Notes from the Mountain at Mese Verde
Yesterday we met our neighbors next door Peg and Pete and their dog Willie from Colorado. They are about our age and not full time travelers like so many that we meet. They left this morning for the Grand Canyon. Even though they were next to us there was shrubs between our trailers so our site is quite private with a nice view of the mountains.
After returning to our trailer last night we sat outside under the stars again and if possible the sky was even brighter than when we were at the Dunes. So many stars and I saw the milkyway like I’d never seen before. It was so incredible our universe is so big. After a while we got cold and came into the camper the temp this morning was in the 40’s but the sun is warm.
We are all settled into our site and are presently at the Laundromat in the park washing eight bags of dirty clothes in four washers. Life does go on even on vacation. I was very happy we didn’t have to go down that long curvy mountain road to the local laundry. One of the nice things about traveling in a motorhome is that after doing our laundry we simply went to the parking lot and made lunch right there looking out at the mountains. Then we drove about 20 miles in the park up and down mountains and around amazing hair pin curves on a two lane road to Spruce Tree House one of the preserved cliff dwellings. This is an amazing thing to see. The pictures don’t do it justice. After walking down a winding half mile paved trail at the mountainside a beautiful cliff dwelling is visible built into the side of the mountain under a rock overhang. Contruction was done in the 1200’s by the native Indians.
There was a short slide show with narration giving a lot of information about the natives and their life style. The whole community was abandoned after a 23 year drought when they just moved on. It is amazing that this happened in this area that would become the USA all before 1492 when Columbus paid his first visit.
Anyway life on the Mesa continues and we will write more tomorrow.
Love to all, Mom (Carol) and Chriss
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Finally, Notes from the Road Again
Hi to all:
We are now underway to our destination goal of Mesa Verde, Co.and are planning on staying for a week. There is a scenic loop North of that area (Route 145 to Rte62 and back on Rte 550 to 160) and we will take the bike out of the trailer and go for a ride, may be out a couple of days. While at the Park in Mesa Verde we will not have any hook ups so it may be difficult to send e-mail just as it was at the Dunes but we will do our best. We will take the laptop with us on the bike and maybe even find a WiFi during our travels.
We will shortly be at a McDonalds with WiFi so I will send this message from there. It is the same one we used last time.
Love to all, Mom (Carol) and Chriss
We are now underway to our destination goal of Mesa Verde, Co.and are planning on staying for a week. There is a scenic loop North of that area (Route 145 to Rte62 and back on Rte 550 to 160) and we will take the bike out of the trailer and go for a ride, may be out a couple of days. While at the Park in Mesa Verde we will not have any hook ups so it may be difficult to send e-mail just as it was at the Dunes but we will do our best. We will take the laptop with us on the bike and maybe even find a WiFi during our travels.
We will shortly be at a McDonalds with WiFi so I will send this message from there. It is the same one we used last time.
Love to all, Mom (Carol) and Chriss
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Notes From the Mountaintop
Hello again:
Today was an interesting day, we crawled out of our RV cave about noon to a beautiful day. Chriss looked out at the mountain top behind us and said “Lets go”. I looked him in the eye and said “What are you crazy”
but go we did and I am glad I am with that crazy man. We just started up the side of the mountain through the trees and brush, behind the last campsites and directly across from the Dunes. It was a steep climb on small to medium stones and small rocks interspersed with cactus and flowers. We saw deer scat and a small bear poop, and a large foot print I couldn’t identify. That takes care of the ground but it was the scenery that was amazing. We were above the top of the Dunes and could see the mountains behind them. The sun was warm and the breeze cool.
With our binoculars we could see the tops of surrounding mountains with what looked like caves. The birds were flying below us. Through all the trees we could see our motorhome as a little spec down in the campground and in the distance we could see the town of Alamosa and the Rio Grande River that flows through it. We made our lunch (2 sandwiches, a banana and two bottles of water) Once we got done ooh and ahh at the scenery we decided to eat lunch and found the neither Chriss or I had packed the sandwiches just a banana and two water bottles between our two packs. I later found the sandwiches in the refrigerator (we ate them for supper).
Anyone who knows me knows how I love trees. This was a paradise for me.
These were interesting trees. Junipers, some twisted junipers, and other fur trees none more than about 10 feet tall. The dead ones were as pretty and fascinating as the live ones. As the afternoon progressed we watched the weather change and Chriss’s experience as a pilot diagnosing weather problems came in handy. There were black clouds, grey clouds, 3 different rain storms coming down in the distance, increased wind speed and clouds moving in different directions. His diagnosis of the weather was interesting, my solution was :”Let’s get out of here” and that is what we did. We got to within 200 feet or our campsite when we felt the first drops of water on our faces. What lucky hikers we are… Anyway we were back in our camper eating our left at home sandwiches and tomato soup. When there was a knock on the door. It was our neighbor Kendall and her Dad, Don bringing us fresh made somemores. One with strawberry flavored marshmallows, Very Good. We already enjoyed a yellow squash right out of their garden and a piece of blueberry birthday pie from Collin’s birthday. What nice neighbors. Don, Holly, Collin and Kendall.
PS it is still raining hard. So glad we are snug in our camper but just in case you are wondering we do miss riding the motorcycle but not tonight.
More to come tomorrow, Mom (Carol) and Chriss
Today was an interesting day, we crawled out of our RV cave about noon to a beautiful day. Chriss looked out at the mountain top behind us and said “Lets go”. I looked him in the eye and said “What are you crazy”
but go we did and I am glad I am with that crazy man. We just started up the side of the mountain through the trees and brush, behind the last campsites and directly across from the Dunes. It was a steep climb on small to medium stones and small rocks interspersed with cactus and flowers. We saw deer scat and a small bear poop, and a large foot print I couldn’t identify. That takes care of the ground but it was the scenery that was amazing. We were above the top of the Dunes and could see the mountains behind them. The sun was warm and the breeze cool.
With our binoculars we could see the tops of surrounding mountains with what looked like caves. The birds were flying below us. Through all the trees we could see our motorhome as a little spec down in the campground and in the distance we could see the town of Alamosa and the Rio Grande River that flows through it. We made our lunch (2 sandwiches, a banana and two bottles of water) Once we got done ooh and ahh at the scenery we decided to eat lunch and found the neither Chriss or I had packed the sandwiches just a banana and two water bottles between our two packs. I later found the sandwiches in the refrigerator (we ate them for supper).
Anyone who knows me knows how I love trees. This was a paradise for me.
These were interesting trees. Junipers, some twisted junipers, and other fur trees none more than about 10 feet tall. The dead ones were as pretty and fascinating as the live ones. As the afternoon progressed we watched the weather change and Chriss’s experience as a pilot diagnosing weather problems came in handy. There were black clouds, grey clouds, 3 different rain storms coming down in the distance, increased wind speed and clouds moving in different directions. His diagnosis of the weather was interesting, my solution was :”Let’s get out of here” and that is what we did. We got to within 200 feet or our campsite when we felt the first drops of water on our faces. What lucky hikers we are… Anyway we were back in our camper eating our left at home sandwiches and tomato soup. When there was a knock on the door. It was our neighbor Kendall and her Dad, Don bringing us fresh made somemores. One with strawberry flavored marshmallows, Very Good. We already enjoyed a yellow squash right out of their garden and a piece of blueberry birthday pie from Collin’s birthday. What nice neighbors. Don, Holly, Collin and Kendall.
PS it is still raining hard. So glad we are snug in our camper but just in case you are wondering we do miss riding the motorcycle but not tonight.
More to come tomorrow, Mom (Carol) and Chriss
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