Chillin in Chama

  Been enjoying some down time here in Chama. Did drive over to Pagosa Springs an walked around a bit. Found a few treasures to bring home. Rain and colder temps supposed to move in today

  Happy Mothers Day everyone.

Mesa Verde and more

  We have enjoyed our stay here in the Cortez area. After a rainy, snowy start the last couple of days have been severe clear. To be precise we are in Towaoc as guest of the Ute mountain Utes. No, I did not type that wrong.  Of many things we have learned, one item was yesterday at a museum (shocked aren't you) in Animas near Durango. In the 1800's when the white man was stealing the Indians homes and lands, the tribe split up. One group made Towaoc it's home here at the base of Sleeping Ute mountain. Hence the name Ute Mountain Utes. In fact we are next to  their casino and have contributed to the local economy. Just in case you care, more about museum can be learned HERE


  Speaking of the white man of the 1800's, our ancestors, we have little reason to be proud. Over and over what the white man did has been repeated. Wiped out the great bison herds, stole land from it's native owners. Looted and decimated ancient ruins. Made and broke treaties because we wanted what little they had left. Drive thru the Navajo Nation and look at the hogans, (house/home), many without electricity or running water. Before we worry too much about middle east refugees, we need to do our homework here. Cannot undo the past wrongs, but can make things right/better.


 Back on March 27th I promised visits to 13 National Parks/Monuments. Well we let you down on that promise. Sorry. The weather got in our way for Cedar Breaks NP. Winter storm warning, heavy snow and the parks 10,000 ft elevation was not a good combination. So 12 was the best we could manage. We plan to return to the area and visit it then. Tomorrow we head to Chama New Mexico and change. We leave behind the desert and sandstone mesas and national parks. Chama is a little town at 7800ft elevation at the edge of the San Juan mountains. Been thru it many times an vowed to return. Nothing planned but scaring the trout in the river. It is the southern terminus of a narrow guage railroad but we are too early in season for it. But if you wait for it you fight the crowds and kids.  We then head for Colorado Springs. The heavy, late spring snows of the past week will probably mess up our return to the summit of Pikes Peak. Have a full agenda while there, so may be for the best. So as you can read a change in scenery, a change in objectives. Bet we can still find a museum...


  Today's photo essay:

More of my tribute to the work of the CCC's.  They did a lot of good for this country

  My buddy Fred requested a close up of Mary's boobs so here you go Fred!!

Back in time...

  No, Marty McFly did not show up in a deLorean. But we did step back about 800 years in time. I told you before about the ancestral Puebloans in this area. Today was a cultural day learning more about them, where and how they lived.

  Our first stop was the Anasazi Heritage Center outside Dolores Colorado. You can find more information HERE. Most the artifacts unearthed during the Dolores archaeology program starting in 1977 is housed here. Yes, another museum well worth your time and effort.They have the remains of a woven basket that is 7000 years old.

 Our next stop, some 50 miles away, was Hovenweep National Monument. More about it, and it's reason for being, can be found HERE.  To walk where there was a thriving community 800 years ago makes you pause for reflection.

 I fully understand that some would find this as exciting as watching paint dry. Well we find it to be quite the opposite and go out of our way, a long way out, to experience it.


  Last years subject matter was the deep south and the low country. Obviously more appealing as my readership is way down comparatively. No matter, Mary and I decided this blog was our diary of our adventures. And as such would continue it for us and anyone who happens onto it.


  Some fool went off and left his camera behind when leaving. To compound this he did a poor effort with cell phone camera. My apologies...

Anasazi Heritage Center

  And in an effort to show how remote it is, a view from Google Earth

 Tomorrow brings a play day in Durango. Mary and I spent the weekend at the Strater hotel some years ago and just want to return. Train is not yet running so will just walk the streets. If you like old historic hotels check out the Strater HERE




 Dear reader, that is all for today's lesson

WTH?

 Spring equinox was March 21st right? Somebody forgot to tell Mother nature. Before we left Texas we were under winter storm warnings. Drove in snow fall in New Mexico around Roswell. Then more winter storm warnings in Utah around Bryce Canyon. Now we are outside Cortez Colorado watching snow accumulate in the mountains around us. Rain here, but a few hundred feet higher it is snow. For two kids who are not fond of cold weather, we seem to have attracted it. We will be here till Thursday when we move to Chama. Weather is supposed to improve and we have many things to see including Mesa Verde. Hope the propane holds out...



snuggle time!

More Monuments

Did a poor job selecting photos in previous post...

Monument Valley

  Fair warning, the images you are about to see you have seen before. No, these will not be pictures from the internet or some other public source. They are all pictures from my camera. The trouble is that what I photographed you have seen before. That is if you have seen any westerns, watched many modern movies, or even watched a commercial or two. a lot of them happened here.


  Enjoy.

I see a hand reaching for the heavens. You?

 To our readers, it has been a memorable trip so far. A couple more weeks and it is over. Funny, in our working days we NEVER took a two week vacation...


 Life is good!



carpe diem

Utah

 We entered Utah on April 12th and will exit it on May 1st. During that time we traversed the southeast third of the state. Of Utah's 5 National parks, we visited four. Utah is a beautiful state and the terrain can change quickly. To be sure there is plenty more of Utah left for us to explore, and we plan to do just that. But this was a good start to be sure. While weather forced us to miss Cedar Breaks, our hearts are not saddened nor is the trip a failure. We did the best we could. One of our goals was to not rush through madly, but not to sit idly someplace just killing time. We did pretty well allocating time for various stops. Some could have used a day more, some a day or so less.


  In visiting this area we learned about the Colorado plateau and how it was lifted. This lifting set in motion the creation of the canyons and vistas one see's today.

Colorado plateau

   Utah is so very different than Texas, some good ways some not to my liking. But that is good as if it was the same, why make the drive?

  We have learned many things on this trip, with more to go. Ever heard of Cyptobiotic soil? I have now and know of it's importance. Have added to our knowledge of the Ancestral Puebloans and other ancient peoples. We are getting a little long in the tooth, but not too old to learn and to appreciate. As we visit Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation my thoughts will include the works of Tony Hillerman. Now deceased, Tony wrote books centered around a character that was part of the Navajo Tribal Police. I have read all his books but am reading one again on this trip. He always includes reference to Navajo legend and beliefs. Many of our stops thus far have ties to those legends, including the Grand Canyon.

  We have been enjoying the rebroadcast of Ken Burn's movie, "National Parks, Americas best idea". Having been enjoying our nations parks, we are most thankful for the work to create and protect them. So much was destroyed and lost by greed. Going all the way back to Buffalo Gap in Texas, the museum there reminded us of the buffalo slaughter. That upset Mary to the point she mentioned it many times. Ken Burns movie, while celebrating our parks, also shows how greed nearly cost us many parks. Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it.


  Trivia question for you: remember the scene in Forest Gump where he quits running? That was shot facing south bound on 163 between Mexican Hat and Monument Valley. Told Mary she was in the same park as Tom Hanks as Forest in Savannah Georgia, now on same road as another scene. As close as she will ever get to Tom Hanks.


 More from Monument Valley later