Little Sister Adventures

Northern New Mexico, Part 5. More Bandelier and a Prank.

I had a good rest Sunday night and slept well until dawn. Bright and early, though, as I lay awake in bed, I heard a "ka-chunk" from the van. Hmmmm.... looked out the windows and didn't see anything. Maybe a wayward pinecone? It sounded more mechanical than that. Hmmmm....

More about the mystery later.

I wanted to have a yummy lunch with BobBIE! so I got an early start on my last Bandelier hike. I stayed on the mesa and headed out from the campground to the Tyouani Overlook Trail. A mile and a half each way on an out-and-back. Another easy one for me!

It was similar to yesterday's Frey Trail to the rim, but also different! Here ya go:

Something new! This trail has at least one example of alligator juniper (Juniperus deppeana), whose bark is checkered instead of hairy, as has a "regular" New Mexico juniper (Juniperus monosperma). I did not know about this kind of juniper before this day! Juniperus deppeana is usually found in the southern part of the state, but here is a nice one!

Here is the typical juniper you'll find in the area:

Juniperus monosperma's hairy bark.

A partially excavated dwelling. There were more unexcavated rooms in this area

The view of Tyouani Village in Frijoles Canyon.

Another view of the riverbed looking up the Frijoles River

A white velvet ant (actually a wasp). I did not know white ones existed. Do not touch! Just for looking.

Geez! Either my device dies or I forget to start my walk. This is the map-ish of my loop to the lookout and back.

I got back to my campsite in time to pack up before heading to base camp at BobBIE!'s to take a much-needed shower and head off to lunch.

But first, dump Poppy's tanks!

Remember the "ka-chunk?"

I'm so careful to check the dump tank levers throughout my trips, and especially before I dump. I've heard of ne'er-do-wells pulling open a lever on an unsuspecting camper.

On my way out of the park, I went to the dump station. Checked the levers once more to make sure they were closed, started to take off the cap, and .... Yikes! SHIT!

"Shit! Shit! Shit!"

I quickly put the cap back on but not before black waste had spilled. I was wearing gloves, thank goodness, and it didn't splash. I was able to get the cap back on before too much gushed out.

I checked the lever. Yes, closed. I looked under. Was something broken? No. It was then that I realized, the ka-chunk was someone opening and closing the black tank.

Who does that?! Mean people, that's who.

I was able to finish my dump in the usual fashion, although with an extra rinse on Poppy and the surrounding area. I hoped it all washed down the drain. I apologized to the people who had pulled in behind me.

Soon I was on the hunt for some sort of idiot deterrent. There are no available locks for the levers, but I was recommended to get a clear extension/cap. At least I would see what's coming, and it would probably be a deterrent since the element of surprise is removed from whatever motivates the idiot's mind. I really don't know why it's funny. If they could follow me to the dump station and watch me get shit on, then maybe I would understand. But no, they just get to imagine the scenario, and they could do that for free without involving me.

I just don't get mean people.

Anyway, I was able to get back in time to take a good long cleansing shower, get to lunch with my twin sister 10 years apart at a favorite restaurant, and used the rest of the afternoon for a needed rest.

My friend the raven cawed a goodbye.

I had only a day or two left! Stay tuned for more!

Northern New Mexico, Part 4. Day 2 of Bandelier

It was another packed day on Sunday!

I woke up early to get a jump start on the day. I needed to beat the heat and also be back in time for our family picnic. There will be 10 of us gathered at my camp spot!

I decided to walk the Frey Trail, which is named after a family who moved into the Canyon early in Bandelier's colonizer history.

The trail should be renamed. It was a trail that the Ancestral Puebloans used to move things from the rim to the canyon and back. We must resist the white-centric view of the world. The Freys came thousands of years after people arrived to the area and made their home here and used the trail.

The trail starts at the campground area and comes out at Tyuonyi Village. It's about 1.5 miles one way. The first mile is flat and easy as it crosses the mesa, while the last half mile descends about 600 feet. Not bad going down! I didn't walk back up. It would've been too too hot!

Here are photos of my journey.

A switchback, with pines and cottonwoods down below in the riverbed.

The payoff: a view of the Tyuonyi Village

Tuff with embedded rocks.

I noticed these two pieces of wood embedded in the tuff. I guess I never noticed organic material embedded in the rock. I hadn't thought of it before. But yeah. That's what volcanoes do. They be powerful and blow up everything. The pieces were not petrified; you could still feel the woodiness of them. So cool: one million year old wood, right there for me to touch.

I could gaze at the cliffs all day.

The trail came out at the Long House, and took a few more pics.

More petroglyphs

More petroglyphs!

I walked back to the Visitor Center and took in the museum and the gift shop before boarding the shuttle bus back to the campground.

There, I peeled and sliced some peaches for our picnic and waited for the fam.

We had quite a feast! Stromboli (three kinds!!), crudite, chips n dip, fruit, salads, and applesauce cake! Yummmmmy! And the company could not be beat. We had a wonderful time.

We did not get many pictures, but we did get a shot of the five siblings. Pretty good looking group, huh?

After everyone departed, I sat outside and read. I noticed some pieces of wood in a nearby campsite, and when I was confident that the site was going to go unoccupied, I snagged the wood and brought it to my fire ring.

I loved sitting and watching the fire and doing nothing else.

I burned a few pieces and left a few for the next family. When there was nothing but coals, I hit the sack! Another fab day!

Northern New Mexico Part 3. Pueblo Canyon Rim Trail and Bandelier!

Saturday, I woke up and met some of my siblings for a little brekkie nosh and then I did another good walk.

I started at Smiths grocery store and walked along Los Alamos Canyon Rim Trail, which is a nice wide paved trail, and then crossed the highway through the new-ish underpass, went behind the airport and walked the east end of Pueblo Canyon, west back to Smiths.

Of course, mapping hit a snafu, as I forgot to turn on Runkeeper for the first mile or so, and my Apple Watch died halfway through! It was about 4 miles.

Not a great pic, but I love me dem ravens!

Los Alamos Canyon

From the public art in the highway pedestrian underpass. It's the same underpass where Anne and I made our art piece, Mischief Pie, a couple years ago.

Path of tuff – must be home!

Pueblo Canyon

I'm pretty sure these are ancestral Puebloan dwellings across the canyon. Too much uniformity to be random wind-blown caves.

An accidental photo, but I kind of like it!

My dream house...

Saturday afternoon, I headed to Bandelier National Monument, a treasure.

As many times as I visited Bandelier in my youth and the many times I've been back to visit, I've only ever walked Frijoles Canyon around the Tyuonyi (pronounced Qu-weh-nee) Village, the home of the Ancestral Puebloans.

And this is exactly the walk I did late Saturday afternoon when I arrived. I drove to the Visitor Center and walked the Pueblo Trail. It is so cool! Go visit Bandelier someday!

I didn't climb the ladders today.

Evidence of a wall painting, footholds, roof timber holds, cavates, and petroglyphs!

Close up of the petroglyphs:

And more petroglyphs. There are a lot on the cliff walls! These are just a few.

A great example of a wall painting. Preserved under plexiglass.

The trail continues along the Frijoles River back to the Visitor Center.

On my drive back up to the campground, I stopped at the overlook. Gorgeous views! And those clouds! Ow, my heart!

A ranger talk capped the day. It was all about the Ancestral Puebloans' agriculture techniques. She talked about the three sisters crops, using pumice as mulch, and irrigation techniques. Interesting!