Canyon of the Ancients!
 

I'm taking off Tuesday (tomorrow) for Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, one of the largest archaeological sites in the Southwest. It's actually bigger than Mesa Verde, but most of the ruins have not been restored like they have in Mesa Verde. Southwestern Colorado contains a huge number of archaeological sites-- more than 6000 recorded so far, and up to 100 per square mile in some places-- representing Ancestral Puebloan and other Native American cultures. Roads in the region are few and often require 4wd. As the BLM says, "You're on your own"! Sounds perfect to me, although I am telling a friend my general route just in case a cougar gets me! Pix to follow! This one is from the Monument website:

Can I come?

Those mature women can be dangerous!;)

that looks awesome!

That 'cougar' meaning will make its debuts in the French dictionnary this fall. :(

Along with 'tweet' and a few others...

I hate that word, in that context. It's tacky.

But, I have no desire for young-uns, either. Give me a guy whose been through a thing or two.

Damn. Beat me to the cougar joke.

I dislike that particular use of the word too, but I love cougars. I have seen every other wild animal around here except the cougar. I think they are absolutely beautiful. Maybe one of these times, I'll be fortunate enough to see one - from a distance!

But who would win in a fight between a mountain lion and a killer rabbit?

Awesomesauce!

How old are those ruins? They're wonderful.

On a treadmill?

Well, I'm back from Canyon of the Ancients. It was fun seeing so many archaeological sites only a skip and a jump from home. It was also the trucks first time to show how it responds under rough conditions. The roads were horrible, but that old Toyota maneuvered them just fine. 4wd seems to be working well.

I spent the first night camped overlooking the Canyon below. The gnats were out in force and I got quite a few bites despite liberal doses of "Off."

The second picture is of a highly unusual desert water hole. Everything around it was lush and green in contrast to the surrounding desert. The third is a first glimpse of the ruins.

Cool, Sam! :)

The ruins are dated to at least 1400 Ad and are probably older. Here is a second ruin, a petroglyph, and a shot of the "path" the visitor has to use to get to them! The final picture is of ruins with the Sleeping Ute Mountain in the distance. Up close the Ute really does look like a sleeping Indian. Ute legend has it that one day he will awake and the Utes will become a mighty tribe again.

Finally a shot of an Anastazi "picture window" and one of pinto bean fields with the San Juans in the distance. I had to drive past what seemed like a zillion acres of pintos to get to the Monument, and I'm pleased to report that everyone should have plenty of pintos in their soup next fall!