I am just back from Houston, TX for WSSA conference last night. The noises from downtown streets, shopping malls and hotels still fill  every cell of my whole body until I sit in my lazy couch and continue to update my blog. When I write down “At the Foot of the Mountains…”, all the noises from that big city disappeared and my heart becomes peaceful and quiet again. Now, let’s start.

Tuyugou Valley, Flaming mountain(one part of  Thianshan mountains):

The canyon stretches from the Subeixi ancient village in the north to the entrance of the Mazar village for around 8 kilometers long. It averages 1 kilometer in width. Inside the canyon stands the highest peak of the Flaming Mountain. The canyon splits the grand Flaming Mountain into two parts. It was the most mystical place in West China. Since 1900s, groups of explorers from the world have thronged to this place but still nobody could find any evidence on when the canyon was formed.

The cave at the Al-Sahab Kahfi Mazar in Mazar Village is considered holy by many people. They say it is described in the Koran.

 

There is a really old village inside of Tuyugou valley called Mazar village. No one knows how old this village is.

Mazar Village

Mazar Village

Fort Collins, CO:

I personally think Fort Collins, CO is the best place to live if you love the Rockies. We drove to the foot of the Rockies less than one hour from Fort Collins last year. It is a quiet and vivid city.

The city is situated at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills of the northern Front Range approximately 65 miles (105 km) north of Denver, Colorado and 45 miles (72 km) south of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Elevation is 5,003 ft (1,525 m) above sea level. Geographic landmarks include Horsetooth Reservoir and Horsetooth Mountain—so named because of a tooth-shaped granite rock that dominates the city’s western skyline.

Many people who are working in Fort Collins choose to build their house on hills.

Central City, CO.

On May 6, 1859, during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, John H. Gregory found a gold-bearing vein (the Gregory Lode) in Gregory Gulch between Black Hawk and Central City. Within two months many other veins were discovered, including the Bates, Gunnell, Kansas, and Burroughs. By 1860 as many as 10,000 prospectors had flocked to the town, then known as Mountain City, and surrounding prospects, but most soon left, many returning back east. The 1900 census showed 3,114 people. As of the census of 2000, there were 515 people, 261 households, and 101 families residing in the city.

Before your adventure of the huge mountains, please don’t forget to stop by these small and pure places. You can find the other kind of beauty.

Next week: the trains

Learn more from:

Tuyugou:  http://www.chinahighlights.com/turpan/attraction/tuyoq-village-and-tuyugou-canyon.htm

Fort Collins: http://www.fcgov.com/

Central City: http://www.centralcitycolorado.com/