Colorado-Great Sand Dunes

I had the chance to escape it all for a week of motorcycling in Colorado with my dad this summer. We made a loop from Colorado Springs to Fairplay, Gunnison, Montrose, Telluride, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, and back to Colorado Springs. Riding was definitely the focus of the trip while making photos was a distant second. We just wanted to have a good time riding the mountain roads, enjoying good food and each others company. Of course, we couldn't leave the cameras packed up forever. This is one of my favorite shots from the Dunes. We camped nearby and awoke as the first rays were beginning to lighten the sky. Packing up camp quickly, we hopped on our motorcycles and zipped down the road just as the sun raked across the dunes providing a stark contrast between the bright sand and deep shadows. The light only lasted a few moments until a cloud shifted and the rays were gone. The moment was over as quickly as it began. Why black and white? The photo looked OK in color, but taking away that distraction helped present the photo in a different dimension and brought out the lines and curves of the sand to the forefront. We spent more time photographing, but nothing really captured the feeling and sense of place as this first photo of the day.