Day 102 - Thursday - In and around Bandelier
The morning is bright and sunny so after breakfast we decide
to take a walk along a rail that leaves from our campground. No definite plans in mind until we see a sign
that says "Ruins and Visitor Center 1.5 miles". Vicky is up for the hike as long as it
doesn't get too steep and there's a cute little ground squirrel watching us, so
we decide to take the trail.
The squirrel is the last animal we'll see. We hear a lot of birds and relish the scenery
- first a canyon, then sagebrush country.
The trail crosses a road and continues through the sagebrush. We can see mountains - at least 2 ranges - in
the distance but the trail is relatively flat and there's a nice breeze which,
with the sunshine, makes it the sort of day you want to hike in the country.
About the time I think we're nearly at our destination a
sign says "Ruins 0.6m, Visitor Center 1.2 miles". We've already decided we plan on hiking to
the Visitor Center,
from where we can get a shuttle bus back to the campground, but the distances keep
expanding. Fortunately we're not tired,
and the trail has been easy. So we keep
going.
I remember that the ruins (other than the cliff dwellings)
were on a valley floor. I also realize
that we're on a high plateau. Put these
2 facts together and you'll realize that the 0.6 mile to the ruins has to be a
steep downhill hike! Vicky, especially
doesn't like steep downhills so I'm thinking she may want to turn back. As it happens, the trail is a series of
switchbacks so it's much easier than it could have been. It does get a little steep towards the end,
but we both make it to the valley floor, proud of our achievement.
We head straight for the Visitor
Center. We didn't bring water since it was supposed
to be a short walk, but they do sell bottled water and fortunately I have my
wallet with me.
We watch a short video on the ancient people and the
villages and kivas they built, and then rake the shuttle bus back to the
campground. After lunch, Vicky takes to
bed with a book to read while I work on preparing my class that I now know I'll
be teaching for the first time at the end of August.
20 miles down the road is the Valles Caldera, also a
National Monument. It's the caldera of a
dormant volcano whose eruption thousands of years ago created the landscape
around here. We met a family who said
there are 2 lookout points on the road from which you can see lots of elk. So around 6pm,
even though we know the Visitor Center
will already be closed, we decide to drive over and take a look.
Just as we're about to leave the wind picks up and as we're
driving west it starts to rain. 7 miles
along NM 4 the road ascends a mountain in a series of switchbacks. We negotiate these in the rain and when we
get to the top the sky clears. We find
the caldera and pull over at the first lookout.
It's amazing! The caldera is a
lush green meadow that seems to go on for miles, and on the floor of the
caldera we see some black dots and finally realize they are actually brown dots
- the elk herd. Maybe this description
will give you some idea of the scale of the scenery in this part of northern New
Mexico.
We head back over the mountain - it's still raining on the
other side - and get home safely.
Just in time to feed the cats before they starve - so they
say.
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