July 29, 2016 - Cathy and Joe R. drive from Colorado Springs to Crestone, CO (see map) where we stayed for 2 nights at the Sangre de Cristo Inn to attend the Under the Stars UFO Conference at the UFO Watchtower just a few miles away in Hooper, CO in the middle of the San Luis Valley. Crestone is an old small town with a very eclectic and mystical aura. It is bounded on the East by the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range of the Rockies and on the West by the San Luis Valley. In the hillside around Crestone are over 30 retreats and shrines of many religions, including Buddhist, Hindu, Japanese Shinto, etc.

July 29, 2016 - After settling in at the Sangre de Cristo Inn in Crestone, CO and having dinner, we go the UFO Watchtower in Hooper, CO, the venue for the Under the Stars UFO Conference, for an evening concert by the local Reggae band, Jah Kings.

July 30, 2016 - After a restful night at the hotel, we go to the UFO Watchtower for the conference. We enjoyed all the speakers, but were especially excited to see, hear and talk with Travis Walton and his son. We are very familiar with the details of his 1975 experience, having read both of his books, "The Walton Experience" (1978) and "Fire in the Sky" (1996) and seen the movie, "Fire in the Sky" (1993), which by his own admissinon is overly dramatized and scarier than the actual event, as well as the latest documentary film, "Travis: The True Story of Travis Walton" (2015) in addition to numerous TV documentary shows. We had also met Travis several times over the past many years at various UFO conferences and lectures, many of international scope. This was the first time we got to see him in such a small local venue. As always, he was very warm, friendly and forthcoming in answering all our questions.

July 31, 2016 - After another night's rest at the Sangre de Cristo Inn in Crestone, CO, we drive down (see map) to the town of San Luis, Colorado.

The oldest town in Colorado, San Luis is also likely the most spiritual. Populated by the primarily Hispanic families who settled there in 1851, the town remains small and, in some ways, unique. San Luis is recognized as the oldest town in Colorado, having been established on April 5, 1851.

It is a very picturesque town with many colorful murals, adobe structures and spectacular churches. One of the most spectacular is the adobe Capilla de Todos Los Santos - The Stations of the Cross Shrine at the top of the mesa overlooking the town.

July 31, 2016 - After touring San Luis, CO, we head back up North (see map) to Fort Garland, which we passed on the way down and thought if we had time and they were still open, we would stop. As luck would have it, we did before heading back home to Colorado Springs via Rte. 160 and I-25.

Cathy & Joe R.

Click to enlarge Colorado Springs to Crestone

Click to enlarge Crestone,CO to UFO Watchtower

Click to enlarge Crestone to San Luis, CO

Click to enlarge San Luis to Fort Garland