4-Corners area...

[BOHICA]

trip got weathered out (rain, sleet, snow and cold *ss temps). I planned a 7-10 trip that would take me roughly in a CCW direction around 4-Corners starting in Canyon de Chelly, over to Chaco Canyon, up to Mesa Verde, over to Hovenweep, Valley of the Gods, Canyonlands, Monument Valley and back to Phoenix. The forecast looked pretty good and temps in Phoenix were in the high 70s while getting my gear packed and vehicle ready to depart. The first night in Chinle the skies opened up and poured. I was expecting the Navajo guides to cancel the canyon tour but we were on. It was my first trip into the canyon (north) albeit an abbreviated one due to the rain swollen creek.

Spanish Expedition Pictograph


DSCF0223.jpg by kenbelt, on Flickr


DSCF0224.jpg by kenbelt, on Flickr

I kept driving in a somewhat random pattern trying to avoid the rain, sleet and snow finally giving up after almost getting bogged down in the mud and headed to Hovenweep and hard asphalt.

The rain filled skies made for a dull and monotonous background...


DSCF0256.jpg by kenbelt, on Flickr

But was able to capture a few shots that reflect the hardships of the canyon's early inhabitants...


DSCF0285.jpg by kenbelt, on Flickr

 

[NMC_EXP]

Overcast does not help the mood, but it is not all bad for eyeballing scenery and photography - the colors and relief are just different from periods with full sun.

Bummer the trip was shortened.

Regards

Jim

 

[Martinjmpr]

If you're like most of us here, you'll take a "bad" (weather) day exploring over a "good" day working any time!

Great pics. The Spanish Caravan one is awesome - I've never seen a pictograph that depicts a verifiable historical event. That must be at Canyon de Chelly? Only reason I ask is that I've been to Chaco and I didn't see it there, never been to Canyon de Chelly.

Great time of year to be out there, though. I'm guessing you pretty much had the place to yourself!

 

[Willman]

Nice shots!

 

[gene]

Reason you did not see the pictographs of the Spanish is that Chaco culture at Pueblo Bonito preceded the Spanish by over 400 years. Pueblo Bonito was built from around 900 to 1100 AD. The alignment of the Chacoan villages to the sun and the especially the moon (which follows an 18.5 year cycle) is the most accurate of any archaeological site on earth. Pueblo Bonito took 250 years to build with perfect lunar architecture and this was at a time when written script did not exist.

This video that I recommend to you can only be had by buying it. But I must say, it will blow your mind. Pueblo Bonito lunar research is the most unanimously supported hypothesis by the archaeological community: http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/mocchv.html