We hope to go out West to see the Rockies this summer, I've never seen them before.
The Rockies are beautiful! But they are gorgeous!
Oh, Aquamarine, you have a real treat in store for you!
The Rockies are actually even more beautiful than the Eastern ranges - and I lived not far from the Blue Ridge Mountains, going there many times - traversed the whole Parkway (and on up to Rochester, NY), and through the Smoky Mountains going from Ohio to North and South Carolina.
That year in Rapid City, we would go out on forays at every opportunity, one of the family saying, when the urge hit, "Let's go that way!" - "TURN RIGHT HERE!"
Often that would be where there were woods and no road at all, knowing the base was granite, and we'd not get stuck, like in Florida sand.
It was so great for the boys in particular, at their young ages, to come upon abandoned cabins. I'd have them describe the 'persons' who lived there - what they looked like - what they did to just get through a day....
How the parents had to hunt for food - chop wood for warmth and cooking - bring water to the home from a nearby stream to drink and cook and bathe and do laundry, etc....
One of the best times was on Mother's Day when we came upon an abandoned rose quartz mine, hundreds of pretty rocks for Mom to be had!
We also visited a fort that day, where Custer made a treaty with the Indians the settlers would stop coming, and of course broke it.
At the Gift Shop there, the boys pooled their saved up few dollars and bought a precious bracelet for me. It resides in my jewelry box today as one of my favorite things..:))