4 Wheels 4 Girls

April 22nd, we went to Arches National Park.

When we got there we watched a movie about how the arches were formed and got our junior ranger packet. The arches were formed when thin layers of sediment and rock were forced up through the ground many years ago. These thin layers are called fins. We also saw in the movie when a large, 70 foot long, piece of Landscape Arch fell and learned that now the thinnest part is only 6 feet thick.

Sandstone fins rise up into the sky

After the movie, we started a hike to the Landscape Arch. We saw lots of deer prints and think we saw mountain lion prints. Me and Stella also fooled my mom by making fake footprints. We could see lots of fins. They were lots of different sizes, from very tall to very small. They were skinny and lots of different colors, reds, yellows, whites and some were even purple. When we got to the Landscape Arch we could see where the chunk of rock fell.

Us at Landscape Arch

On the trail to Landscape Arch we hiked up one of the fins. At the top we could see another arch, called Partition Arch.

Hiking up one on the fins on the Devil's Garden Trail

On the way back, we had to climb down between two fins. It was hard and in one part you had to walk sideways because it was so skinny.

Climbing down between two fins

After that we went to Pine Tree Arch. I think they call it Pine Tree Arch is because it has a pine tree under it. After that we turned around and started our hike back.

Pine Tree Arch

On April 17th we went to Hovenweep National Monument in Utah. When we got to Hovenweep my dad and Ana went and got our Juiour Ranger packets. We had breakfast and then did our work. After we did our packets we went into the visitor center. We were going to get our badges but then my dad said no and so we started our trail.

Behind us is a little house build inside a boulder. Awesome!

When we got going my dad spoted a lizard then another and another and another. We saw some ruins and then Greta saw a lizard that had a frill on its neck. We saw 17 lizards in all.

A very cute lizard!

After that we did our junior ranger hiking-bingo and looked for birds. Our dad told us that the the ancestral pueblo people who lived in Hovenweep had to put rocks and then mud to fill up the gaps that the big rocks did not cover.

That's Hovenweep Castle across the canyon behind us. It is built using big and little rocks.

After that we got pictures and started our way back. On the way back we saw a beetle that had a turquoise head. My dad said its head was beautiful.

Ana was the only one of us who could fit under this rock on our trail

When we got back we went turned in our juiour ranger packets. After that we got to pick out a certificate. I chose the one with a mountin lion on it. After that we got to pick a normal junior ranger badge or one of the badges that they made. I got a badge that they made. Then we left and hit the road.

I saw my first coyote! It was crossing the road as we drove up onto Mesa Verde on April 16th. It was gray and brown. All of a sudden he pooped and then he kicked dirt over it and trotted off.

Mom took this picture of the coyote on the side of the road. If you look closely you can see it behind the bush.

On April 14th, we went to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. We were going to hike on the dunes. We had breakfast and then we went into the Visitor Center. They told us that we should go to a different parking lot, closer to the dunes. We saw deer along the road. We drove for a short while. We had to get our snow gear on. After that we finally got on our hike.

I ran to the front because I was so happy. When I stepped in the sand, I thought it was mud and I jumped over part of the sand. I started to run and it felt really weird with my feet sinking in the sand. I waited for everybody to catch up and then I started to run again. We walked on the flat sand for a long time. The flat sand was actually a dry creekbed which fills with melting snow every summer and carries sand from the dunes away for the wind to blow back on top of the dunes all over again. Then we came to our first dune. It was small but we could see the dunes were going to get much bigger.

The fresh snow made beautiful patterns on the dunes as it blew around and began to melt away

I lead us up the big dunes. It was hard at first, but it got easier to walk up the dunes. [Editor’s note: It was easy for Ellie; the rest of us were huffing and puffing the whole way up.] We got thirsty and my mom told us to lick the snow off the dunes and try not to get sand in our mouth.

Licking the snow on the way up.

We continued up the bigger dunes toward the peak of High Dune. At the top of one dune I thought we were at the top, but on the other side was just a big drop and taller dunes. When my dad caught up, he told me we should wait for the rest of our family.

That's me leading the way up the dunes. Come on, everybody!

Then I lead the way to the very top. When I got there, I shouted with joy and almost fell down the side of the dune. When everyone else got to the top I hugged them. Greta was grinning from ear to ear. At the top, I saw the Sangre de Christo mountains all around, and I saw even bigger dunes stretching a long ways away.

That's me at the very top of High Dune!

We rested at the top and then started our hike down. Stella lead us down the dunes until I cut in front of her, and then we ran down together.

Being in the dunes made me feel happy to be there.

April 12 we headed to my dad’s friend’s home to spend the night. His name is David.  He lives near Ojo Caliente, NM. When we got out of the RV, we saw two polar bears. At least we thought they were polar bears; they were really big, fluffy, cute, furry, friendly dogs. They were almost as tall as me, and a lot bigger.

Visiting our favorite friend in New Mexico

We had dinner at david’s friend’s house. His name is Filipe. He is an Apache artist; he makes pottery. We had spaghetti and salad for dinner. I had red sauce with tofu in it, and it was spicy! We also had yummy garlic bread and, after dinner, ice cream with chocolate syrup on it. We met a girl named Rose who was seven years old and went to the Waldorf school. David told us that Filipe would burn leaves and read the smoke and tell people how to fix their problems.

On April 11th, we drove to Santa Fe. We walked to a church. When we got inside we saw the “miracle staircase.” We heard a story about some nuns who prayed for a staircase from the chapel floor to the choir loft. A carpenter came and built the staircase using no nails, only wood. Once he was finished he left and asked for no money. People tried to figure out who the man was. When they first used it they were scared because it had no railing. They got another man to build a railing for them. We saw a picture of the nuns using the miracle stircase. The nuns were all standing on the stiarcase. We listened for a little while and then we left to go and look in the gift shop. After that we started our walk.

The "Miracle Stairway" in Santa Fe, NM

On April 7th, we went to a KOA campground near Albuquerque. When we got to the campground, I liked it already. It had a playground, pool, and a volleyball court. When we got there we ran right to the playground. It had two swings, a seesaw, and a spin-y thing. We played until we had dinner and went to bed. In the morning we got free pancakes at the KOA’s “Winter Kafe.” When we looked out the window of the Kafe, we saw Sandia mountain.

Sandia Peak is out our breakfast window.

After free pancakes we did some school work. After that we went to go play volleyball. We played and then my mom came and played with us. She tought us how to play. When we had to go get the ball we got thorns in our feet. It reaily hurt our feet. Me and Ana played horses while my mom and Stella played volleyball. It was an awesome campground. The next day we meet a boy. He became our friend. We played with him for along time. Most of the days were nice. There was a lot of sun. We stayed there three whole days.

We saw neat houses made out of mud and water. The Acoma people learned how to make Adobe houses from the spanish. We walked until we came to a cemetary. Gary told us that the men made the walls to keep the spirits of the dead people inside and the women brought all the dirt and coved the dead people with dirt that they carried up the cliffs from the valley below. Then we went into the church. It was big and tall. Gary told us stories. Then we came out and saw people selling pottery. We walked and learned about sky city. To our surprise, a guy who was selling blue birds gave us each one for free. That made us all so happy. After that we said thank you and then left. Later on the walk we saw people selling pies and cookies. We got blue berry pie and apple pie. Then we saw another person selling pie. We got more pies. We got peach and cherry.

This is near the top of the stairway down from the mesa

At the end of the tour, we could either take the bus down our walk down. We walked until we finally got to the bottom. When we got to the bottom it started to rain. We all ran to the RV and got back on the road.

We learned lots of facts about the Navajo from Kenneth. We learned that each Navajo has four clans, one from each grandparent. He said that when Navajo get married, they have to marry outside their four clans. We learned that the Canyon de Chelly has to branches. The south branch is called the Canyon de Chelly. The north branch is called the Canyon de Muerte, which means the canyon of death. It got that name because a spanish priest and soldiers killed more than 500 Navajo women and children there.

We learned that the Navajo still live and farm in the canyon. Land is passed down from mother to oldest daughter. If a Navajo wants to own and farm land in the canyon, they have to ask three neighbors for land and permission. If one of the three says no, the Navajo is not allowed.

In the canyon, they plant corn, beans, squash, watermelon, cantaloup, and tomatoes. They also plant peach, apricot, cherry, and pear trees. We learned that horses are very important to the Navajo people. I saw lots of horses in the canyon. I even saw two foals. The navajo horses were smaller and had bigger heads than other horses I have seen.

Navajo houses were called hogans. They are round and made out of sticks and mud. Hey Nell, isn’t that neat that the Navajo live in hogans?

Anasazi houses on the ground and up on the cliff

The Anasazi ruins in the cliffs had doors that looked more like windows than doors. The did that so the kids wouldn’t get out and fall. They built their houses up on cliffs so if it flooded it would not reach them.

On April 3rd, we went on a hike to Horseshoe Bend, a part of the Colorado River just below the Glen Canyon dam. When we got on our hike I liked it already. We started our hike and got lots of sand in our shoes. We saw neat plants and cool rocks. We walked for a long time until we got to the canyon. When I got to look out over the edge my mouth dropped open when I saw Horseshoe Bend. There was the Colorado River and there was a bridge that was made out rocks.

The Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River

We looked for a while and then we started our trip back to the RV.

Greta and my dad looking 1000 feet down into Horseshoe Bend

When we got back to the RV, Greta and Stella saw jewelry. They each got a pair a earrings. Then we got back on the road.