ON TO TUCSON - June 10, 2019

Well, Wednesday started auspiciously with yours truly losing track of the time change and hence up at 5:15 AM local time in Colorado Springs. My error was quickly noted, so I hopped in the shower and searched out coffee while the better looking portion of our duo caught up on not needed beauty sleep. LaQuinta breakfast, although standard fare of powdered scrambled eggs, sausage, bagels, home fries, waffles, fruit, etc. was above average and very tasty. We wolfed it down, stoked up on coffee and hit the next door gas station before ramping on the I-25 South by 8:30. Traffic was heavy, but not unduly so.

We were quickly through the city and headed south to Walsenburg, where we dropped off the freeway and turned west on CO 64 towards our westbound artery of US 164. We switched drivers somewhere in the middle of the state (Pagosa Springs,) and continued westward towards Mesa Verde. In Mancos, we gassed up and switched drivers again, arriving at Mesa Verde National Park around 3:00 PM.

As we already had a firm reservation at the Far View Hotel on property, we began a couple of loop drives to look at the archeological sites of the Puebla Ancestral Peoples (formerly referred to as Anasazi) and marvelled at the ecology of the high desert area. We drove, then walked, drove then walked. What we found was that we flatlanders (old and not in very good shape) take quite a while to become accustomed to the thin atmosphere. Likewise, even though the humidity is low, the sun is still very hot. Luckily we brought hats. Deb was happy to be viewing things that were older than she is!

Around 6:00 we checked into the hotel with a gorgeous view to the north overlooking the arroyos. We had our cocktails on our balcony and at 7:45 headed to the restaurant for our dinner reservation. Dinner was less than spectacular - a house salad and “ancient” grains risotto for Deb and house made chips and a cheese tortellini and mushroom dish. Deb had a local Cinsault wine that was quite good, and I a local porter beer that was also good. However the $100.00 price tag was not.

We walked back to our room and sat on the balcony waiting sunset and the star show in the clear, unlighted sky. Gorgeous! The park was wonderful, the scenery and weather were spectacular, so we agreed to overlook the food issue as we were captives. We did find later that the lounge next door served hamburgers and fries, a much better choice and one we will recommend in the future.

Tomorrow we head on to Phoenix.