Another good sleep and a cold but sunny morning on the Colorado River.
As we head towards Cortez, Colorado, we keep hearing about snow storms in the La Sal Mountains and the town of Monticello, which we were going to be travelling through. But, you never know!
We passed Hole in the Rock (a couple built a house in a natural hole in a cliff in the 30's and 40's, and it's a bit of a tourist draw) and saw “Mount Fuji” (well, that's what it looks like) in all its splendour.
We saw Wilson Arch, the final look at a Utah Arch this trip.
I finally saw a badger near Monticello (hadn't ever seen one). A sign heading in to that town was for “San Juan Hospital: A Cut Above the Rest” and the photo was of a surgery room. Yuck.
No snow as we headed for Cassie's 21st state, Colorado!
A couple of interesting signs: “ATM...Pinto Beans...24 Hours” (in Dove Creek) and the town Cahone (Cajones...you decide!).
Snow and sleet and cold began and we stopped at a cheap, urban RV park (La Mesa) around lunch. At the owner's recommendation, we headed to the Anasazi Heritage Center during the bad weather.
It was a beautiful place and a short movie and walk through artifacts and an exhibition of Utah Rock Art prepared us for Mesa Verde tomorrow.
A chance walk out to the Escalante and Dominguez Pueblos at the center led us to a group of people who were gathered at the Escalante dig.
Talked to the woman (and David to a man) and they're a group from the University of North Texas (and Minnesota) who are studing the pueblos from many different perspectives (she's a documentary film maker; he is a philosopher who was looking at social justice; there are archeologists and an environmental poet along with a Pueblo consultant).
Such a good project and talk. Read abouth them and check their podcast here if you're interested: http://research.unt.edu/news/story.htm
Oh, and I was cheating on Cassie with this Puma!
We hit Wal Mart and I got takeout Mexican for a perfect end to a perfect (though cold and sleety) day!
Here's the urban view from my chair:
Wow... how interesting... LOVE the pics and can't wait to hear the stories in person.
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