July 24th - Day 42
It is hard to believe, but we have now completed 6 full weeks of our summer adventure. Countless memories have been created already on this trip and we hopefully have many more to make.
We started our morning at Big Meadows Reservoir, before heading off to Mesa Verde National Park where we will spend the next couple of days. At Mesa Verde we are being joined by former neighborhood friends who now live in Colorado; Jennifer, and her two teens, Mikayla and Tyler. We first met the three of them when Aubrey was heading into the 3rd grade and Becca was at the school helping with a new family orientation. They were new to Portland and the neighborhood and we quickly connected as Aubrey and Tyler were in the same 3rd grade class. While they were only in Portland for a couple of years, our families grew close.
A few highlights from the day:
Prior to heading out for the day, we went on a small hike to a waterfall that was just beyond our campsite. It was a great way to start the day.
The RV chugged along as we drove over the highest pass yet of this trip, at 10,800 ft in elevation. We made it, but were not moving fast. At the top, we were rewarded with crossing the Continental Divide. Unfortunately, unlike when we crossed it heading east, there was no lingering snow on the ground and we were unable to throw a few snowballs. Only Becca and the older girls ventured across the highway for photos.
Along our drive, we saw signs for the Chimney Rock National Monument and decided to stop. We were not disappointed. Chimney Rock (not to be confused with other Chimney Rocks) was a place of great significance to the Pueblo Native Americans. At Chimney Rock, the Pueblos built a number of dwellings, including a ceremonial structure high upon a ridge, looking directly at Chimney Rock. We were fortunate to be able to hike up the ridge and see these sites that are over 1,000 years old.
We finished the day at Mesa Verde National Park where we met up with Jennifer, Mikayla, and Tyler to camp for a couple nights. We are thankful that it worked out for them to join us for a portion of our adventure and that we could connect with them in person for the first time in 4 years. They like others we have visited with along the way had never met our Obadiah.
A few pictures from the day:
