#12 in the series.

We’re in our last week. We’ve covered a lot of territory, seen so many things, and talked to so many people. The temperature has climbed considerably in the past few days. Early morning hikes are best, there’s just too much sunshine to do much in the afternoon. The humidity has been running 13 to 18 percent and it’s hard to stay hydrated.

The camper water heater sounded an alarm the other day. It turns out the incoming water was hotter than the set temperature!

Canyon dust (or spice melange) is ubiquitous and permeates everything. Even the clouds were pink yesterday, their undersides tinted by reflection from the sandy desert.

One early morning, we were hiking along a sandy two-track. The area was open for grazing, with cow dung scattered among the bushes and grasses. I became lost in thought and I heard Patrica say, “Snake.” She was a few steps behind me and as I turned back toward her, the little rattlesnake scooted back into the den it had apparently commandeered from a lizard. A cozy little spot with a shady bush nearby. It had created a little depression in the sand and was enjoying the morning – and I had nearly stepped on it.

Knowing how my mind works and the fact we were coming back this way, I marked the location on my GPS app. We hiked on up to the gap in the Comb. There was a good-sized ruin and the gap was nice and flat, probably even suitable for agriculture a thousand years ago. Oddly, we didn’t find any rock art, who knows why.

On the return I watched for my GPS waypoint and, you guessed it, our friend was back in his spot. I am not sure which species, maybe a “western” rattlesnake. As we investigated, he scooted back in his lizard hole and he never rattled.

Notice my sandal print. Mind how you go.

The day was rewarded with some fantastic pottery sherds, maybe the biggest we’ve seen. Patricia has the eye and spied them both, just lying on the ground.

It’s important to put them back where you found them, for a number of reasons:

• An archaeological survey relies on placement to piece together how people lived. Putting them on display or in a pile destroys that information.
• Pulling them out and placing them on rocks ruins the experience of discovery for the next visitor.
• It’s flat out illegal to take them, according to President Theodore Roosevelt’s awesome Antiquities Act of 1906.
• These are sacred things to many tribes.

Again, mind how you go.

So far, the only souvenirs we’re bringing backer the stickers and spines in my feet! Ah, the memories…

Today we finished up our last day. In general, we’ve had 30 to 60 visitors a day, today was 54. It’s a bittersweet thing for sure. We hope to be back next year, and we wish the best for the BEEC and VWR. And especially for Kirsten and Carolyn, as they continue their mission of education and respect.