Albuquerque to Tonto...and then some

Internet connectivity here is a bit iffy, though when my hotspot works, it's a tad better than at home.  That is part of the reason it's been a week since my last post.  The other reason is that I've been....exhausted.  The altitude is  about 1,000 feet higher than Wise. I'm at the Visitor Center (VC) by 8 am  (Stop laughing, Mother!!!!).....and turtle  up to the Lower Cliff Dwelling (LCD) a hike of 1/2 mile with a 350 foot rise, and (I'm told) a slope of greater than 10%. We refer to it as "going up the hill." Had I not been working out with the magical Kim Justice at Livewise (https://www.facebook.com/LiveWiseFitness/?fref=nf), I would be toast!

Back next time with more on my dwelling place in the housing area.

Because of the internet iffiness, I don't check for comments very often, probably once a week.

Photos are taken with my cell phone so they are mediocre.

Never let it be said that the desert is without color. 

    

My home for the next two months, with Roosevelt Lake in the background. https://www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm

 

Trail to the Lower Cliff Dwelling.  Steep but paved.  With thousands of visitors each year hiking an unpaved trail, it would deteriorate quickly.

View of the trail from the LCD

Parking lot from LCD

Visitor Center....Small but wonderful museum and video

 

If you look carefully, you can see the Lower Cliff Dwelling above the balcony of the Visitor Center, to the right of the little saddle.

I'm an official volunteer, complete with shirt, badges, and an NPS bill cap.  Unfortunately, volunteers don't get a Smokey the Bear hat.  Oh well......I'm still not a docent!!  Several folks back home called me a docent.  Docents are little old ladies with blue hair and sensible shoes, or they're Junior Leaguer types with perfectly frosted hair and exquisite makeup.  I'm a Volunteer-In-Park (VIP) at https://www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm

 

  

Amber is an NPS archaeologist who lives in NPS housing here so cannot bring her beloved chihuahua.  Tobey benefits! 

When not vigilantly guarding me against....whatever...

Abbey lolls in the sun on the picnic table.

A volunteer pin which I've added to the patch that cousin Betsy sewed on my sew shirt.