November 22

We woke to 30° weather—brrr.

The view from our campsite at 7800 feet elevation to the Valley below.

Forgot to mention that yesterday our server at Sugar Nymph Bistro in the middle of nowhere New Mexico grew up on Lucas Drive in Lafayette. Small world.

We spent the day at Mesa Verde National Park. This park has been on my bucket list for years. We had cold, clear weather and very little traffic in the park.

MVNP contains nearly 5000 known archaeological sites representing distinct periods between AD550 and AD 1300. MVNP was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. It is the only national park in the United States created to preserve ancestral Pueblo culture and prehistoric architecture.

The move by the ancestral inhabitants to cliff dwellings began around AD 1200 and by mid-century there were more than 30 cliff dwellings. We learned that the cliff dwellers did not disappear but were part of a migration south to New Mexico and Arizona where they established the pueblos—Acoma, Hopi, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Navajo, Ute, Taos, Zuni— to mention a few.

Southwest Native Americans are known for their gorgeous pottery. We learned today that pottery began in Mexico and through trade and travel became part of the Native American culture in Arizona and New Mexico.

The drive towards Mesa Verde
Snow on the mountain peaks
Square Tower House  which is 27 feet high and is the tallest dwelling in Mesa Verde. The tower is what remains of a stair stepped multistory complex built between 1244 and 1249.
What remains of Pithouse architecture. There was usually a roof over it and was cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Pithouse architecture is the basis for kivas. Kivas were used predominately by males for religious ceremonies.
Cliff Palace had at least 150 rooms and 21 kivas. Scholars believe it was an important place for many ancestral Pueblo villages
We took a hike on the Mesa to the edge of the cliffs.
On the drive out of Mesa Verde.

Steve visited MVNP about 60+ years ago and had been traumatized by a mummy, “Esther”, in the museum. He asked about Esther today and found out that she has been properly buried along with Steve traumatic episode.

Tomorrow we are heading to Arches National Park as we work our way towards Reno to celebrate Thanksgiving with Jackson and Megan.

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