May 8, 2009

Phoenix to Cottonwood, National Monuments, Dinner with friends

We left Phoenix about 9:00am and arrived in Cottonwood around noon.  We parked the carbus at Dead Horse Ranch State Park and turned on the A/C.  After lunch we headed out on a small loop to see three national monuments.

First stop was Montezuma Castle.  It is not a castle and had nothing to do with Montezuma but that is what early discoverers called it and it stuck.  What it is is another cliff dwelling.  each one is unique and amazing what people created with no tools halfway up the side of a cliff.

Second stop was Montezuma Well.  It is not a well and also had nothing to do with Montezuma.  It is a large spring feed pool inside a sink hole.  The sink hole has a natural drain spot through the rock so there is constant circulation of the pool.  The early peoples channeled the outflow to irrigate their crops.  Again, doing something with nothing.

Last stop was Tuzigoot NM.  This is a ruins built on top of a knoll in the middle of a very fertile valley that is farmed still today.

Portion of ruins

 

Interior view showing construction of roof.  Some of the beams are original.

Lots of water and good land here.

After our tour we returned to the carbus to clean up and took a short drive to the home of Ken and Kathy Ritchie to visit and have a very nice dinner.  Ken and Kathy moved to Arizona three years ago after being lifelong Californians.  They have a lovely house that both of them have put much effort into making it a special place.  It was a nice evening of talk and reminiscing.  Would be nice to be able to do it more often.