Day 6 – Mesa Verde (Green Plateau)

Galloped on the I40 until Gallup and then took many miles of single track roads up into the mountains. The choice campsite was a national park and we had the last hook up. This particular spot was difficult o get into but was well sheltered. The park boasted, deer, lynx, cougar and bear. The latter put the wind up the youngest of the team. Still we part walked back to the Welcome Area and were part chauffeured by golf cart. Provisions in hand; firewood and alcohol were the essentials, food was on the list somewhere too, we resolved to have a barbeque in the fire pit – bears or no bears. Dan was eyeballed by a deer and had to toss a rock to get past. A narrow escape. By now the fire had been lit and the pork and beef was a sizzlin’. The evening ended with poker and an early bed for the one who had drunk and lost the most. We were at 8000 feet so we needed tokeep our fluids up.
The next day was an early start. We were visiting Cathedral City, a Pueblo rock settlement of 800 years ago. We were some way from the site and had a tour to catch so I pressed the van on through the mountains, hair pins and all. Although we got there in time and safely, it’s a good job that the van comes with a toilet. Nobody was amused or impressed.
Cathedral City was amazing. On first site, it looked like a movie set modeled in red clay. You reached it by a series of steps cut through narrow crevices and up some wooden ladders. For many years natives eked an existence from farming on the Mesa, drawing their water from seep springs, fed by the Winter snows. Eventually, it is presumed, the springs ran dry and the people moved on. As must we.