May 13 "4 wheels on a gravel road"

(thanks for the title, Lucinda Williams)

Yep, that was us, turning off the highway to Chaco. Then the gravel becomes a “maintained” dirt road and then degrades further to an “unmaintained” dirt road, accented by washboard sections, deep ruts and crossing washes with signs that say “don’t cross if there is water.” For 12 miles! But what’s at the end of the road makes you forget the bone-shaking experience of getting there. And, the bad road is probably what keeps the crowds out of Chaco, which is a relief.
https://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm 

Sasha was game for Chaco even with her very early morning arrival. Barb opted for a day of rest and art. We started out reasonably early but had to return her car rental and get her signed on to our trusty Jeep. With getting lost in Farmington, that took about an hour. So we arrived Chaco at noon, just as the sun was beginning to bake everything. We sat under a shady ramada and fortified ourselves with lunch.

                                      

First stop:Pueblo Bonito – the largest of the ruins.   

The sun was relentless, so finding shade along the way became part of the tour experience. 

We also took a tour in the heat of the day to Pueblo del Arroyo, one of the few ruins not against the canyon wall.  (more to come . . . .)