Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods Colorado Springs CO

Garden of the Gods is one of my favorite places to drive in Colorado. The first picture of the set is my car with Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak in the back ground.

as a side note you can see the kissing camels on the rock to the upper right hand side. (will get to that later).

I live not far from Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. It's a beautiful region with sedimentary beds of colored sandstones, conglomerates and limestone. They were deposited horizontally, that is no longer the case as they reach into the sky vertically.

Evidence of past aions; ancient seas, eroded ruminants of ancestral mountain ranges, alluvial fans, sandy beaches and great sand dune fields can be read in the rocks. But I just like it because it makes the rocks look like BACON!

I kid.

Here is a cross section of the park I drew for a college course. It shows how the different layers of rock bend towards the sky under Colorado Springs and form Garden of the Gods.

A spectacular shear fault can be observed where the Tower of Babel in the Lyons Sandstone where it contacts the Fountain Formation. Hmm Picture is missing I will go retake it and add it later.

The hogbacks, so named because they resemble the backs and spines of a pig, are ridges of sandstone whose layers are tilted. Instead of lying horizontally, some layers are even vertically oriented as mentioned above.

The Hogback says Oink Oink

Some hogbacks are several hundred feet long, and the tallest (North Gateway Rock) rises to a height of 320 feet. A notable rock feature on this hogback is Kissing Camels, it appears to be two very large camels sitting face to face with their lips touching it is also one of the most popular rock climbing spots in the city.

There are many fossils to be seen: marine forms, plant fossils, and some dinosaur fossils. But there is no such thing as Obsidian in Garden of the Gods:

On one occasion during the nineteenth century, Dr. George Frederick Kunz, vice-president of and "gem expert" of Tiffany & Co., wrote about a “specimen of obsidian” he was shown from the Garden of the Gods in Colorado. “A friend recently made a trip through parts of Colorado, and knowing our desire to obtain materials suitable for cutting into gems, he purchased at a pavilion, near the gateway of the Garden of the Gods, a specimen of what the dealer called “obsidian.” It was carefully packed and carried thousands of miles, and was handed to us with the ceremony befitting an elegant gift. We received it with much delight, and after removing yards of tissue paper, held it before a lamp light, and saw a transparent mass of about 4x4" of pure bottle green- glass.”
-Kunz, George Frederick. The Mineral Collector. Volume II, number 6, August 1895, page 97.
This does not mean you might not find obsidian shards or objects int he park. It is possible from an anthropological point of view that you may find man made objects transported into the park. Particularly but Native Americans. I would just be wary of buying any Colorado obsidian on the internet found in Garden of the Gods.

Trivia:
The name Colorado is said to come from the color of the red sandstone.
The name of the park dates back to August 1859 when two surveyors helping to set up nearby Colorado City were exploring the nearby areas. Upon discovering the site, one of the surveyors, M. S. Beach, suggested that it would be a "capital place for a beer garden." His companion, the young Rufus Cable, awestruck by the impressive rock formations, exclaimed, "Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods." The beer garden never materialized, but the name stuck.

In 2006 a dinosaur species discovered there, was named after the park: Theiophytalia kerri.

- Garden Of The Gods | Education | Park History http://www.gardenofgods.com/education/index_175.cfm

All Pictures Copyrighted Mehner Photo Illustrations and are the expressed property of Fred Mehner III

Next time you go to Garden of the Gods or visit it from out of state have a beer and remember you can learn a lot about the world while enjoying a cold brew.

Welcome to The Colorado Geographer

As this blog was started late last night I have been debating what topic to cover first to start a theme. Rather than just reply to topics I find on the internet I figured I would kick of this blog with some photos of my home. So please enjoy these photos from around my home in Colorado. In the next few days I will talk about the region where I live and issues geography & geology could solve in my region.

This was taken one nice day after a very long trip surveying the plant communities of Colorado back in 2009.

This was taken by me Mothers day 2011 just south of Garden of the Gods at Red Rock Canyon Trail.

Taken April 12 2010. A picture of Pikes Peak.

Well I hope you enjoyed. I'll Come back and talk to you soon about how each of these structures formed and how they effect the Colorado Springs Region.

A reply to Sue L

This is a reply to Sue L's "Is America in 2011 comparable to Rome in 200AD – an advanced state of decadence? pcspeed.net The US has some serious serious problems. House prices have fallen by 33% and Unemployment remains high. 1 in 6 depend on food stamps to ensure they..."

Dear Sue L,

It is not likely America is facing the decline that Rome did. The USA may have bad spots when it deals with infrastructure but the majority is in working order. Our economic model and domestic trends maybe in flux, but the country could survive many disasters natural or manmade with hardship but it will not face a total collapse. The Idea that a society may fail do to Economy is highly over rated. Most advances in technology, social structure, and population growth happen after economic strife (and oddly times of war) and most nations fall from military conflict on their home turf. So I'll address the issues you mentioned rather than a lofty ideological commentary.

Housing prices falling 33% is not a sign of devalued homes, it is a sigh of price gauging coming to a decline. The value of a home should not be dictated by the housing authority or government agency, but by the consumers demand. A 33% decline is a reflection of consumers dissatisfaction with housing monopolies.

Food stamps and Unemployment are related so please consider this: 1 in 6 households have food stamps because food is being produced inefficiently. In Colorado (an arid plain/desert) water is wasting growing Cotton (a more profitable commodity then food) and food is shipped from Mexico to CO. This is a highly inefficient way to run agriculture, water and oil/coal resources. Furthermore, minimum wage is not a living wage. The higher the cost of food the higher cost of living and thus the higher cost of all products in industry. Agriculture needs to become a staple of American life, rather being the small farm, the community garden, or the super science hydroponic genetically grown. One way to supply more jobs in the economy is better use of resources and increase in food production jobs. However Unemployment remains high bouncing between 8 and 10% because CEO's take a disproportionate pieces of company wealth ( don't take my word for it http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/28/news/economy/ceo_pay_workers/index.htm). There is a shrinking middle class in America do highly to a "1 2 punch" :

The First Punch: Companies are allowing themselves to be fleeced by CEO's/Unions/And trust funds while not reinvesting in strong middle management growth and valuable employment. I submit to you the following link. It is a Map that will show that the lowest unemployment rates are in agricultural areas (3-4%) and oil rich areas at (5%) While areas subject to urban sprawl (or service based fields) are reaching 10-26% highs. ( the Maps link http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/03/us/20090303_LEONHARDT.html )

The Second Punch: American's as a whole feel entitled to lifestyles of the rich & famous without means. I am not saying I don't want a sports car that runs on magic, or a plasma TV the size of my wall, or even a dirigible in my front yard. I do! But Let's be realistic. These are not commodities' that I am entitled too. If I want them, I can work for them, buy them, or build them. But it is not entitled to me because I see Smith down the street has it. Some peoples priorities need to be put in check. 400 channels of Cable TV is not worth giving up food on my table. Just because someone has something doesn't mean I have to have it too. "The Keeping up with the Smiths (or Kardashian) lifestyle"(or Celebrititis as I like to call it) needs a serious kick to the curb. The American family/individual like corporations needs to reinvest in its growth and development and not get side tracked by the latest bell and whistle.

I digress, while these are a sign of a decadent society it is not a culture ending trend. The trends can be reversed by strong company's remolding their corporate structure, a serious investment into agriculture and energy markets, and a treatment for celebrititis. You might see new states, or fewer states in the American future. But the culture will endure. I mean After all Rome is still there it just changed. I look forward to your thoughts.