I like the sound of that title. Makes me sound like some member of an advanced civilization that can manipulate dust clouds to form stars and worlds.

Alas, it’s not true. I’ll be bringing Sheriff Diaz’s interviews to a close soon. I’m starting to enter into areas in the books that by his own admission he can’t talk about yet (Translation – They haven’t been written yet). So, I thought it would be fun to explore the place he calls home.

We’ll look at the history and the towns in the area. We’ll visit more than a few back water communities. And with luck, you’ll have a good understanding of the place he lives in.

When a writer does this, it’s called World Building. Tolkien did it for Lord of the Rings. Roddenberry (and countless others) did it for Star Trek, and George Lucas did it for Star Wars. What we do is establish an area, describe it, give it a history and a geography. Our characters live in that area, a place they call home.

In the case of Sheriff Will Diaz and his family and friends, all the work has been done for me. All I have to do is read a map, research stories and events, and add my experiences.

After all, Will’s home was my home. The places I talk about in the stories exist in the real world. People, known and unknown have walked the streets of these small towns. Thousands were born there and in a lot of instances, died and are buried there.

So, let’s start talking about the San Luis Valley, Conejos County, and the towns around it.

THE VIEW FROM ORBIT

While putting this together, I came across a remarkable picture taken from the ISS of the whole San Luis Valley.

There are few if any clouds, and snow can be seen in the high county. The Rio Grande river can be seen snaking across the valley from the mountains above Creede. It goes southeast across the valley to turn near Alamosa. It then flows south past Las Sauces and into New Mexico.

It’s amazing.

Framed within that picture is millions of years of history.

Follow the Rio Grande west to a slightly V shaped area surrounded by mountains. If you squint really hard, you can see me waving as the space station soars overhead (just kidding).

Once, the valley was home to a super-volcano. The thing easily rivaled Yellowstone and is responsible for the mineral wealth of the area. Geologists figure it exploded millions of years ago. Experts say it was the one of the most powerful explosions this planet has ever known. Some believe it might have even triggered an ice age.

Part of the Wheeler Geologic Area. Amazing place but watch out for snakes!

We call this incredible structure the La Garita Caldera and it’s part of the Wheeler Geologic site today.

Except for a lot of geology and a few hot springs little remains of the violent birth of the Valley.

We do know dinosaurs wandered through this landscape as well. On the flat top mountain east of Sanford, remains of fish and dinosaur fossils are found.

But all that happened well before Humans ever arrived.

When we finally did, everything changed.

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