Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010

9:05 we left the campground on our way to Mesa Verde National Park. Just outside of Durango we passed 6 deer grazing on the roadside then a herd of buffalo on rt #255!
We left the bottom of the park and drove the RV up the 23 steep miles to reach the visitor center. You are not allowed to tow a vehicle because of the switchbacks.
Mesa Verde is Spansih for green table. This is a large mountain (elevation-7712 ft) with a totally flat top forested with juniper and pinyon trees. The first human habitation were nomadic hunters called Folsom man, who cooked over open fires and ate animals and berries. Advancements were made and they became basketmakers, living in caves and eating squash, corn and beans, and made baskets as containers (no pottery) to hold food and even cradles out of woven reeds. They had no bows and arrows; instead threw darts called atlatls to kill animals. They even made blankets by weaving strips of fur together. Evidence of these Cliff Dwellers are here in Mesa Verde, which were found by accident when some ranchers in 1888 fell upon it while searching for lost cattle.
These Cliff Palaces were under protected alcoves in the mountain walls, made out of stones cut into rectangles and housed over 100 people. They made use of every natural ledge and cliff. On top of the mesa they grew corn, beans and squash, picked berries from all of the trees growing in the area; made use of the native yucca plant. From it they obtained food and fiber to make their sandals and for use in the making of blankets. They even used the roots of all of the plants in the area to make medicines and teas. Trade was very important; they received cotton from Arizona and turquoise from New Mexico.
It's amazing to see this structure of 3 stories carved out of the cliffs with pithouses or kivas dug under it for the purpose of ceremonies. The rooms inside are very small and painted white with designs; the kivas have ventilation holes to allow air below, and all of these kivas are connected by underground tunnels. There are open spaces where they had markets and traded. Below on the valley floor there is a spring for water to drink and water their crops. The cliffs faced the south, thereby providing warmth in the winter and the ledges provided shade in the summer.
Throughout New Mexico and Colorado there are over 4000 of these sites which are well preserved because of the dry climate. Here in Mesa Verde there are 6 that can be viewed: Spruce Tree House, Square Tower House, Cliff Palace, Sun Temple, Far View and Long House. In 1125 AD they left because of a drought; it has been left in silence for 6 centuries. There are about 15 Pueblo and Indian tribes that consider this to be sacred ground and visit periodically for ceremonies. It is their Legacy of Stone and Spirit.
Flora in the area are: sagebrush(artemesia), mahogany berry, Utah service berry(berries made into an acidic drink like lemonade), yucca( for rope, sandals, adobe bricks and blankets, ate the flowers and berries),Douglas firs, pinyon tree nuts were small but 1 pound is 5000 calories. The fir and sagebrush were used for medicinal purposes and teas.
Several of the exhibits were closed due to snow and the holiday, so we proceeded on to Pagoosa Springs; which have hot springs that come out of the earth at 140 degrees. This is located in the San Juan National Forest. We found 20 RV parks listed, but they were all closed. At 1 gas station we stopped to get diesel, and Daddy scrapped the side of the RV on the concrete island, so as to avoid sliding down an embankment. Then he was so shook up he pumped the wrong diesel in the tank. Okay Jon, I guess you have jinxed us now! Then we pulled into Elk Meadows RV park and they were closed too. The problem was, we couldn't turn around and we can't back up because of the car. Daddy had to unhook the car and back the RV up , then rehook the car. Remember, it's 6 PM and it's cold out! In a nearby paddock a lady was training her horse in dressage. It was interesting!
We rode through so many one-horse towns and ski resorts; but no restaurants for supper; and more important, no RV parks. Finally, we stopped at a liquor store; Daddy went in the buy a bottle of wine, ask the guy where we could eat and stay. He suggested we stay the night in his parking lot. We Did! I made spaghetti and meatballs for supper and we drank the whole bottle of wine! WHAT A DAY!!!!