Photoblog by 
This week for #BehindthePixels, I wanted to share my favorite image from our road trip (last image in post), the story of how I captured it, and about this amazing place that everyone should visit.
All these images were taken at the Colorado National Monument Park in Fruita, CO.
"Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles." National Park Service. Quote
The park is open 24 hours a day so we got started very early. We paid $10 as the entrance fee. Probably the best deal on our trip vs. other national park fees because this place was quiet and peaceful all day. It wasn't a zoo swarming with tourists. We really enjoyed our time there.
We followed the historic Rim Rock Drive. It is a elevated scenic drive going around the majority of the park that has many stops to see all the major vistas.
Families with small children and elderly will really appreciate this drive because you don't have to hike far to see these amazing views. Just pull into each mini parking lot, walk a few yards and then prepare to be amazed.
I recommend at a minimum 2-3 hours if you are going through Rim Rock Drive. There is just so much to see. Plus, the road is all on cliffs and you have to drive slowly to be safe.
Here is part of the map and the blue dot represents where we were.
We were at the Coke Ovens Overlook viewpoint. We walked down approximately 20 yards from the parking lot towards Monument Canyon.
The girls were exploring the area with their Mommy and came running to tell me they just found the entrance to the "Temple of Doom!" (Yes! My kids are new fans of Dr. Jones)
We didn't know what exactly the tunnel was for. Was it for mining or was it a burial site? I had no idea and I didn't want anyone to go down there. It was a dark, narrow, and a very small space. I am a self diagnosed claustrophobic but after enough teasing, I was convinced to explore.
It did feel like the bug tunnel from the Temple of Doom. It is cool and dark in there. We used our phone lights to help guide us. Thankfully, nobody got hurt but I have no idea if there were actually spiders, scorpions or creepy crawlers in there.
The girls with their tiny frames made it to the end quickly.
The tunnel gets much lower as you go further down. I am only 5'8 and I was at a crawl, hands and knees and I couldn't make it too the end. I was struggling, uncomfortable and got as far as I could.
At one point, I looked up from the ground and then I saw it.
They were waiting patiently for me at the end, gazing upwards and the natural light shining down on their little faces was priceless.
As a father, these are the few moments you are just grateful be there. It is hard for me to explain in words what it felt like.
Then as a photographer you are super stoked to have your camera at the ready to capture it.
Like a hunter, I quietly got low. I fired off a few rounds. When they heard my camera, like deer, their heads turned towards me, looked over and the moment was gone.
Thanks for reading and I hope you liked this.
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All images © 2016 Rudy Gonzales. All rights reserved.