Mesa Verde, Canyonlands and the life of Riley

Mesa Verde was our destination, and we became absorbed in imagining what life was like around 1120 AD, living in a Native American agrarian-based village of hand-built multi-level apartment-like structures that were mounted under the ledge of a massive cliff. These dwellings were positioned under ledges of arroyos and river beds in the area near Cortez in SW Colorado.

 We hiked right down close to the habitation sites and photographed them, as stabilized by archeologists under the National Park Service. The late afternoon lighting created great textures and lines.

The following day, we explored the Canyonlands of Utah, starting in the "Needles" region and "NEWSPAPER ROCK"(see first video at end of post.) This is a full wall of petroglyphs filled by the multitudes of ancient travelers passing by.

 After a KOA cabin night, we meandered into the deep red rock walls leading us deeper into the amazing Arches National Park. (See photographs of the "Windows" section of the park). The German tourists love this area and they were out in droves, just as in the late 80s and early 90s when I first explored this area with my archeologist friend Keith. If you go to get absorbed in Utah's canyonlands and arches, you will hear the German language. With paid vacations of over a month, and an exchange rate heavily in their favor, they have plenty of time to explore landforms unlike anything they typically have access to at home.

And speaking of tourists, we got to thinking about Riley over the last few days. It seems like he truly "has the life". He sleeps in his comfortable and familiar berth (crate) which moves him (while we drive) to new parks, ecosystems and climates. He is introduced to new places to mark his territory, including fresh, intriguing new terra firma areas upon which to run and sniff.

 He gets his expected meal every evening, without as much as a credit card swipe, followed by steady admiration from other bi-ped travelers, and snuzzles and yips from other dogs criss-crossing our path. Later in the evening, he retires to his familiar blankets, arising to a morning bladder release, walk, with all droppings buried or disposed by us. After we pack the car, he gets hand-placed placed back into his mobile crate in order to be escorted to yet another destination, in air-conditioned comfort.

Mesa Verde: zoom in on the image, and examine a settlement, circa 1100 AD A.D...

Below: images of Arches and Canyonlands....

The petroglyphs of Newspaper Rock, and this is only a small portion....

Complex & beautiful arches appear nearly every mile or so:

In the photo above, you are looking at Flaming Gorge. Riley seemed too tired to emerge from his crate at this overlook. (He snoozes to the drone of the turning wheels, and he'd rather not be bothered at every stop.)

So, of the three of us,  just who has the best life on this trip? We suddenly felt like hard-working unpaid tour guides working on his behalf, navigating as he dreams of squirrel chases and meaty bones, and a smorgasbord of new smells in every new state. Yes, Riley seems to have the appropriate name. He is really living "the life of Riley." We have not retired, but Riley, at 63 in dog years, has got his retirement dialed in. I wouldn't be surprised if he even has a paw in the stock market.

To finish up the Canyonlands area, check out the video below of the amazing NEWSPAPER ROCK:
This newspaper was a long-term group effort, but no trees were killed to make this issue ! (See below)