856. Saguache, Saguache County (CO42)

Long has it been since I invoked the motto, but Future Arborists of America, attend! I had to brave morning sprinklers to get one decent photo of the courthouse because it’s surrounded by coniferous trees on the grounds. At least I think they’re coniferous. What do I know? Am I some kind of tree person? I was relatively sure they were in place when the courthouse was built, but I can’t be entirely sure. They are pretty massive, so I stand by my half-informed assertion. It being a weekday, I went inside to get the answer to very pivotal question: how do you pronounce the name of the county? Sa-guch? Saw-gah-che? Sew-gosh? I had no earthly idea and, honestly, it didn’t really matter that much. I had to use the facilities anyway so I figured why not? Turned out I was wrong on all counts. According to the front door guard it’s “So-watch.” I would have never guessed that. Having since learned of the Sawatch Mountain Range, it makes slightly more sense. Besides, this town of 560 souls only had two things that I required. The first had been appeased so I attended to the other.

The town library was both close and kind enough to have a simple cache available, a magnetized tin attached to an outside feature. Unfortunately, they weren’t open yet. I’m not sure why that mattered. I didn’t need to go inside for anything. Maybe I just wanted to patronize it on general principal. Oh, well. I had other things to do, like get going on to…