handwritten on July 5, 2016
This morning we were able to enjoy a nice tour around Monument Valley. We were able to see a variety of rock formations and stopped to look at some authentic Native American jewelry. Later, we looked with wonder at the greatest natural wonders of all time-the Grand Canyon. The rock formations were breathtaking, the colors beautiful and the landscape unbelievable. The river that runs through the canyon is 277 miles and 6 million years old. The river no longer runs out to the ocean because of the drought that has occurred recently. If you wanted to flow through it, you would have to float for two weeks. In addition, there are level four rapids- certainly not something you would attempt...
handwritten on July 5, 2016
Today we moved toward Mesa Verde National Park and spent a large portion of the day learning about ancient Native American cultures. The first major destination was The Mesa Verde National Park created in 1906 to preserve the works of man whereas all the other parks were made to preserve the natural beauty. A long time ago the Native Americans made these cliff dwellings. During the winter they were facing the sun therefore it was warmer in the cliff dwellings. In the summer, it would have been cooler in the cliff dwellings.
They also got more rain and so maybe they came up here so they could grow more food. Also, the individuals living were protein deficient here. People wandered why they...
handwritten on July 5, 2016
We went to Arches National Park in the morning. In 1970 they only knew about 90 arches and now we know there are 3,000 arches. The wildlife in this national park varies during the night and day. In the night you will see cayotes, rats, bats, mice, scorpions and snakes. During the daytime most creatures are hiding in the shade though you may see some lizards in the sun. There is a reddish sand that can be found in the national park. The dark paths seen are composed of cyanobacteria and other microrganisms. This helps to keep the soil fertile and roots from the juniper in the ground.
The first stop we went to was known as the balancing rock. A big bolder of sandstone was balancing on a thin...
handwritten on July 5, 2016
Today we traveled up to Vail, which is a pretty popular ski resort for those who do ski. Vail receives around 300 inches of snow per year whereas Denver receives very little due to the lower elevation. On our way up, we passed the Red Rock ampitheatre which has excellent acoustics. Its a huge outdoor ampitheatre and one of the best nationally. In addition, it is used as an outdoor venue for crossfit and various exercise groups.
We landed in Vail and spent a few hours there. It honestly looks like a small German/European town in the midst of the Rockies. There were plenty of outdoor shops and food vendors and the Vail Jazz group was playing as well. In the summer, every Sunday, vendors are...
handwritten on July 5, 2016
We spent most of the day driving to Denver today. Denver is a huge city with a lot of nightlife. From spending most of our days looking at vast landscapes, Denver appeared even larger than it actually is. We spent our time walking around the city of Denver, looking at the main street art vendors, attending a local block party and viewing the various malls and hotels.
