すながあついのでちゅういがひつようです! - Be careful, the sand is hot! 🌡

It's

the end of the road trip! Yes, I managed to write about this little 5-day trip about a month ago in ten installments! 🤣 I hope I did not bore you.

This is the final piece then. As I mentioned last time, we decided to return to the sand dunes one more time on our last day. It was on the way home anyway. The problem was that it was a Saturday and there was already a 45-minute wait at the entrance at 9:45 in the morning. The people were streaming in with their beach chairs and umbrellas to spend a fun day in the sand. Parking was pretty crazy.

Our plan was to get up on the closest dunes. It is a strenuous steep hike and you need to wear sturdy shoes or the sand will burn your skin. You better also have a hat and plenty of water. The views from above are worth it, though!  Can you see all those people in the third photo? That is the view from the top.

After the climb, we relaxed by the water again. The clouds were gathering and by the time I took the 6th photo it was a menacing, but simply beautiful sky to be admired. We ate our lunch by the car with the wind picking up and then drove out of the park with the first rain drops hitting the ground. In some spots along the way visibility was very low due to the whipped up dust and then heavy rain.

We took an afternoon break in one of my most favorite towns in the state. Salida is a small town on the Arkansas river with a vibrant historic center featuring nicely restored brick buildings, which is kind of a rarity in these parts. Our stop always involves the local ice cream shop and a walk to the river where kayakers and wave riders enjoy the rapids. I don't have many photos from that part, but the last two are some glimpses. Maybe in the future I can do a more thorough article on Salida. 👋