Traveling northeast from the town of Alamosa, the majestic Blanca Peak stares at you. Throw in the Great Sand Dunes on the horizon and the view makes for a fantastic gravel ride. Even though there’s no climbing, don’t expect an easy ride. Rambling over low rolling sections of road makes this a fast training ride option, or fun low key ride distance. You can add to the ride and swing by the UFO Watch Tower  in Hooper. Always take into consideration wind conditions, because they can add a challenge. Remember, wind played a key role in the formation of the dunes. Places where wind moves grains of sand are considered aeolian environments. Here, the wind blows towards the Sangre de Cristo mountains, and storms bring it back toward the valley. The opposing air flow is what causes the dunes to grow upward in size.