Mesa Verde

Tomahawk Hotel was a room, a shower and two beds for a few hours in Cortez, CO.

We awakened early at our classic Tomahawk Motel Saturday morning. We have stayed in some interesting places on our road trip and this place was no exception. It was cheap and close to Mesa Verde so our simple criteria was met.

We were the first to buy tickets at the Visitor Center in Mesa Verde. Mesa Verde is both a National Park and a World Heritage site. It is mind boggling to think of the Native American Indians who lived in the cliff dwellings from 1200 to 1300. The dating was done by pulling wood samples and comparing them to tree rings in the area - fascinating. We explored Balcony House which can only be accessed by a Ranger led tour and we also did a self-tour of Spruce House.

Youngest Son and Oldest Son following the Ranger up the ladder to enter Balcony House.

Oldest Son and Commuter Husband looking around Balcony House which is situated quite high.

Those light colored circles are where scientists pulled wood plugs out to do the dating against tree rings.

Boys are listening as the Ranger explain how these Cliff Dwellings came to be ...

Oldest Son sitting at the roofless kiva looking out over the canyon. 

Oldest Son crawling out of Balcony House through original tunnel. 

Commuter Husband coming out of exit tunnel. He is a smidgen bigger than the Native American Indians who averaged 5 ft . tall.

Youngest Son entering a kiva at Spruce House.

Commuter Husband and Oldest Son chatting with Ranger at Spruce House.

The trail to Spruce House had lots of vegetation and informational signs - Oldest Son and Commuter Husband reading about Oregon Grapes. 

AND THE ERIC ROAD TRIP ENDS.

We spent Saturday night in Oklahoma City at my Grandmother's house. And we reentered Dallas Sunday afternoon. We very quickly got back to normal life with Commuter Husband off to get an oil change and me dashing out to Run On! with Oldest Son to get running shoes and then the laundry and then dinner and then ...