When I was in fourth grade, we learned about Mesa Verde in Social Studies. I was fascinated by these people who built their homes in the side of cliffs. I really wanted to visit this place.
This weekend, that finally happened! I left Bernie in Phoenix to take care of some business, then headed up former Route 666 to have some adventures in Colorado. (I was a little nervous about the drive, since there are lots of stories of mysterious happenings on that highway, and Rachel filled my head with stories of black-eyed demon children before I left. But it turns out the biggest concern on that road is drunk Indians.)
I camped here last night, then spent the day exploring the park. The three main things I did were the Step House over on the Wetherill mesa, the Spruce Tree House, and the Balcony House tour. I chose that tour because it is supposed to be the most adventurous, with ladder climbing and moki steps and tunnels you crawl through. It wasn't until after I arrived for the tour that I realized I was wearing a skirt. So, some of my fellow tourists probably got a little show. The tour wasn't as informative as I'd hoped, but it was worth the $3 I spent on it. I think the most interesting thing I saw/learned about was the kivas. These were rooms used meetings and ceremonies, and in each room there is a fire pit and a little hole next to it. That hole is where spirits come up through the ground and back to earth. There was one kiva in particular where I had a funny feeling about that hole... There have been a few episodes of The Dead Files where they identify holes as being portals, and I kept thinking about that.
I finished everything earlier than expected, so I decided to check out a store called Books in Cortez. I'm still trying to decide whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. The good news is, this shop had both new and used books, and tons of obscure informational books about the southwest. They also had some first edition Michael Kelsey books (famous canyoneering guides) and vintage books about hiking and the national parks. I ended up with 13 books, including two rather expensive books I've been trying to locate that are full of backcountry dirt road adventures (one for CO and one for UT). The bad news- I dropped $180 in that bookstore. The used books were dirt cheap; it was the new stuff that got me. Oh well. I can't wait to start exploring Arizona's ghost towns with my new guide.
This weekend, that finally happened! I left Bernie in Phoenix to take care of some business, then headed up former Route 666 to have some adventures in Colorado. (I was a little nervous about the drive, since there are lots of stories of mysterious happenings on that highway, and Rachel filled my head with stories of black-eyed demon children before I left. But it turns out the biggest concern on that road is drunk Indians.)
I camped here last night, then spent the day exploring the park. The three main things I did were the Step House over on the Wetherill mesa, the Spruce Tree House, and the Balcony House tour. I chose that tour because it is supposed to be the most adventurous, with ladder climbing and moki steps and tunnels you crawl through. It wasn't until after I arrived for the tour that I realized I was wearing a skirt. So, some of my fellow tourists probably got a little show. The tour wasn't as informative as I'd hoped, but it was worth the $3 I spent on it. I think the most interesting thing I saw/learned about was the kivas. These were rooms used meetings and ceremonies, and in each room there is a fire pit and a little hole next to it. That hole is where spirits come up through the ground and back to earth. There was one kiva in particular where I had a funny feeling about that hole... There have been a few episodes of The Dead Files where they identify holes as being portals, and I kept thinking about that.
I finished everything earlier than expected, so I decided to check out a store called Books in Cortez. I'm still trying to decide whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. The good news is, this shop had both new and used books, and tons of obscure informational books about the southwest. They also had some first edition Michael Kelsey books (famous canyoneering guides) and vintage books about hiking and the national parks. I ended up with 13 books, including two rather expensive books I've been trying to locate that are full of backcountry dirt road adventures (one for CO and one for UT). The bad news- I dropped $180 in that bookstore. The used books were dirt cheap; it was the new stuff that got me. Oh well. I can't wait to start exploring Arizona's ghost towns with my new guide.
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