Edge of Cedars

Wow, wow, wow!  That's how I would describe our drive from Torrey to Blanding, Utah, our next stop.  The red rock cliffs, huge canyons, (including Butch Cassidy's  hangout),  and  and then the moonscape landscape that I like to call it......and nary a spot for a photo!  Clem snapped a few with his phone, so will have to see how they came out.  Route 95 was the scenic drive, but the way it was described, with slanting curves, and steep descents, I was not so sure about it with the motor home.  We have purchased, however, some reference books which allowed us to determine it was a truck route, and if the trucks can do it, we can do it, so we set out!  And I am so happy we did.  It did twist and turn, but the scenery was worth every minute of it, and it even went through  Glen Canyon National Recreation area, which was gorgeous, and a nice surprise, as I didn't think we would see it this trip.

At the "edge of the cedars", which is the line marking the change from the junipers, which the locals call cedars, and the treeless plateau, lies an amazing archaeological site given to the state parks by the Navaho, and now listed on the  National Register of Historic Places, and named for its location.  It contains the largest collection of Puebloan pottery in the US, in addition to the remains of a home and a kiva that you are allowed to descend into.  Walking the grounds, you can see where many other homes existed, but have not yet been excavated.  These homes have been buried for centuries, and once uncovered need to be reinforced to remain intact, and this was apparently an entire village.   Since they had a parking lot large enough to accommodate us, we were able to explore, then move on to our next park, where we will spend two nights exploring the area.


The Pottery

And the home and Kiva.  

Although once referred to as Anasazi, the preferred term is now Ancient Peubloans, which refers to many tribes, including the Acoma, whose amazing mesa top village we visited last fall.  See that blog for photos if you are interested......it was quite an experience!  

 La Mesa RV park in the town of Cortez in the southwest corner of Colorado is grassless, and not the lovely park of the last few nights with the pleasant view of mountains, sheep, horses, and cattle,  but adequate, and in close proximity to our next adventure.