All was going well on our long drive that consisted of about 5 freeways ... until we got stuck for 45 minutes stand still pretty much on a 2 lane highway because a semi flipped but, after that we were heading over a summit just as the sun was going down. It started to rain and from then on out it rained and rained until just before reaching Mesa Verde National Park. By this point in time it was about 11:30. So we pulled into a campground and set up the tent and we all crashed until 4 am. At 4 am we witnessed the worst thunderstorm we've all seen or been in. We were starting to freak out hahah lightning right over head it seemed like and with Zach counting the seconds between each lightning and thunder we figured that they were about 2 miles away! eek!! We were starting to freak ... not to mention the heavy rain. Finally around 5 it settled and passed and were somewhat able to sleep.
After waking up we ate some dough nuts and headed out to the cliff dwellings. We stopped at most of the pullouts and took photos before finally reaching the Balcony house and the Cliff Palace. It's pretty amazing they've been around from out 800 years!
Here we're at knife edge road which was the first pullout on the way to the cliff dwellings.
Here's the second pullout...Park Point. It also has a watch tower to keep an eye out for forest fires, but here are the boys checkin out the short hike we took to the top.
And now we're finally at the first cliff dwelling... Cliff Palace. We're waiting on the tour guide ...
Here's a view of it from above... It is over 800 years old and is the largest cliff dwelling! We hiked a 1/4 of a mile and went up an 8 and 10 ft ladder to exit the dwelling.
The is where they believed the leader would speak hence the name of the Speaker House. haha
A kiva. This was their "spiritual room" where the clan would go . It consisted of a fire pit and a sipapu which is where the Puebloans believed the spirits would rise from. The reason for the hole in the ground was because they believed they came out of a hole (a womb or rebirth) into this world. It was said they came through 4 worlds before they got here.
Jamie and Zach in the Cliff Palace.
2 views of the Cliff Palace.
Here we are climbing out of the Cliff Palace on the 10 ft ladder.
From the Cliff Palace we drove over to the Balcony House... Where we had to start off the tour by climbing a 32 ft ladder!!
It faced the East so it was believed that they didn't live in this house year long because it would be too cold. It was also believed to be a religious house where they had 4 tunnels (yes that we even had to climb through) just as they did when they came into this world. The Puebloans also had turkeys here in this house as food once the turkey got old, as pets, for their feathers, and to help keep out the bugs.
Jamie inside the Balcony House.
Through the very very small tunnel we go... (this is the only way in and out of the house back then...but our only way out now).
After the tunnel it was up another ladder and onto this very scary walkway up to the top and on safe ground hahah we couldn't see how this little chain would save us. Not to mention the cut out in the rock wasn't very helpful...they're very steep and we definitely all got a work out lol
After the nice little day in the sun and climbing in and out of dwellings, tunnels, and ladders we went over to the museum and to one other house ... the Spruce Tree house. Where we hiked 2.4 miles down to the self-guided dwelling that is one of the most well preserved of them all.
We were able to actually walk around on the inside of it somewhat and then we were able to see what a covered kiva looked like and even able to go down inside so thats what Jamie is doing.
Here the boys are once we got inside the kiva.
And here is Zach climbing up out of the kiva.
Hiking back up we saw a hummingbird! <3
The Spruce Tree House from up above. Just to show you how nestled it really is into the mountain sides.
Later, after we made it back to camp we decided to go on a walk and look for the deer we keep seeing in our camp area. So we're almost back to camp when I turn around and see the butt of a deer. Zach and I go grab our cameras and Jamie is sneaking up on the momma deer. We got so close to them...I'd say within 10 ft.
Here's the momma...
She had 2 fawns with here, but here is a photo of one...the other wasn't as photogenic hahah
After "shooting" the deer we headed back to camp, made steaks, and headed to bed since we were all exhausted from no sleep the night before and a long day of hiking in the sun. However, again we didn't sleep...well Jamie and I didn't. Jamie had a rock in his kidney all night and I couldn't get comfortable. It begins to rain that morning and at 7 am Jamie is ready to head home waking Zach and I up. We quickly pack our things so that when the rain dies down we can just throw it in the car and head out. So we did just that. Except it never really stopped raining. The whole way home yesterday it was raining...Zach's sister told us we should stop and see Little Switzerland on the way home so we did. It was really cute and I wish I could have gotten more photos except the dang rain just wouldn't give up so we ate and left.
9 hours later, we were home! What a long weekend, but very worth it! We're mapping out our next adventure already haha
Hope you all had a great Labor Day.
xoxo
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