Pinkerton Hot Springs, Colorado

 

Lexington, Massachusetts

 

 

 

On April 19, 1775, Lexington was the location of the first battle of the American Revolutionary War. Shots were fired from the Battle Green and the nearby Buckman Tavern. No one knows from where the first shot was fired, or by whom. From there the British marched on toward Concord. The battle in Lexington allowed the Concord militia time to organize at the Old North Bridge, where they were able to turn back the British and prevent them from capturing and destroying the militia's arms stores.

West Point

The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key role in the Revolutionary War. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, 50 miles north of New York City. The large chains that you see were actually strung across the Hudson River to stop the British from coming any further up in their ships. Amazing! I was in awe of the size and power of the Hudson; it was immense.

Waldon Pond, Massachusetts

 

 

 

 

Henry David Thoreau lived at Walden Pond from July 1845 to September 1847. His experience at Walden provided the material for the book Walden, which is credited with helping to inspire awareness and respect for the natural environment. Because of Thoreau's legacy, Walden Pond has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is considered the birthplace of the conservation movement.

The reproduction of his cabin looks just as I had it pictured in my mind from reading Walden. When they say pond in Massachusetts, we would say lake in Utah. It is larger than expected, though from reading his descriptions, I should have known it was larger than what I consider a pond. It is a beautiful place, though not as serene as it was in Thoreau's time.

West Point, New York

 

 

 

 

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, it is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. I loved their beautiful chapel. The soldiers were actually visitors from Kazakstan.

Hole in the Rock, Utah

 

 

 

 

This place has really changed, and it's fun for a quick stop. Check it out.

One Last Look at Mesa Verde

 

 

 

 

It just amazes me that there are cliff dwellings everywhere you look. Take a pair of binoculars or you're sure to miss something... probably will anyway. Wow! I love this place.

Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between A.D. 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas, or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural alcove measuring 216 feet at greatest width and 89 feet at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 60 to 80 people.

The cliff dwelling was first discovered in 1888, when two local ranchers chanced upon it while searching for stray cattle. A large tree, which they identified as a Douglas Spruce (later called Douglas Fir), was found growing from the front of the dwelling to the mesa top. It is said that the men first entered the dwelling by climbing down this tree, which was later cut down by another early explorer.

Just for the record, if I were going to live in one of the cliff dwellings, Spruce Tree House would be the one for me. It is low in the cliff and fronted by a narrow canyon that is beautiful and green. A walk down that canyon takes you to petroglyphs. It's amazing.

Far View, Mesa Verde

Far View was one of the most densely populated parts of the mesa from A.D. 900 to about A.D. 1300. Nearly 50 villages have been identified within a half square mile area, and were home to hundreds of people. Today, several excavated and stabilized sites are linked by a trail system within a short walking distance. These surface sites include Far View House, Pipe Shrine House, Coyote Village, Far View Reservoir, Megalithic House, and Far View Tower.

Ancestral Puebloans were living at Far View at least 200 years before they began building the more famous Mesa Verde cliff dwellings. Excavation also reveals that many Ancestral Puebloans chose to remain in their mesa top community well after many of their neighbors moved into the cliff alcoves

Wolf Creek Pass, Utah

 

 

 

 

Wolfcreek Pass is about 70 miles from end to end. Few people travel in this area so traffic is virtually nonexistent. The road leaves from the small town of Kamas. The road eventially opens back up into a wide valley. Pay attention to the rock formations on the south side of the road, the farther away you get from Salt Lake City the more red the rock becomes. Toward the end,visit the Hanna Cafe in Hanna. We call it the Hanna Hilton, and enjoy eating the greasy food and home made pie. Continuing past Hanna, the road winds through a narrow clay butte canyon, then heads on in to Duchesne.

Frightmares at Lagoon

Wow! If you want to have a great time with kids, this is the event for you. I could have stayed all night!