Enjoying the Beauty and History of Southwestern Colorado

On June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado2 Comments

We don’t make our way to southwestern Colorado as often as we should. Whenever we do take the time to go there, we always have a wonderful time. There are so many different reasons to make your way through the mountains and valleys, as there are definitely some beautiful locations throughout the area. Regardless of whether you want to get into the mountains and go hiking, see some locations of geological interest, or visit ancient ruins, there is something that will appeal to everyone. We have been to each of these locations multiple times, but never in the same trip. It would actually make for a very interesting loop from Colorado Springs to go to all of these locations on a single trip with short stays along the way.

Alamosa and the Great Sand Dunes National Park – If you head south from Colorado Springs and then go west once you reach Walsenburg, it is about a 3 hour trip to reach the town of Alamosa. At least for us, the main reason to visit this quaint town is to enjoy time in the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which is truly an amazing experience. It is also a great location to enjoy food of the southwest in one of the several restaurants located in Alamosa. There are some very interesting hiking trails in the area, even one that allows you to get up close to some petroglyphs.

Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, the “Four Corners”, and the Aztec National Ruins Monument in New Mexico – Located in the southwestern corner of Colorado, about 3 hours west of Alamosa, Durango is a great place to explore. The area is known as the four corners because it is where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona all come together in a single location. There is even a marker right where all four states come together and if you want, you can put one body part in each state by putting your hands and feet in different states all at the same time. Mesa Verde National Park is certainly spectacular to see and it worthwhile taking the time to go into New Mexico to visit the Aztec National Ruins Monument.

San Miguel River that Runs Through Telluride

Telluride and Ouray Colorado – After seeing the historic area of the four corners, you can continue north for about 2 hours to the town of Telluride where you can enjoy some upscale relaxation. There are many trails to hike for people of all ages as well as mountain biking and other outdoor activities. Since it is a resort town, there are more than enough food options for any type of meal or budget. Whether staying in the actual town of Telluride or staying in the Mountain Village, taking the gondola between the two provides incredible views without having to exert any energy. The mountain vistas are some of the most spectacular in Colorado, which makes Telluride a destination all on its own.

Pond with a Beaver Damn Just Outside of Telluride

After spending time in Telluride, it is about a 6 hour drive back to Colorado Springs, but the scenery is beautiful and varied as you go through valleys and mountain ranges. Any of these destinations are worthy visiting simply for their own reasons, but combining them into a single trip will provide you with a very unique experience since each location has something different to offer. There are obviously other locations along the way that can be added, so this route can be added to for those who have more time to spend on the road.

Wherever You Travel, Flowers will Make You Smile

On June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge4 Comments

It doesn’t matter what part of the world that we travel to, we enjoy seeing the beautiful flowers of the area. Whether it is in the parks, on a trail, or just around the buildings downtown, there are always wonderful flowers or flowering plants around. In fact we have enjoyed taking photographs of the colorful flowers so much that we have put several posts out dedicated just to the images of the flowers that we have captured. Here a few of the posts that we have previously shared:

Colorful Flowers Around the World – We tried to share images of flowers from many different countries and continents to show the natural beauty that can be found all around the world. The variety of flowers is as diverse as the scenery in all of the different parts of the world where they exist.

The Flowers of Egypt – Egypt can be a harsh environment with desert covering much of the landscape, but that didn’t mean that we didn’t see some very colorful flowers during our time there. In contrast to the heat and sand, the bright flowers really stood out.

The Wildflowers of Colorado – We do quite a bit of hiking in Colorado and really enjoy seeing the different wildflowers. They can be found growing in some of the most rugged places and we are amazed to see them literally growing out of the sides of boulders.

Seeing Tropical Flowers When Traveling – We have been to several tropical countries and have seen some of the most amazing flowers, but these exotic flowers can be found in many other places as well. The tropical climates certainly provide all of the conditions necessary to create some quite stunning flowers.

Some of Our Favorite Flower Photographs – The title of the post pretty much says it all. The focus here though was on individual flowers as opposed to beds of flowers or flowering bushes. Focusing in on a single flower often allows you to clearly see all of the beauty that the flower has to offer.

Greek Lamb and Rice Dinner

On June 2, 2021June 2, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Greece4 Comments

Greek Lamb and Rice Dinner

We enjoy many different types of lamb dishes and one of our favorites are lamb chops. Although they are delicious simply grilled with garlic and herbs, this one pot dinner is an excellent alternative. We used a tajine to cook the dish, but it could just as easily be entirely cooked in a skillet. Finishing the lamb chops in the rice and tomatoes keeps it moist and tender. Similar to cooking with wine, when cooking with olives it is always important to use an olive that you would eat on its own without adding it to a dish.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Servings 2 people

Equipment

Skillet
Tajine

Ingredients

1 lb Lamb Chops
1 cup Uncooked Rice
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 14 1/2 oz Can Diced Tomatoes
2 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 1/3 tbsp Fresh Rosemary chopped
1/3 cup Kalamata Olives pitted and halved
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parsley for garnish

Instructions

Boil the rice for about 8 minutes, drain and set aside. The rice will continue to cook in the oven.
Season the lamb with salt, pepper, and 1/3 tablespoon of rosemary.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the lamb chops for about 2 to 3 minutes per side (including the fat side).
When you pull the lamb out of the skillet, add the garlic and cook for about a minute just allow it to release some of its flavors.
Either in the skillet or in a tajine, mix the rice, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and rosemary.
Nestle the lamb into the rice mixture and sprinkle the olives around top of the rice. Cover with a lid.
In an oven heated to 325 degrees, cook the lamb and rice mixture for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches about 145 degrees for medium-rare.

Keyword lamb, olives, rice