Fedoras afield

[hatsRme]

Fantastic journey, super photos, Blackthorn. I'm looking forward to the rest!!

Does Art Fawcett still make the Anasazi?

 

[Michael R.]

I just got back from an eleven day trip to Utah and Colorado. I won't post all the pics today, but a few at a time, one adventure at a time. First, the story of Balcony House, in Mesa Verde, Colorado. Mesa Verde is home to some 600 cliff dwellings dating back to 1200 AD. To get into Balcony House, you have to climb this very tall log ladder:

Once at the top, you have to go thru some interesting passageways:

...to get to this beautiful cliff dwelling:

On the way out, more interesting passageways, designed for easy defense:

This passage was so narrow that I could only go thru by...:

..crawling on my left side:

The second passageway wasn't so bad, but still made for easy defense against intruders:

and then another log ladder to get up to the top of the cliff, and back to the Lodge for dinner:

Great Place and Trip @Blackthorn !

Mesa Verde is a magical place. I was hooked from my first trip there when I learned the Anasazi lived there for 800 yrs & have now been gone for 700 yrs, leaving food on the tables, grass mats on the floors & art on their walls when they left. Balcony House, Cliff Palace, & Spruce Tree House are among my favorites. They say there are hundreds of smaller sites along the Wetherill Mesa that have never been excavated or explored because of lack of funds.
Can you imagine what it must have been like to have been old man Wetherill riding along the canyon rim & looking across to see Cliff Palace for the first time?

Looking forward to the rest of your posts.

Yeah HJ , that place at Mesa Verde left a LOT of questions ... , It took a lot to build , who or what were are they hiding/defending against ? And what happened that they vanished so suddenly (like immediately GONE !) ? Interesting and Strange ... , actually leaving a LOT of Questions to ponder ... .

 

[Hurricane Jack]

And what happened that they vanished so suddenly (like immediately GONE !) ? Interesting and Strange ... , actually leaving a LOT of Questions to ponder ... .

I find that fascinating also. Most scholars today believe that the Hopi & the Zuni are decendents of the Anasazi, but not the Dine (Navajo). Mesa Verde & also Canyon de Chelly (Navajo) are among the few places that speak to me when I'm there.

Whenever I hear Neil Young's song "Cortez the Killer" I can't help but think what the Spaniards did to the Navajo at Canyon de Chelly, even though that's not what the song is about.

 

[Blackthorn]

Before you finish your report you need to update us on what hat shops are still in Durango. And if Gardenswartz Outfitters is still there. They have a pic of Doc Holliday taken there.

Actually we never got to Durango, Jack. MV was as far as we went into CO, the rest of the trip was in Utah and Nevada.

 

[Blackthorn]

Great Place and Trip @Blackthorn !



Yeah HJ , that place at Mesa Verde left a LOT of questions ... , It took a lot to build , who or what were are they hiding/defending against ? And what happened that they vanished so suddenly (like immediately GONE !) ? Interesting and Strange ... , actually leaving a LOT of Questions to ponder ... .

One of the Rangers who gave a talk on it said if you ask three archaeologists about it, you'll get five opinions on why the left.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Actually we never got to Durango, Jack. MV was as far as we went into CO, the rest of the trip was in Utah and Nevada.

I love the canyon lands of southern Utah. I've spent several nights at Mexican Hat, UT at that little hotel right on the river; camped out a few times out on the overlook of the switchback. All through Monument Valley.

Sounds like you had a great trip.

 

[Michael R.]

I've been Really Blessed in all my Travels 99.9% talked to me and were extremely kind , even asking me to come home and eat with their family wherever I went . I actually only met a couple of guys and a young (something) woman? (I think) that weren't friendly . Most said I reminded them of their Grandfather even though I was younger . A HUGE Compliment ! I studied all that passionately , and was a member of the National Anthropological and Archeological Society , but after some "nuts*" talked their BS (Not Bachelors of Science Degree) , I quit not paying to be brainwashed as IF they could . My Great Uncle had the largest collection of North American Indian Artifacts east of the Mississippi River . I think he left them to the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis , and the Smithsonian in D.C. , Uncle Alvin R. , my Mom's Mother's Brother .

The tribes used to (and kind of still are) be so distinctively different , the way they looked , physical features , and of course the Traditions , I always thought about Lewis and Clark , with Sacajawea the young Lemhi Shoshone woman , crossing the plains and the Rockies headed to the Northwest and all the different peoples they met along the way . Its Sad how they were treated since , and how many are forced to live , but there are Bright spots . Most are shy or standoffish until they see you're wide open and not looking for anything except to just be kind .

* Overly Educated Mental Midgets (making it up as they go) AKA Experts (PAL LEEZ !!!) looking to make a buck , obviously working for the government &/or university professors (same thing), then and now , Sleazy Con Men with PHD after their names . They'd be doing Medicine Shows if they lived about 150 years ago , there abouts .

I digress ... Sorry .

 

[Michael R.]

One of the Rangers who gave a talk on it said if you ask three archaeologists about it, you'll get five opinions on why the left.

BINGO !!!

 

[Rogera]

Thanks Jack and Bob, it was really meaningful to be there.

Great pics and info Blackthorn! I'd love to go visit there one of these days.

 

[Blackthorn]

I love the canyon lands of southern Utah. I've spent several nights at Mexican Hat, UT at that little hotel right on the river; camped out a few times out on the overlook of the switchback. All through Monument Valley.

Sounds like you had a great trip.

Thanks HJ, we really did. And we are thinking of staying in Mexican Hat next time, cool little town.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Thanks for sharing those.
I enjoy viewing those pictures of US landscape.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Thanks HJ, we really did. And we are thinking of staying in Mexican Hat next time, cool little town.

If you didn't go out on the lookout over the switchback you need to add that to the list of things to do. Mexican Water, UT is an interesting area also.

The only thing that makes me nervous is Dugway Range & the Dugway Pass...with what's rumored a guy could disappear there & never be seen again!

 

[Blackthorn]

If you didn't go out on the lookout over the switchback you need to add that to the list of things to do. Mexican Water, UT is an interesting area also.

The only thing that makes me nervous is Dugway Range & the Dugway Pass...with what's rumored a guy could disappear there & never be seen again!

Seeing some of those canyons, I don't doubt that a bit!

 

[Blackthorn]

OK, chapter 2 of the recent adventure. We went horseback riding in Bryce Canyon, some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen:

My favorite pic of Mrs Blackthorn on this whole trip:

she took this pic of me, in my adventure vest and my new Akubra Coober Pedy with the Peruvian hat ribbon:

and a good time was had by all:

 

[BobHufford]

Wow ... I want to go there. Beautiful pics Blackthorn. Thanks for sharing the adventure. Nice hat ...

 

[KY Crusader]

OK, chapter 2 of the recent adventure. We went horseback riding in Bryce Canyon, some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen:

My favorite pic of Mrs Blackthorn on this whole trip:

she took this pic of me, in my adventure vest and my new Akubra Coober Pedy with the Peruvian hat ribbon:

and a good time was had by all:

What terrific pictures! And your CB fits in perfectly!

 

[Blackthorn]

Thank you Bob, and thank you KYC!

 

[1mach1]

Great pics Blackthorn! I love Bryce Canyon. Great looking Akubra.

 

[frussell]

Nice mule. Love Bryce Canyon, always wanted to ride there. Best way to see the scenery, if you're well mounted.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Nice landscape.
There is nothing like that here.