PETRIFIED FOREST NP to WALNUT CANYON NM

PETRIFIED FOREST NP to WALNUT CANYON NM

27 Apr

The snow was gone, but the winds remain. Just on the horizon from the casino parking lot we could see what the snow left behind from higher elevation on the San Francisco Peaks. As we got ready to depart Twin Arrows Casino the RV would not start. With my trusty Coach-Net road side assistance I was able to get our rig started. I was thinking they would send someone out to jump start us. However, like I said before I have to learn the hard way; today was no different, I learned about the emergency starter our rig has. It pulls the power from our house batteries and I was able to start the RV. I don't know if it's was because of the cold weather or the battery itself; anyways I'll have to make a stop to get these checked out too.

San Francisco Peaks

Walnut Canyon NM
http://www.nps.gov/waca/index.htm

Entrance fee is $5 a person. As you exit the back of the visitor center you can see the mountain and see the dwelling were the Sinagua people once called home. We took the path to the bottom as far as we could. The path at one time make a loop, but a few years ago there was a rock slide and has blocked the path. We walked down to were the path stopped and returned to the way we came. The path was narrow, I could just image how parents was cautious for there young not to get to close and fall off the edge. I stood there looking across the canyon and could see dwelling on the other side. They must have had to communicated by smoke, because I could not see no other way to get to the other side without a long up and over or down and around. This area was also know for having little water in the summer months, but they still became great dry framers. The rivers would be flowing during flood season and dried up in the summer. They must have had to store water from rain fall and during flood season enough for every person living in the dwelling. Some of the building along the mountain edge must have been used for storage and other for cooking. The Sinagua people must have been really small people. I'm not a tall person in any means, but when I stood by one door ways I would have had to duck to enter.  In 1915 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Walnut Canyon a National Monument to preserve the ancient cliff dwellings.

 

While walking back to the RV I noticed the TV antenna looked to be bent.  I cranked the antenna to it's full and upright position. Unfortunately, I was right the TV antenna was bent and the rod was in two. I was able to get the antenna down with no problem. All the wind pounding the roof last night I did hear a lot slamming, that's must have been when the antenna bend. After I stop and get the bikes off the ladder I will have to get on the roof and check the damage. Bad luck comes in threes ... WHAT'S NEXT...?

As we tried to start the RV to drive to our next destination, the RV would not start. After using the emergency starter once again, we decided that we would stop at the next Camping World we pass to get the RV checked and fixed. With it being Sunday the garage was closed, so we left our RV and went to a motel for the night.