Rocky Mountain High - A Road Trip to Remember

Last week we made tracks for Colorado for a long-overdue vacation. Noble had his big week-long scout camp to Mirror Lake scheduled over the same week, so unfortunately we had to make this trip without him. Much thanks to our wonderful neighbors and Mike's parents for helping to get him home and taking him in until we could get back.

We had plans to hit the Noble and Hazel Rogers family reunion in Pagosa Springs, but first we wanted to make a visit to Mesa Verde -- a place we haven't been since Jessie was a toddler. I love that place.

Since all my siblings and parents were heading for the same destination, we planned to rendezvous along the way for some recreation. To begin with, my brother Casey and his wife Helen suggested that we meet at a sweet swimming hole / natural water slide off Powerhouse Road in Moab that they knew of. It seemed like a good idea, since we are in the middle of a record breaking heat wave, to stop and cool off mid-way through our journey. But trying to change 5 kids into swim suits in the car (some waiting outside in the sun... because now we have older kids, and suddenly privacy has become a priority to some of them) when it's 106 degrees outside is no easy task. Make a note: next time have them wear their swimsuits under their clothes. The water was wonderful. I think it must have been at least 15 degrees cooler down by the water. We jumped off the rocks into the deeper holes, slid down the slick rocks, and let the kids wade around. 

Sully had a hard time of it. He was stung by a bee a few days before the road trip, and had a moderately severe reaction. His foot had swollen to about twice it's usual size. Even with Benedryl. We couldn't get his sneakers on, and he couldn't walk on it anyway.  He had to be carried most everywhere we walked that day. I think the cool river water was soothing for him. 

After getting wet, we pulled up under some cottonwood trees down stream and had a picnic lunch together. I was glad I thought to freeze a few water bottles the night before. I gave one to Great-grandma Tiede who, because she hadn't been in the water, was looking a little over-heated. 

After Moab, we caravan-ed the rest of the way to Cortez, CO, where we stayed for the night. We overran the hotel swimming pool and  later, a big balcony where we gathered for dinner. Abner was especially wound up that night. I had a hard time getting him to stay in his pack-and-play. He's big enough now to climb over the side...and also big enough to open doors. Plus, he is SO FAST. I found myself chasing him repeatedly. One time he made it all the way to the swimming pool where another hotel patron grabbed him before he could get to the water. Yikes.

Abner cooling his heels...one of my many attempts at getting him settled down this first night.

Before bed I asked Mike and my brothers-in-law, Roy and Derek, to give Sully a priesthood blessing. It had been 3 days since the bee sting and the swelling was not going down. 

The next day, after breakfast, with Sully's foot noticeably better (we were able to get his shoes on!) we drove the 10 miles from Cortez to Mesa Verde to see the ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings. We had a little more smoke in the air from the fires in Colorado - which made things hazy - but the air wasn't too bad.

This cool sculpture stood at the visitor's center. I don't remember it from previous visits. It gives you an idea of what it was like getting in and out of the cliff dwellings. It's unbelievable.

A shot of the family ...with a bit of Anasazi butt-cheek 

Great-grandma in the museum with a few of the greats (Hank, T. and Grace).

Our first visit of the day: Spruce Tree House

Abner climbing out of the kiva (one of several times)

Abner climbed just about every ladder we encountered in Mesa Verde himself, and there were quite a few.

Sully and cousins Hallee and Zeke with the mano and matate. Sully loudly announced to the ranger standing near by that he was "making quesadillas!"

Sully hiking out under his own power  (it's hard to see in this photo how much bigger his left foot is than his right). He was such a trooper!

A view of Spruce Tree House from the trail

Time for a rest in the shade at the museum above Spruce Tree House

Abner (aka "Crazy Bones") was having none of it.

It is definitely worth the visit.

With great-grandma in the shade before our next venture, Cliff Palace.

Looking across the canyon at Cliff Palace

More ladders

This was the ranger presentation before our tour. During the Q &A, Sully raised his hand and asked, "How long ago did they build their homes?"  (The ranger's answer: 700 years ago - which Sully will still gladly report to you if asked.) His next question: "Why are there squirrels?" (Ranger's answer: "I don't know.")

Abner shimmying his way through one of the dwelling's doors. The doors were tiny...they weren't big on convenience. 

Fearless Abner.

Getting ready to head out on our last tour of the day: Balcony House

At this point in the day it was getting close to 100 degrees and Abner refused to wear his sun hat...uncle Roy was trying to get him to put his blanket over his head. No dice.

Abner also refused to ride in the packer...which turned out to be a nerve-wracking thing for me at this site.
Also, introductions: there with my brother, Sean, is his girlfriend (hopefully my soon-to-be-sister-in-law) Kim.

Climbing the big ladder in. 

Abner, of course, tackled this one solo as well. All 35 feet of it.

Sully in  a door way

Tillman leaning out over the outside barrier wall

The original balconies.

Gathered around the main kiva listening to the ranger (I was very nervous one of the kids was going to fall in)

Looking out

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The picture above was the last one that I took before Sully got away from me, and went through the one-occupant crawl space leading out of the site...5 or 6 people ahead of me. By the time I got to the other side, and called out for him, he was up the first of the series of ladders leading up the cliff face, with a kind stranger (thank goodness) spotting him. The family ahead of me asked, "Is he yours? Do you want to go ahead of us?" I started squeezing passed them on the ledge, and yelled to Sully, "Sully, you stay right there and wait for me!" Standing on the ledge at the top of the next ladder, he responded very sweetly, "OK Mommy! I will stay here!" I sped as fast as I could up the ladder and got a hold of him, and didn't let go. The next section was the most tricky, just some ancient moki steps, widened a little for modern feet, traversing the cliff face at an angle, with wire fencing and steel stakes driven into the rock for hand holds. At one point Sully lost his footing, and his left leg slid under the wire safety fence. I had a hold of the waist of his pants, stopped him, and lifted him back onto the step. But then the frightening thought occurred to me that a little guy like him could have slipped under the guard fence. I glanced down the shear cliff face, and tried not to think about it. I kept a very firm grip on his pants the rest of the climb out. Heights scare me. Especially with children.

The ruins were spectacular, and so fascinating. I would love to go and see the rest of the sites. The mesa is covered with them. I don't want to wait another 12 years to go again.

We drove on to Pagosa Springs that evening...another few hours down the road. Beautiful Pagosa Springs sits in the mountains at over 7,000 feet. The weather was lovely, in the 80's. We got to see great uncles and aunts and cousins who we haven't seen for years. I love those Rogers!

Abner kickin' it at one of the cute cabins at the lodge we stayed at.

A little Frisbee on the lawn 

Ducking for cover in a sudden down pour which dowsed our picnic plans at a waterfall up the canyon with the Bachand's, Hoffman's and my parents. 

Celebrating Sully's birthday

 The entire Douglas and Ilean Sullivan clan with Grandma Tiede.

A word about the orange shirts. There is something you should know about red heads: there are a few colors they should just NOT wear. Somehow our group color assignments at the family reunion have historically tended to end up in this forbidden color family. (They had us wearing yellow a few years back...never do that to a red head.) Sorry if you are overwhelmed by the monochromatic orange, that's a lot of orange.  Thank goodness we've married a few brunettes.

Over the bridge to the island on the pond

Best cousins

The Hamilton's

Grandma Tiede

Aunt Patsy talking about how she and Grandma Tiede are "the popcorn ball ladies of the Gila Valley" ...ha ha ha....love those two.

Uncle Andy and Aunt Ginger

My dad telling the story about how he and Grandma embarrassed themselves at Walmart/Sam's Club. (In their defence, they don't do a lot of shopping.)

Grace and Emory, bff's, having a sleep over in our cabin (Emory soon edged Grace out with her tossing and turning).

The next morning, with official permission, my Dad presided over an extended family sacrament meeting under the tent at the lodge. It was awesome.

Afterward, we loaded up the car (we only forgot about 10 things - which the lodge graciously agreed to ship the next day after I called them) and headed out. We had tentatively planned to drive home through Grand Junction  so we could stop to visit some old friends. But it turned out they were trying to leave on a trip that afternoon, and we were late getting out of Pagosa Springs, so we opted for Plan B: return by way of Delores and Telluride. I had never been that way, and Casey and Helen were going that way too, so we jumped on it. After a picnic in Delores under the shelter of a tree (it was raining again), we got into some of the most gorgeous country on earth, if you ask me.The highway through the Delores River valley up to mountains around Telluride is amazing! I don't think I have ever seen such beautiful ranches, so green and picturesque. The mountain roads were a bit windy and some of the kids got a little woozy. But just about the time our kids would get really sick, Casey and Helen would pull over because one of their kids had puked, so we'd stop, open all the windows, get some fresh mountain air, and have a nice break. Thanks Casey and Helen! ;) 

(Sorry it wasn't as much fun for you guys.)

The mountains are so BIG!

 The drive home took longer because of our detour through the mountains -- we finally pulled into the garage at about 10:45 PM -- where Noble stood anxiously in the kitchen door waiting to see us. (That did my heart good!)

Pulling out of the service station in Naturita, Colorado.

It was a road trip for the books. We packed a lot into 4 days. Just like any good road trip.