Devilish Headphones

 My grandson decided to let the Devil come out for Halloween. I couldn't help but notice the headphones. Which got me to wondering what kind of music the real master of fire and brimstone would listen to when he wanted to kick up his feet and smoke a cigar or three. I think Black Sabbath would be a staple of the Devil's library. Alice Cooper is probably in there too. The Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil would no doubt be part of the library for days when Beelzebub felt all his hard work was being ignored.

 Putting the Devil aside, music is - or should be - an important part of everyone's life. Music can relax us, give us a boost of energy, or heighten our romantic tendencies. Multiple studies have shown that music can have a measurable favorable effect on all aspects of our health. Music can reduce anxiety, lessen depression, lower blood pressure, and help recovery from trauma.- the list goes on. 

How does music do all of this? It actually triggers chemical responses in our bodies! Studies have shown increased production of serotonin and dopamine - two of the so called feel-good chemicals. Music can also cause an increase of adrenaline. 

Beyond triggering chemical responses, music can slow activity in the amygdala and hippocampus to reduce fear and soothe emotional trauma. Research also supports that newborns exposed to classical music tend to show higher intelligence as they grow. We made sure classical music was played in the bedrooms of our children and grandchildren and they're all brilliant. Of course I might be biased.

So the next time you're feeling out of sorts, have a heaping helping of music. Better yet, make music a part of your daily routine. If others in your household don't share your musical tastes, or preferred volume levels, take a pointed tip from the Devil and get yourself some headphones.

 

Bare Feet & Squirrels

 It seems health tips are everywhere these days. If I followed every tip that appeared in my feeds I'd have no time for anything else. So I was more than a little surprised when, at a periodic checkup, my doctor asked if I grounded myself regularly.

Since I'm into spirituality, to me grounding means eating something to ground myself in the physical realm after exploring things the logical mind refuses to accept. Since I'm currently more than a little overweight,I suspected eating more food wasn't what my doctor had in mind, so I asked for her to explain. She said my bare feet should be in direct contact with the ground on a daily basis, meaning walking out the door barefoot and standing in the grass. The purpose is to get rid of all the manmade energy my body is bombarded with every day; microwaves, cellphone carrier waves, internet data waves, the invisible connections between all my smart devices, even old fashioned radio waves. Apparently having all that static energy lingering in my body is no good for my health. Having my body in direct contact with the ground allows the static energy to drain into the earth.

So now I start my day standing barefoot in the front yard, taking deep breaths, and staring at nothing in particular, At first I imagined my neighbors whispering about the weird guy outside again. But I stopped caring when a squirrel started showing up regularly and sitting less than three feet away. Well, sitting is the wrong term because squirrels are physically incapable of being still, but you get the picture. 

 Do I feel physically healthier? The jury is still out on that. Do I feel mentally healthier? Absolutely. There's something uplifting about starting the day with bare feet, sunshine, and a twitchy squirrel. 

Redstone & Marble

 

Nestled between cliff faces of red rock and the Crystal River is the picturesque town of Redstone, Colorado. Originally a coal mining town, Redstone has evolved into an artsy community. The town seems frozen in time.

 

 

If quiet life and scenic views are what you are craving, then Redstone is the place for you.

And the Crystal River really is crystal clear.

Throughout the town marble, both decorative and functional, is a common sight. 

This is because the town of Marble is just a few miles away. The Marble Quarry has supplied marble to far more than just Redstone. The quarry has supplied marble for both the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Lincoln Memorial.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The U.S. National Parks are so varied in what they offer that it's hard to rank them in any kind of order. But if Betty and I had to pick a favorite, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park would certainly be a contender.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of the newest national parks (established in 1999) and, in our opinion, one of the most breathtaking, perhaps because it is nearly 3 times as deep as it is wide. The result is that, except for mid-day, the bottom is shrouded in black shadow on one side while on the other side sunlight picks out all the colors and veins of rock.

Betty and I had visited the Grand Canyon years earlier. We agreed Black Canyon of the Gunnison is more visually stunning.

The south rim drive runs for just over 7 miles with about 12 pull-off locations. From each pull-off, a short trail leads to a unique view of he canyon.  In wider areas, hoodoos rise from the canyon floor.

 

 In narrower areas the river has left behind a geological history lesson. Clearly evident are the differing layers and types of rock that make up the inside of the mountain range.

 Everywhere there is evidence the river continues it's unending work of carving deeper into the earth.

Hiking trails are available for all levels of experience. One of the more challenging trails begins at the rim of the canyon and zig-zags its way to the bottom. Of course once at the bottom it's necessary to climb back up. The trail is so challenging that hikers have to register at the park office. I asked if this was so the ranger could assess a hiker's experience and ability.  The answer was a little unnerving. Registration is required so that if a hiker has not returned within an hour of the park closing time, rangers know to go looking.

Needless to say, Betty and I did not register for that trail.

We did run into one very young and fit hiker who had just made his way back to the top. He described the hike as beautiful and intense.

Royal Gorge Bridge and Park

 

After our visit to the sand dunes, Betty and I ventured to Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I sure wasn't expecting to find myself standing in the middle of a suspension bridge staring straight down nearly a thousand feet to the Arkansas River.

 An amusement park of sorts has built up around this engineering marvel. There's a giant swing, they call it a skycoaster, that flings riders out in midair for a bird's eye view of  the gorge, zip lines, and cable cars.

 

 We chose the cable car for our first pass across the gorge. 

 

That cable car left me looking forward to having a solid bridge beneath my feet on the way back across the gorge.

While the bridge was no doubt structurally sound, it did not provide a sense of solidity. The unending parade of people created a continuous bounce. When a motorized jitney came across, I lurched for the handrail and white-knuckled the metal until the worst of the bouncing had passed.

Once in the middle, the views were spectacular. I confess that while on the bridge all of my photographs were taken one-handed, with my other hand firmly gripping a railing or strut.

While the key support system of the bridge is steel, the deck is made of wooden planks. The flags of all 50 states fly along the handrails.

 

Great Sand Dunes National Park

 

Since we had lived near the Delaware beaches for several years we knew about big sand dunes. The sand dunes in Cape Henlopen State Park are some of the biggest on the U.S. east coast.

But what we experienced in Great Sand Dunes National Park took things to a whole new level. Some of the dunes peak out at 750 feet in height. And they change constantly. Due to the high winds and flat plains the sands are forever shifting. 

And I do mean flat plains. 

Once we exited the nearest major roadway we drove for 45 minutes seeing nothing but scrub grass and far distant mountains. I was beginning to wish, once again, that I had filled the fuel tank at the last gas station we had passed. 

Just when I thought that maybe we had slipped into an episode of the Twilight Zone, a Dollar Store appeared. Yep, you can always count on finding a Dollar Store no matter where you are. A Dollar Store meant people, people meant cars, and cars meant a gas station which turned out to be only another 20 miles away.

One of the top things to do at this National Park is to rent a sand sled and sled down the sides of the dunes. But to sled down, you first need to pull the sled up a long, long way. If you have ever gone for a walk in the softer sands along the ocean, you know what kind of effort is involved. 

Betty and I quickly agreed we had neither the leg muscles nor the overall stamina to pull a sled while fighting against sifting sand and the effects of high elevation. Instead we opted to walk along Medano Creek - which only exits for a couple of months each year. The creek is created by snow melt from the relatively nearby mountaintop.

 

Locals told us that following winters with a heavy snowfall Medano Creek can run about two feet deep for a few weeks. When we were there, the area was still suffering from below average precipitation so the creek was only inches deep.  And cold.

Nevertheless families were enjoying splashing in the water, with younger children flat on their bellies. 

It was obvious that Betty and I were not hearty Coloradans since we were dressed in multiple layers. Splashing in snow melt water? No thank you!

 

The Great Sand Dunes are certified as an International Black Sky Park, meaning it is a great location to observe the stars with absolutely no light pollution. Unfortunately rain rolled through the night we were there so we didn't get the chance to experience that.

 

Colorado National Monument

 

When Betty said she wanted to take a day trip to Colorado National Monument, I thought we were going to see a structure - like the Washington Monument.

It turns out the Colorado National Monument is 31 square miles containing lots of structures - none of them man made. 

Rather than hoofing it on hiking trails, we decided to take our truck on Rim Rock Drive. The 23 miles of roadway rises roughly 2,500 feet as it skirts the edges of red rock cliffs. A snake would be envious of all the curves in this drive. Every turn offered an even more breathtaking vista.

 At least that's what Betty said,

I dared not take my eyes of the roadway which was just wide enough for two cars. Since we were in a pickup truck with dual wheels on the rear axle, our vehicle width was a little wider than average. When a car did come the other way I found myself wondering if both vehicles would pass without damage. For the most part guard rails were non-existent. A miscalculation by the driver on the outer side of a curve would result in a substantial plummet.

We made it through without incident, though Betty did confess she sometimes leaned to the center of the truck to keep it from toppling into the canyon.

 There were several pull-offs where Betty and I were able to equally enjoy landscapes that went on forever.

 

After one such stop, Betty asked if I wanted her to drive the remaining part of the roadway. I said I was fine to keep going. Later Betty told me she would be forever grateful of my decision.

Independence Monument, shown in the top picture, is all that remains of what used to be a solid canyon wall. Apparently getting to the top of the Monument is considered a fun, recreational climb by many outdoorsy types.On July 4th of every year there is a climb to place an American flag at the top.

Throughout Colorado National Monument, we saw where erosion is slowly changing other walls of rock into individual monoliths.