Sylvia's RV Journey

​ August 16, 2022 It’s noticeably darker in the morning and gets darker earlier in the evening now, even though it’s only mid August. I feel like we’re already turning towards the fall. I have not needed an alarm clock, but I needed to get up early this morning to make a drive, of over an hour away, to make my 9am tour. Fortunately I got up early and headed out on the road by 7:30 AM. I got to Cliff Palace in time for the tour, but was also a bit apprehensive wondering what was in store, or what would I endure? It was a large tour of almost 40 people. I volunteered to be the caboose, if necessary, and allowed others to pass me. Looking around the tundra I was confident that I was the oldest person, or perhaps one of the oldest in this group. There were several staircases in rock heading down into the canyon wall. This is considered a moderate hike, according to the National Park service. It was a beautiful tour along the cliff dwellings, yet very brief, as we headed towards more stairc...

​ ​August 15, 2022 I made it to Mesa Verde National Park. I had no trouble securing a spot in the campground and was rathe r stunned that this campground was quite vacant. Once I checked in, I could choose whatever site that I wanted to. And the challenge was finding one with some shade. Much of this area has been a victim of forest fires. From the signs, I could see that the most recent fires are 50 years old or newer. So I would suspect the fires have been going on since the beginning of time. I am nestled in between grambel oak, tightly clustered trees/bushes that are giving me some welcome shade. I am enjoying listening to the crickets this evening and also encountered several puffball mushrooms. Or at least I think that’s what they are. Too bad I’m not a mushroom eater, otherwise I might’ve won the lottery.  I enjoyed several Lookouts including the “knife‘s edge,” which apparently was one of the routes that all would’ve taken into this area in the turn of the last century. It ...