October 5 Palo Duro Canyon

Happy 12th Birthday Xena!

We both heard the coyotes last night. I was a little nervous when it was time to take Xena out for her last pee of the day. She really didn’t take long as maybe she heard the coyotes also. We had scheduled a 10 AM 3 hour canyon tour so couldn’t really sleep in as we wanted to leave camp by 9:15. It’s just outside the park, but I needed to stop at the ranger station and drop off postcards and see if they could send a fax for me. I made those oatmeal pancakes. I really like them and Bill’s not object to them now. I cut up one of the huge peaches I got that were hard as rocks and had kept in the cupboard for 3 days. It was really good. Bill took Xena for a long walk and then we left at the scheduled 9:15 (imagine that). The ranger took my mail but said they only have incoming fax.

Smiley - Our touring car

Enjoying the view

Example of a Spanish  Skirt

We drove into the Elkins Ranch for our jeep tour. It’s not much to look at from the outside. They had 6-8 jeeps and suburbans that been cut off and roll bars welded on and canopy tops. There was another couple going on our tour so we got a suburban named Smiley that was painted to look like a cow with pink trim. A school teacher named Lee was our guide and she was one of the most knowledgeable guides we have ever had. She’s been doing these tours seasonally for a number of years and is an avid hiker and explorer and is a plethora of information on geology, fossils, history of the area and Indians and legends. Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the US. We were gone closed to 3 ½ hours and it was a great tour. She shared the history of ownership of the canyon. The state park has a section, Elkins Ranch owns a section as large as the park and the rest is all in parcels from 10 to 200 acres. We didn’t see any wildlife but fossils, hoo doos, caves, all kinds of rock formations such as Spanish skirts, beaver lodge remains (there was a severe high water 3 weeks ago and the beaver lodges were destroyed), just so many interesting things on our 15 miles drive. Now the drive itself was an adventure. Parts totally reminded you of a roller coaster when we get to the top and can’t see the bottom and going up out of the canyon she had to drive fast to keep from sliding back down and it was bumpy as all get out. We got to spend time on the canyon bottom and climb rocks and take tons of pictures and video. On the way down we stopped at a lookout where cowboys in the late 1800’s etched their names in the sandstone and then others have since. It was windy and over a huge directly down drop and she didn’t want me to go to the edge but get on my stomach and look over, so I did, as it wouldn’t be a good trip for me to fall hundred’s of feet into the canyon. Bill’s not much on adventure so he took my picture out on the edge.

Quite a balancing act - this is a Hoo Doo

Destroyed beaver lodge

On the way back to camp we stopped at the Visitor Center which has a small museum. The park was one that was built during the Depression by the CCC so there was a display about that and the geology, fossil finds, plants and animals. The view from the center down into the canyon was the best for this side of the canyon. Not much water flows year around but it gets high water on a normal basis of up to 5 ft from the lowest point and can get water up to 10 – 15 feet depending on the various tributaries. After lunch since it is Xena’s birthday we took her with us as we drove to the end of the park, crossing the 6 waterways, 5 of which had flood markers. We passed 2 more RV campgrounds and 2 tent sites, the horse rental stable and the Trading Post where you can get gas or diesel if you get desperate. Didn’t check the price but am sure it’s expensive to bring it down here.

I baked chicken breast with rosemary for dinner, made fried mashed potato patties and fresh squash. Later in celebration of Xena’s birthday I used 2 of my pound cake dessert cups to make cheesecake filled cake with fresh strawberries.

Our Cedar Creek neighbor stopped by for some info Bill said he’d share with them and we might see them at the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. They’re heading for Santa Fe at about the same time we are leaving for Albuquerque. With no internet I’m at least getting the journal written and my many photos for today downloaded and watching my shows. I’m not too excited about driving tomorrow. We hear it’s about 5 hours, that means at least 6 for us, so we should roll in by 3 or so.