Another beautiful day in American SW. We took a drive out to Hovenweep National Monument; the trip out took us through rolling hills and farmland, the road back went first through Navajo land, then through a very pretty river bottom.

The monument was the main attraction though. A very kind ranger got us oriented, and we set off on a two mile loop hike around a canyon. The path took us clambering down into the canyon and back up again on the other side, eighty feet down and eighty back up…over very rocky terrain.

The payoff was the chance to see Anasazi dwellings at a much closer range than we could at Mesa Verde. The buildings date back to 1200 AD or so, and show an amazing level of ingenuity. It’s quite something to see how those peoples survived and prospered in that place and its environment.

The afternoon was much quieter. We got caught up on stocking our larder, and did some reading before tonight’s driver’s meeting. After the meeting we were treated to a showing of The Long Long Trailer, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Funny movie, and the mountain roads looked familiar to some of our fellow travelers.

Tomorrow is moving day; we take a short drive to Durango. Tomorrow night the group goes to a chuckwagon dinner with western music show following. Should be fun!