Girls trip to Durango, Chaco Canyon, and Mesa Verde

Strater Hotel

Making the most of the last few weeks here. Fall color is upon us and the cattle are leaving tomorrow. It comes up so fast every year. My friends, Kim and Marcia, and I went on a long planned trip to places I've never been and what a great time we had.

The Strater Hotel in Durango was fabulous. It's a famous historic hotel built in 1887 two blocks away from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. We heard trains regularly coming and going with tourists. I have not ridden on that train - another trip. Everything is period furniture, wallcoverings, and we had the best room just by luck. Rumored ghosts which we did not see, drinks at the attached Diamond Belle Saloon, which is exactly like you would imagine from the name, and lots of shopping and restaurants to experience. Perfect headquarters for us as we day tripped out.

Chaco Canyon was a two hour drive from Durango in northwestern New Mexico and what a fascinating area of ancient history. Ancestral Pueblo ruins that started in 900BCE and lasted for 2,000 years. Somewhere between 2,000 and 10,000 people at its peak, lived in both rock great houses of multi stories (for the powerful) and smaller pueblos for the underlings. It included many kivas (round rooms for both domestic and ceremonial purposes) and an elaborate system of well engineered roads many of which remain. Much of it is in a good state of preservation and of course there are many mysteries in what happened there including why they left. Great petroglyphs too. I'm a big fan and can never get enough. Well worth the trek over.

Cliff Palace

Cliff Palace

Mesa Verde was up next. Ancestral Puebloan ruins 450-1300CE  that are built into cliffs. Equally as fascinating and an interesting climb down and up to see the famous Cliff Palace. Tiny winding stairs and lots and lots of ladders. They were very short people and the average life span was 25 years. Yup, you read that right. Mesa Verde society existed in the middle of the Chaco Canyon long dynasty. There is evidence that many societies traveled to Chaco Canyon for trade and ceremonies including Mesa Verde people. Archeologists don't know why Mesa Verde was abandoned. Loved our exploring trip - thanks ladies!

Countdown time to Florida - 11 days.