Aztec Ruins and Chaco Canyon

May  11, 2011

We left the Durango, Colorado KOA at 8:30 to 9:00 am, headed for Aztec, New Mexico and the Aztec Ruins National Monument.  We stopped at the welcome center in Aztec to get directions to the ruins.  A very nice young lady with a soft southern drawl helped us.  After getting brochures and directions, we asked where she was from.  She said “Tennessee.”  She said people ask her if she is from Texas and she tells them “NOooOO” with lots of emphasis.  She also recommended Olivers for breakfast.

The Aztec Ruins VC and self guided tour were very interesting.  There is a reconstructed “kiva” (ceremonial chamber) that is really amazing.  You have to marvel at the construction techniques and abilities of the ancients who built and occupied these dwellings.  We got our passport stamps and were off and running.

Barney, Betty and Wilma inside the Kiva

Those Ancients must have been short

We did eat breakfast at Olivers, and it was delicious.  We backtracked to Route 550 for the second time today, and headed south for “Chaco Canyon”.  If you have heard the expression”…20 miles of bad road,” and can mentally compress the 20 down to 13, you are beginning to have a vague idea what the 13 miles of dirt road into the National Historic Site is like.  Washboard like you have never seen!

Once into Chaco Canyon you are back on paved road.  The VC is in a temporary “yurt” while the permanent VC is being reconstructed.  The passport books were stamped and we went to check out the ruins.  Every place you stop you are amazed at the complexity and workmanship in these structures.  At one of the pueblos, Hungo Pavi, there were six or eight National Park Service workers repairing and repointing areas in the masonry.  The workers were all Native American who go from place to place in the Four Corners area, repairing ruins – not to rebuild, but to prevent or slow further deterioration.

Park Service Workers

Barney "shooting" the ruins

We again rose to the challenge of the 13 miles of dirt road and again headed south on 550. Next was a fuel stop at Cuba, New Mexico, then on to Route 4 toward our next destination.  We are stopped at a state campground, Vista Linda, on Route 4 for the night.  Since we are off grid, and absolutely no signal for phone or mifi in this canyon, this won’t get this posted until tomorrow.

After all the previous negative comments about the road into Chaco Canyon, it must not have been too bad because our gas light mantle survived intact.

Good night and sweet dreams from the Bedrock Bunch.