Mesa Verde was the next stop on the list.  A mesa is described as 'a large, flat raised area surrounded by a lower plain'.  Not sure if that is the correct definition but it seems appropriate for mesa's all over the world.  Once again not sure about that last statement but lets move on.  Way back in 750 when my Great Granddad number 34 was only a twinkle in my Great Granddad number 35's eye, a group of early Indians settled on top of Mesa Verde and started to develop a communal society, a distinct shift from the previous hunting and gathering that was the old ways.  The location was great, a south facing gentle slope that was rich in forest and deep in soil allowed for a yearly harvest of corn and squash.  Pits were dug for religious and family purposes initially before the next change led to houses of stone being built above ground.  The pits, called Kiva's, were still being used and were the central place of every little 'village' and still in use in Pueblo Indian societies.  The reason Mesa Verde is regarded as a magnificent example of ancient Pueblo Indian culture occurred around 1200 when they moved from the top of the mesa to the hollows that were just below the edge of the cliff.  In these hollows they constructed these 'cliff dwellings' that are still visible today and give a really good incite into what the life was 700 - 800 years ago.  We did a tour of the 'Balcony View' site, one of 5 that are open to tourists to visit (a guide in necessary though) and it was really cool to walk through the old ruins.  Since the site is well protected from the weather you can see original timbers that are used to built the buildings.  Through the process of dendrochronology (timber coring to determine the age of the wood) the experts could work out the exact date that each part of the dwelling was built.  The building next to me was built in 1243, just after winter, a wet one by the way.  The one behind me was built in 1244.  Just incredible to know the exact date.  The most famous cliff dwelling is 'The Cliff Palace' but it was closed due to 'end of season', basically summer's over.  Another site was open 2 days before we arrived but was closed immediately after some geotech experts advised that a section of the cliff above the ruin was in danger of falling pronto.  That is the problem with these sites.  The reason why the hollows were formed is the same reason why they will eventually be destroyed, the water seeping through the sandstone combined with the freeze/thaw that happens ever year WILL cause the cliff to collapse.  Need to see them now before it's to late.

The next day we took the Scenic Byway 145 that drove from Cortez up through Telluride, around through Richmond, back down to Ouray, over to Silverton along the 'Million Dollar Highway' and then into Durango.  It is a picturesque drive especially from Ouray to Silverton.  The start of that road is a little hairy.  Durango was only suppose to be an overnight stop-over but the town has a real nice feel about it so we stayed for 3 nights, plus Halloween was on the 3rd night and both of us haven't seen a ridgy-didge American Halloween night in action and thought that it would be fun to see.  Our first night we went to an old movie theater to watch Young Frankenstein starring Gene Wilder.  It was just a small place with an intimate gathering and interesting to watch a classic comedy on the 'big' screen, plus I was able to have a PBR.  Its a beer with my initials, what could be better.  We relaxed and walked around Durango on Friday and Saturday and then went for dinner on Saturday night as the ghouls and ghosts and Elsa's and Ninja Turtles started to appear.  It is starting to get colder in this part of the world but that didn't stop people wearing short skirts or t-shirts, I think that the population just like to get into the spirit of the night.  Except over in Colorado Springs were one guy decided to take out a real gun and shoot people, that's puts a downer on any party.