Red Rocks at Ghost Ranch
We reluctantly left New Mexico and followed Highway 84 to Colorado, through the Village of Abiquiu, past Ghost Ranch, and up to the Carson National forest.
The different layers within the sandstone cliffs
We marvelled at the amazing rock formations we saw, and stopped to photograph them. These sandstone cliffs have been formed over millions of years, and the different layers, formed through the millennia, are distinctly visible.
Echo Amphitheater
One spectacular stop was at Echo Amphitheater, with a natural stone rounded structure that makes you want to shout with joy, just to hear the echo reverberate all around.
Could this be blood, or just a strange configuration of the rock?
There is a legend attached to this particular formation. It is said that in 1861, a group of settlers were executed by a band of Navajo Indians here, and their blood spilled over the walls. Three years later, there was a revenge attack by the settlers, and more blood was spilled, which seeped into the rock, and is supposedly this, clearly visible today.
Although the paths were lined with fragrant sage bushes,
we also saw lots of this lethal-looking pencil-cholla cactus
After visiting Echo Amphitheater, we climbed higher and higher,
so high that we drove through snow-covered land.
Our Lady of Guadeloupe, Conejos
Our next stop was in Conejos, Colorado, where Colorado’s Oldest Church stands. Our Lady of Guadeloupe Parish Church was built in 1858 and dedicated on December 12, 1863.
The beautiful sign over the arched doorway dates from the reconstruction of the church after a fire
Tiled mural of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, in the church
The grotto outside the church is a shrine to Our Lady of Guadeloupe
This really is a vast expanse of country. Just imagine going to school in this every day. Magnificent!
by Elizabeth Coughlan
