Bandelier National Monument

Camped the Bandelier National Monument campground for a couple days. Took in the ruins.

Ruins

The long house

Checking out living quarters

The ruins below the cliffs a little city. I believe nearly 1oo people lived in this group of rooms

Link: http://www.nps.gov/band/

Truth or Consequences

Heading North from White Sands we stopped in Truth or Consequences for a dip in the hot springs at Riverbend hot springs. Nice vibe. They had pools at 102, 103, 106, 107 and 108 degrees. Relaxing yumminess. 

And Did You Know...

...You can go sledding on the dunes?!?!

Ready, Set...

...GO!

Looks like a good spot

WEEEEEE!!!

Video to come if I can get the flippin' thing to work!

Crossing into the Land of Enchantment

After the Chiricahuas we headed into New Mexico and to the White Sands National Monument. Dunes of white sand with the background of the dark mountains and blue sky. Serene and beautiful. We got to play in the sand like we were on a beach. 

Into New Mexico

Foot prints in the sand ripples

Photograph the photographer

Desert flowers

Charly with the dunes

Simplicity

Nature made sand castle

From the back you can see the plant and the roots of the plant go deep and when the sand drifts away it leaves these cool castle formations.

Serene Dunes

Rippled Dune

Chiricahua National Monument

Arrived Thursday night to our campsite after dark. A little spooky. Set up the tent while a 3-5 deer watched us in the dark. Their glowing eyes piercing the darkness. The next morning we woke to the beauty of the Chiricahua National Forest. Drove a difficult gravel road 30 miles to the Monument the next day and almost ran out of gas. Stayed in the campsite Friday night too. No deer tonight which for some reason makes us more nervous then the first night. There are bear in this neck of the woods. 

View directly above our tent

Campground

The Chiricahuas

Shazaam!

Alligator tree in Chiricahuas

Wonder Woman or She Hulk?

In the Grotto

Chiricahua National Monument link:  http://www.nps.gov/chir/

Leaving Arizona

Left Mesa today starting a little camping adventure. Setting forth for Chiricahua National Mounument. Then New Mexico. Then back to Arizona for the Grand Canyon. 

THE FLATIRON

...Or as we say, "The Flairtron" (an early error of pronunciation that stuck). To reach the Flatiron we take the Siphon Draw trail which is 1.8 miles from the trailhead to the top of the Flatiron. We start at an elevation of about 2160 ft and  end at 4,861 ft that's a 2,701 ft elevation gain in less then 2 miles. Challenging and fun!

We are heading way up there

Hiking up the trail (I'm wearing a new hat Charly made me!)

Rest time

Ahhh shade

Long way up here

Long way left to go

At the top

Collared lizard we found at the top.

Resting on a rock

Wow

At the top looking down at the trail head

Holy crap! We have to go all the way back down there?!

Climbing down

Beautiful Day