Month: November 2016

Channel Islands Visitor ctr, Joshua Tree, Santa Monica Mtns, Cesar E Chavez, Castle Mtns, Mojave Natl Preserve, Pipe Spring, Vermilion Cliffs, Grand Canyon-East, Sunset Crater Volcano, Wupatki, Tuzigoot, Tonto. 

Tough on getting pix posted, so picking a few I hope you’ll enjoy

(3rd time trying to post this) in the Jeep with top down and son Hans driving up the bumpy/rocky dirt road for 2 hours taking in the amazing views up to the Four Peaks and Saguaro Lake. 🎼🎶I can see for miles and miles… great adventure! 

Beauty in AZ! Hubbell Trading Post made me realize that no banks were needed, since trading posts kept track of everything! Tonto, Tuzigoot, and Wupatki had Ruins of dwellings built by Indians that are still there after 800 years! The sunset crater volcano, erupting about 1,000 years ago, is the youngest of all Volcanic activity I’ve seen. It had intermittent eruptions over a year’s time. I would think that its eruptions may have caused many Indians to abandon their dwellings, as so many did during that time; but, no scientists have posited that idea. Montezuma Castle is a misnomer since it had nothing to do with Montezuma! Vermilion Cliffs is huge and impressive, run by Bureau of Land Management. I took me over an hour to drive around it and through Kaibab Natl Forest. Also fascinated by the rainbow like arc in the sky which I’ve only seen twice before, but I forget what it’s called. Having trouble getting the pix to post, but will try again later. Blessed day to all!

Another beautiful day in NM. First to El Morro which I also go through a bit of El Malpais to see Stunning old lava beds. El Morro reserved a 200-foot high monolith which is huge. Because it has a natural water hole that holds 200,000 gallons of water that is fed only by rainwater and melted snow, many peoples over centuries came and also inscribed their names into the rock. I was greeted by a large spider. Then off to Chaco Culture which preserves the ruins of a huge settlement of Indians who built and maintained a centralized “headquarters”. An elegant Indian woman gavethe best  explanation as to why her ancestors vacated the area: it was, to be as the endlessly moving clouds. The ruins hardly show the magnificence that they created, but the wonderful energy filled the place! And, 4 female elk showed themselves as I was exiting! The entrance/exit roads took quite a while to navigate in order to prevent bottoming out on my car .   

Today heading up further north to the Aztec Ruins.  What amazing things will I encounter on this leg of my journey, I wonder. May you, too, be enchanted by your own journeys this day!

​​
Hope you can make the pictures large enough to read the inscriptions

Day started early, being on the road at 5:15. Soon, though, through the Cibola Natl Forest the sun rose to reveal the beauty of the mountains encircling me with a sunny 32degrees. It was then I chuckled at the next town, Chilili, when it was indeed chilly. Have to find out what a land grant is, since there were areas specified as land grants. I arrived early to Salinas Pueblo Missions, but soon the gate was opened to enter and I walked the trail around the visitor center. There were many egg-like things on the ground which I later found out were wild gourds. Franciscans had come to bring salvation to Indians; but, requiring the Indians to give up their “demonic” practices shows the lack of respect for centuries-old practices. There were 3 sites with ruins. The main visitor center is one block away from its map designation and signage, so a kindly man outside the library in Mountainair NM assisted me. After viewing video and museum I headed to El Malpais on a scenic route.

El Malpais is equivalent to Badlands, interesting to look at but not so good for gardening. Three videos at Visitor Center explained the history of the land. There is a labrinth cave beneath the desert there, lava tubes, and also Sandstone Bluffs and La Ventura Natural Arch. Fascinating to me was the reference that the area shows the timelessness/eternity of Mother Earth and I think that we, too, carry within us all the events in our lives as timeless beings in the present. On route 117 viewing the creation with lava, rock formations, and wildlife, I saw about 15 elk. I heard agonizing animal sounds in the distance. A male and female elk stood on the road, trying to decide whether or not to go investigate the source of the sound. The male changed directions at least 3 times, until finally both the male and female darted in the direction of the sound. The others in the herd stayed in the field. 

Cracks me up that there’s a town in New Mexico called Truth or Consequences! There was quite a large expanse of land for Tierra Grande, referred to as a covenant community; wonder what that is. It’s cool there’s banks called, My Bank-so when someone says they’re going to My Bank, that’s what it’s called; reminds me that my dad played at a piano bar called “the Office”, so patrons could tell others they were at the office even though it was a bar! 

​

​

Started out early heading to Manhattan Project Natl historic site, stopping to see the Santa Fe opera house and striking mountains. I only rock picked a few stones that caught my eye. The site was supposed to open at 9:30, according to the recorded phone msg; but, the sign on the door said they’re closed Mondays& Tuesdays. So, off  I went to Bandelier followed by Valles Caldera and my fav, a soak in Giggling Hot Springs in Jemez Mtns ! I love the name, Giggling Hot Springs-and get this, it is across the street from the Laughing Lizard Cafe, how amusing is that? 

Bandelier preserves several communities of Indians that lived on the land centuries ago, having built structures into the rocks-check it out in pix. Valles Caldera just became a NPS site in 2015. It is a huge meadow around 15 miles in dDiameter surrounded by Mtns occurring by land having dropped into Mother Earth. About 2500 elks are there, but I didn’t see even one ! Met a couple who are each photographers that shared their amazing eagle and coyote shots- stunning! All the driving today was beautiful as the sun provided perfect lighting, the blue sky speckled with dynamic fluffs of clouds, and Mother Earth outdoing herself with spectacular sights, smells, and sounds! The sulphur mini spring roadside, the rock formations and, well, see for yourselves in the pix-I hope the videos come through! Did I mention the double rainbow? The decorative and functional overpasses and road dividers/stabilizers?

​

​​
​

Entered this out of order-oops! Loved the Flint Quarry especially because the Ranger assisting me is a Cherokee Indian who grew up making and using his own Flint weapon/tools and now he’s working at something he absolutely loves! His enthusiasm shows; the best was that he had a pile of stones outside which is for people to help themselves-which I did to such an extent that he got me a bag to put them in! I never realized that Flint is as strong as steel! The Alibates Flint is smooth and colorful; created when silica came down upon the dolomite.​​

The wonderful Heaps family in Dunlap IA were great to spend time with despite challenging circumstances. Having phone s makes it a bit easier. Let’s all send love daily to those we love and cAre about. I send love and peace now to all the Heaps.

I went through Kiowa OK, learning the extent of actions taken by Carrie Nation-wow, she took a stand and acted on it! All was OK in OK. Washita Battlefield was another sad Indian vs USA brutality for which I am grateful occurs no more. I learned that Natl Grasslands are affiliated with a Natl Forest. Rangers are so helpful! I got great ideas of amazing things to see and do. I decided to camp at McClellan Creek, which was relaxing and pleasing to the eyes and senses.