Chaco Canyon: Pueblo Bonito
Friday, June 18, 2010 by Amy
Wow, I kind of pooped out there on the vacation pictures, didn't I? Well, here's more...
Info here: http://www.nps.gov/chcu/planyourvisit/pueblo-bonito.htm
Riley in her Junior Ranger hat and information books, all ready to explore!
Info here: http://www.nps.gov/chcu/planyourvisit/pueblo-bonito.htm
We drove hours into northwest New Mexico to see Chaco Canyon. It's a must-see in the area, and we couldn't pass it up! Pueblo Bonito is the most famous Anasazi settlement in North America, the one you see in all documentaries on the subject. The drive was not very fun at all, though. First, Rudi severely underestimated the distance, as usual! Further, the road turned to a rough unpaved road about 16 miles outside of Chaco. It's the kind of place where if your car breaks down, they'll find your dried skeletons months later LOL.
It was unbearably sunny and hot. In fact, Rudi actually turned the air conditioner on in the car on the way out. People who know Rudi know that that NEVER happens! I believe that it's the first time he's done so in the 10 years that we've know each other. It's always been windows-always-open traveling.
We all got sunhats at the visitor center. Wide-brimmed hats were so necessary that they don't even fleece you on the price like they do in most tourist areas. The girls got Junior Ranger hats for $10 (they were $25 everywhere else we visited) and I got a straw one for $4. The lady asked me if I wanted a hat and initially I refused and she looked at me like I was crazy. I changed my mind soon after!
The National Parks have a program for kids in which they fill out a packets and they get to be sworn in as Junior Rangers. The girls took this very seriously. The one for Mesa Verde had different levels of activities according to age. The one at Chaco had no age divisions, so I had to help them quite a bit, but not too much :)
The pictures are a bit out-of-order, as usual!
Riley in her Junior Ranger hat and information books, all ready to explore!
It was so hot on the way there that Riley stripped down naked in the car, including undies!
Again, click on the panoramas!
