AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 'DALES - 2008-2009

Lizzie writes:
On Friday, we set off on a little trek down to Mesa Verde. Along the way we made a slight, early morning detour to see Mary & Milt Gade, Scooby & Duff and head off for breakfast at The Hungry Bear in Woodland Park.
Apparently, Mary & Milt's beautiful home has a stunning view of Pike's Peak . . . when it isn't covered in cloud & snow. However, I did catch a great shot of Mary & the local grizzly:

The Hungry Bear had delicious buttermilk pancakes, great bacon & possibly the most extensive collection of teddy bears (eat your heart out, Sue Forrester) that I've ever seen. Here's just a sample:

The Mesa Verde was just fantastic -
an incredibly beautiful world on top of the world.

Not all of the park was open to us, but the Museum & Spruce Tree House were; also a whole circuit of sites cataloguing the development of habitation at Mesa Verde. However, the BIG bonuses were: a) lovely balmy, sunny weather; and b) hardly another soul around. From all the parking spaces & road signs, you can see that in the summer it's positively heaving.

Cousin Linda at Spruce Tree House

A rather tired looking me with
Cliff Palace in the background
They've had bad fires at the Mesa Verde in the past few years: this is the aftermath of the 2002 fire. Unlike Australia, the ecology here will take over 60 years to even start looking as though it's recovered.

Our route back took us through the Black Canyon -
again, just breathtaking scenery.
I am so lucky to have been able to see all this.

Just to prove that there ARE mountains visible from Mary's deck, she sent along these, taken on 15 March:

I see a dog who would just LOOOOVE to climb up that mountain!