Unexpected Inspiration

Recently, my dear husband and I finally took a belated anniversary trip--only two years late--up into Colorado's mountains.

From my seat in the train

We planned to ride in a wonderfully restored 1890s coal-burning, narrow-gauge locomotive and check out the beautiful southern-Colorado landscapes, while I did some fact-checking on my 1890s manuscript, The Blessing. But plans often go astray, so why should our mini-vacation plans go smoothly?

We arrived at our hotel and checked in, only to realize that our train reservations weren't for the next morning, but two mornings away. We're on a budget, so we debated. Should we return home and drive up again tomorrow? Or should we toss aside our budget for once and spend an extra night in the mountains?

Of course, we were sensible. We booked an extra night in the mountains at an eclectic, creaky old hotel (an adventure all by itself) then took a deep breath of mountain air and made uncharacteristically light-headed plans.

Fresh deer tracks

We headed for the nearest scenic destination: Colorado's famous Sand Dunes. Real dunes, with altitude. And my idea, because there are no beaches in land-locked Colorado, and I NEED occasional doses of water running over sand. This day's therapeutic dose of water-and-sand goodness came with a few Colorado touches.




(Ignore my previously broken toes and check out those fresh deer tracks--woo-hoo!)

As well as inspiration for new writing adventures.

Below flood level. For now.

Within yards of the deer's hoof-prints, I found a rushing mountain-dune stream that carried my imagination straight into future books! A hunting blind ... for hungry travelers. A river escape for fugitives in a wilderness.

So many possibilities ....

Time to write!