we had to go to Charlie's Market in nearby LaVeta.  I always enjoy an ice cream cone there.

Our retirement has included many volunteer assignments in towns in Colorado, Utah, Arkansas, Texas  and Montana. Lathrop State Park in Walsenburg was one of our favorite.  What a trip down memory lane we have had this week.