Mesa Verde National Park

On our week of driving from Dallas to Seattle, we took a day of rest at the halfway point in Cortez, CO near the four corners.

Fires are a big topic this summer, but they are common and a part of the ecosystem.  Throughout the park, there are the signs (both burned trees and actual placards) that signify fires in previous years.  The fields of snags are quite beautiful.

The highlight of the park are the pueblos build into the cliff faces.  Here's the largest, Cliff House.  During non-pandemic times, tours are available to be able to go and visit the pueblos, but we could only see them from viewpoints.

This is the canyon that the Cliff House faces.

There are MANY of these dwelling found throughout the area.  This is Spruce Tree House, found near the Cliff House.

A structure found up on the mesa itself.  Speculation is that it might have been ceremonial.  Actual function is still in doubt.

Not only are the pueblos amazing, but the views are fantastic as well.  Here's the path up to the highest point on the mesa (and therefore in Mesa Verde)

Looking north.

To the northeast and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

The view to the east.

South into New Mexico and with the naked eye, the Shiprock, but I couldn't really get a view of it from the phone.

Sunset to the west.

 

Fall In the Rockies

Arriving in Southern Colorado on the 1st of October meant that the fall colors were at their peak.  We took a day to drive and see the mountains and do some leaf peeping.

We started with a drive from the San Luis Valley over to Durango and then headed north on the "Million Dollar Highway"

The "Million Dollar Highway" connects Durango to the "Switzerland of America," Ouray, CO.  OOHH, a tree with red leaves!

Connecting Ouray to Telluride is the "Dallas Divide Highway"

We arrived into the Telluride area at sunset.  Telluride is in that valley in the distance.

We were lucky to catch the final rays of sunlight as we drove south into the town of Cortez along the Dolores River.

A PERFECT fall day!

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Day 2 of the drive from Dallas to Seattle had us cut through the Northeastern corner of New Mexico into Southern Colorado.  Here are the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Nothing to do but take a selfie as Auggie is finishing his bottle in the car.

We were excited to finally reach the Great Sand Dunes National Park.  I visited back in the summer of 1992 with my Geology classmates.  

Proof that Auggie was here.

Back in 1992, my classmates and I climbed up at least part of the Sand Dunes and then rolled/tumbled down.  I remember unexpectedly finding sand in parts of my body during the post slide shower.  This time, we each took our turn enjoying the view, but no climbing and rolling.

Angle of Repose in action.

One of the great joys, other than the view, is the chance to be in complete silence.

The dunes around sunset!  The golden hour light produces the most perfect shadows on the dunes.

The dunes slowly recede towards the west.

 

Cadillac Desert

 

Thanks Henry for hosting us for two weeks!

After a couple weeks, time to pack up the car with personal stuff, camping stuff and baby stuff!  

Onions is particularly good at the 3-D Tetris of packing!

The most important cargo we put in the exact center of the card.

Day 1 was a drive from Arlington, TX to Amarillo.  Not much to see in the Panhandle, but this is a famous roadside sculpture, "Cadillac Desert."

Someone has some strong opinions!

Next stop....Colorado.