mark feldman's summer trip colorado part 3, mesa verde - july 18-9

colorado is one big state, lemme tell ya.  it took me most the day to reach crested butte from denver, and most of the next day to reach mesa verde.  to be fair, i did stop briefly at black canyon of the gunnison (left) and took some slow (and occasionally scary) mountain roads.  anyway, mesa verde's raison d'etre is the presence of ancient (~1100-1300) cliff dwellings of the anasazi, ancestors of the hopi.

and they have done a great job of preserving these dwellings, lemme tell ya.  they only use modern material when they have to prevent something from collapsing, and they've managed to create very accessible trails down to these places (which area literally on the side of a cliff)  so almost anyone can see them.  you have to drive back and forth and around a lot to get everywhere, but it's worth it.

above: balcony house and long house.  right: cliff palace.  below: a 'pit house,' where the anasazi lived ~700-1000 before their architecture evolved into more elaborate houses.

hey, we must be near four corners...

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