Whew! Too many states...

Left Pineville, MO headed west.  I don't like doing one-nighters but this required it.  Made it to OK City the first night, then Tucumcari the second night, Bernardo NM the third night.  My traveling companion (Mike N.) came up from Deming to join me.  We left for Albuquerque a day or so later and spent the Independence Day holiday with my son Wyatt, his wife Michelle, and their two girls, Taylor and Madison.  

On July 5, we left Albuquerque headed for Durango, CO.  About halfway to Durango, the right rear tire developed a SERIOUS leak.  O great...it's hot, the highway is busy, and we are pulled off the road in a minimally acceptable place.  Mike changed the tire and put the "doughnut" spare on the truck.  This is only supposed to be good for 50 or so miles.  Hhhhmmm, let's see...we are 90 miles from Durango, it's Sunday the Fourth of July weekend, and there is nothing open.  Mike talked with a state trooper in Cuba CO who told him the spare "should" be okay to Durango.  He said to run slow. 

We were very relieved to arrive at the park in Durango safely.  The next day, Monday, July 7, we spent getting the tire issue resolved.  We had planned to visit Chaco Canyon National Historical Park that day; we scratched that.  A trip for next year. 

 The next day we went to a park in Cortez, CO, parked the rig, and went on to Mesa Verde National Park.  See photos below.  

I had binoculars with me and looked for any evidence of safe paths to/from these dwellings.  The mortality rate for the clumsy or the young must have been considerable.

Next stop:  Arches National Park, Moab UT.