As you approach Undiscovered Colorado from the north, you will see the distinguishing geological feature of this area two rounded mountains rising dramatically above the surrounding high plain to over 13,000 feet. The Native Americans name for these Spanish Peaks is Huajatolla, meaning "Breasts of the Earth." They are landmarks that have been used over the centuries by Native Americans, explorers and settlers. And they are a guide for me. On a clear day I can see them from almost a hundred miles away. I know I am getting close to home and a sense of security, warmth and wonder comes over me. I live in La Veta, a town of almost one thousand souls. We are a very eclectic group. We have ranchers who have lived here all their lives. We have land grants from the King of Spain that have been in families for centuries. We have families who have summered here for three generations to escape the hot plains of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. And we have retirees from all over the United States. We have writers, artists, poets, and people working on their second, third or fourth careers. We have wealthy people and some not so wealthy. But they all seem to have come here, as I did, for the beauty, the quiet, and the serenity of this country and our small town lifestyle. La Veta is nestled in the gorgeous Cuchara Valley. To get there you take Highway 160 west out of Walsenburg and then head south on Highway 12. As you drive along Highway 12 you come upon La Veta quite unexpectedly, as it is surrounded by higher ground. The smaller alpine town of Cuchara (pop. 150) is eleven miles farther south and a couple of thousand feet higher (elev. 8,600). It is situated on the Eastern Slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains surrounded by the San Isabel National Forest. (The Cuchara Mountain Resort ski area is expected to reopen here next winter.) The Cuchara River runs north from Cuchara Pass (elev. 9,995) through the town and down to La Veta and beyond. About fifty miles south of the pass (as the crow flies) is New Mexico. This is an area where you see deer, elk, beaver, bobcats, and bear. It is an area as Colorado used to be before high density developments, high rise buildings and permanent traffic jams. The only traffic jams you will encounter in La Veta are when the traffic stops to let the deer cross the roads or to watch the wild turkeys strut their stuff during the mating season. It is like the good old days. I know they say you never can go back, but it sure seems possible here.