Adventures in the San Luis Valley

     This Sunday I was lucky enough to explore some awesome parts of the San Luis Valley with my team.  It was a very physically tiring but spiritually refreshing day.  Center can feel a little isolated sometimes, so it was great to get out and see the fun, beautiful things that surround it.

     First, we stopped at a UFO watchtower in the middle of nowhere.  It was so quirky and cute! 

The dome-shaped building is a gift shop, which unfortunately wasn't open.  The metal deck above it is the watchtower... open 24 hours a day!  The objects strewn in front of it make up "the garden".  It is full of little tokens different people have left.  My team and I added a few silly things we had on us. For me it was a bandaid, because I am always prepared. =)

His UFO broke down.  Luckily, he had a chariot.

Not Responsible for Accidents OR Abductions!

I had to get my picture taken here because I am a Poole, and that is what Pooles do.

     We drove away from our new alien friends and headed to the Great Sand Dunes National Park for a barefoot, sandy hike.  It is such a beautiful place!

our view driving up

geeking out! photo cred: Láni

Celebrating our victory after reaching the top of a respectably tall peak. photo cred: Erin

Kyle climbed even higher than we did and took Instagram photos of us that made us look deep.

Dirty, happy team picture.

     After the dunes, we went to the nearby Zapata Falls.  It was a winding drive up a mountain and a short half mile hike to one of the most unique sights I've ever seen...

 a frozen waterfall!  It was so blue, and felt like glass.  There was just a tiny trickle of water still flowing behind the ice.

From where we were on the mountain, there was a great view of the other mountains and dunes.  Doesn't it look unreal?

There was also a great view of the San Luis Valley.  I wish I knew how to use the panoramic feature on my camera so I could have captured the whole thing, with the mountains on both ends.  (I'll have to learn and go back!)  It's such a strange, beautiful place.  Interspersed with tiny towns like Center, surrounded by snow-covered mountain ranges and desert sand dunes.  Where am I?

     School has been going great.  I've gotten to teach a few lessons independently, which feels so cool.  Also, the student whom I was helping complete his science fair project got everything done on time! 

This is his cardboard AC Generator.  We weren't able to make it generate light, but it did generate heat!

     I only have one more day of school this week, because Friday through Monday is my "spring break".  Unfortunately, I won't be coming home to Michigan because getting anywhere from Center is quite challenging and expensive.  I'll be resting in our (Center) house a lot and hopefully exploring the area a little bit more.  

     Only a few more weeks here... time is going by so fast!  Today I turned in my rankings of the Round 3 project choices.  I'm really hoping to do environmental work, tent camp and live in a state I've never been to before.  I'll post here as soon as I find out what I get, but it might be awhile!  Round 3 will also be interesting because it is a shuffle round where I won't be with my usual team.  I'm going to miss them a lot, but it will be fun to become closer with people I don't know as well.  

     Bye for now!