This picture is worth about seven words.
On day four we rolled out of our tents and drove into town in our rental car. After breakfasting at Denny's we hit the road for Mesa Verde National Park. On the way we passed a few riders headed in the same direction. The weather was beautiful, maybe a little warm, but the skies were clear.
This picture is worth about seven words.
The first thing you notice when you get to Mesa Verde is how much of the park has been burned over. Most of the damage took place in 2000, but 2002 was so dry that parts of the park were closed to visitors for fear that they could not be evacuated in time should a fire break out. In the few areas that were not burned over, crews were at work clearing brush from the roadsides to prevent sparks from vehicles or carelessly discarded cigarettes from starting a conflagration. Nevertheless the park was closed due to another big fire shortly after we left Colorado.
From the Fires in 2000.
Mandatory cliff dwelling photo. Note burned trees on top.
Back at Camp, refreshed and ready to ride.