I love the West

I really don't know what it is about the West but I am totally in love with it.  There is nothing I don't like.  The colors, the distances, the smells, the lack of sound and people all appeal to me, but there is something more that i can't put my finger on.  I love driving through the mountains.  At every hairpin turn there seems to be this incredible vista laid out before you.  Other mountains, mesas, the Rockies peeking over other hills, large fields or valleys.  There is no chance to ever feel claustrophobic as there is in mountains in other places.  I love the challenge of driving the twisting turning roads that lead through the mountains. I have never been on roads like these, they really test your nerves.

Today I went to Mesa Verde, there wasn't a green thing about it.  The National Parks collect fees but I applied and received a special senior pass that gets me into all National Parks for free - Yea to be old!  I paid for a tour before I found out it was a strenuous hike but I went on it anyway.  Luckily three young women encouraged me at some of the very tough spots.  It was a beautiful experience but we had to go up ladders, which I am not really great with, really I'm terrible with.  They terrify me, especially the top rung.  There were four ladders so you can imagine how thrilled I was, but this other young women and I made it up with lots of "you can do its" from her friends.  There were also a million stone steps to go up and down, some of the steps were as much as eight inches deep.  All in all a strenuous day indeed but well worth the fear.  The sight is another Anastazi site abandoned about 1100 C.E.  They believe only about 120 to 130 people lived in this city and they farmed on the mesa top and hunted in the area which still has abundant game.  I saw a deer very carefully cross the parking lot before the rest of the group arrived.

Having terrified myself enough for the day I decided to do something easy.  I went to the Four Corners Park.  It is on Indian Land so they collect a fee.  It has been verified by Geographers and Astronomers as the exact meeting of the four states-Colorada, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.  They have the plaque at  the exact spot and all sorts of people were taking pictures with their hands and feet in each of the states.  It was fun to see.

I need to remind people that I have a 3 hour time difference.  It is not that I am among the missing and not blogging but that what you think is late is to me quite early.