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Hosting and Toasting, 2018
  • HerbAvore
  • HerbAvore

Hosting and Toasting, 2018

Much of 2018 will be spent volunteering at Hovenweep National Monument and Canyonlands National Park and attending family weddings. In between, we will try to find a place to live. Read more
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  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Town Hall, setting for annual reunions by descendants of former slaves
    Former Nicodemus town hotelDoll at Brown v Board Museum used to inatill a sense of inferiority in black children

    Pioneers [KS]

    June 30, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Kansas. Home to such extremists as Kris Kobach, John Brown (well, not so much), and the Koch brothers. But as we were set straight again by the Park Service, Kansas was also fertile ground for advances by African Americans.

    Brown v Board, Topeka, KS. Legal short hand for the Supreme Court decision that technically abolished separate but equal accommodations. Practically, what it did was push racism underground; until the current administration.

    The small town of Nicodemus, KS was established by former slaves fleeing post-Civil War oppression in Kentucky. It's a heartening story of generations of African Americans overcoming a harsh environment and thriving. Unfortunately, as with many rural towns it withered as young people left for better jobs.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    The chimnies at Chimney Rock
    Reconstructed giant kiva. On the horizon is anoher villiage halfway to Chaco.Another reconstructed giant kivaMothraClimbing the mountain up to the penthouse kiva

    Chimney Rock NM [CO]

    July 12, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Having joined the San Juan Basin Archaeology Society this spring we are now completely entranced by all things Anasazi. In addition to monthly presentations by area archaeologists we also participate in guided field trips to nearby ruins.

    Our most recent field trip was to Chimney Rock National Monument located about an hour east of Durango. The volunteer docent leading the trip was a new friend of ours in the area, Michael Stillman.

    Chimney Rock is particularly interesting because as an "outlier" it displays many characteristics of it's "parent," Chaco Canyon, but also exhibits additional ceremonial features such lunar calendars.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Pam, Michael, Hunter and Lorraine. Shark Tooth mountain in the backgroundColumbine on the slopes of Shark Tooth Pass

    Shark Tooth Pass [CO]

    July 14, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We've been hiking once or twice a week since moving in last month. Sometimes they've been group hikes with Seniors Outdoors or the San Juan Mountains Organization. The best ones have been just the two of us or with Pam and Michael Stillman.

    Last month we hiked with the Stillmans up to Shark Tooth Pass in the nearby La Plata Mountains. The drive was thrilling as we four-wheeled over sharp-edged boulders the size of basketballs. The reward was a moderate hike to a pass with grand vistas.

    Yesterday the two of us headed out the front door to climb Animas Mountain City Park. Don't let the name fool you. It was the most difficult hike we've done in months. Seven miles round trip but it was a 1600-foot climb of ankle-challenging loose rock. Again, however, the views were spectacular.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Petroglyph or the work of some kid with a crayon?
    Lorraine with an image of a mccaw.Mountain lion?Turtle?Who knows? Couldn't get close enough to see anything.

    Petroglyph Nat'l Meh [Albuquerque]

    August 15, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    The morning began at the Zia Pueblo north of Albuquerque where we watched a hundred dancers in native costumes celebrating some Catholic saint. Which seems odd considering what the church did to their ancestors hundreds of years ago.

    Then it was on to Petroglyph National Monument which touts the highest concentration of rock art in the Western hemisphere. Tens of thousands spread over several square miles. The first site leads you on a roughly paved trail up a steep slope where you get up close and personal with dozens of glyphs.

    Alas, this was all a tease. The next site in the park is a sandy trail that over two miles reveals exactly zero petroglyphs. Oh, we could have brought binoculars but the thrill was gone. The Monument was a meh.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Recreated images of deities at Coronado
    Restored church walls at Jemez Historic SiteRestored adobe walls at Coronado Historic SiteRestored church walls at Jemez Historic Site

    Coronado Historic Site [Albuquerque]

    August 16, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Francisco Coronado. Not exactly a patron saint of Native Americans. But the first park we visited today, an ancient Pueblo that predated the Spanish, was named after him. Despite the misnomer Coronado Historic Site is all about the ruins of Kuaua Pueblo. This site's claim to fame are the amazingly preserved murals from a 14th century kiva. Alas, photos are not allowed of the original walls but they were indeed remarkable images mostly dealing with various rain-making deities. One of them was even peeing rain.

    Then it was on to Jemez Historic Site, an unfortunate reminder of what the early Catholic church did to native American culture centuries ago. There was a restored kiva but most early Indian structures were, not surprisingly, buried by a nearby road. The church walls had been restored by the CCC in the 30s.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    View from atop Capulin Valcano
    Alibates flint castoff centuries ago by Native Americans as unusableFlint sharper than a surgeon's scalpelLorraine sits carefully on a lightning struck bench at Capulin NMView from Capulin crater rim

    South by Southeast [NM & TX]

    August 31, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Hit the road yesterday, headed for Austin and Robyn and Doug's wedding. Of course, we couldn't resist detours to see anything with National Monument in it's name.

    First stop, Capulin NM in Northeast New Mexico. While it's not particularly striking in appearance it offers a nice lesson in volcanology. Great views, too.

    Also took a ranger-led hike at Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument near Amarillo, Texas. This highly desirable flint of dozens of colors, was traded by Native Americans as far away as Tierra del Fuego.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Luke, Robyn, Doug, Brendan, Elliott and Sarah
    Lorraine and RobynElliot, Brendan, Robyn and LukeThe ceremony

    Austin Hitchin'

    September 2, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    At a gathering of the extended Camarata-Bohrer and McCann-McCleary clans Robyn and Doug were hitched. The highlight of the wedding procession (besides Doug and Robyn) was to be their English bulldog. Alas, he was recovering from surgery and couldn't make it. So Brendan carried our grandson Elliot down the aisle. The other missing highlights were the wedding rings. They turned up an hour after the ceremony. Question is, are they still legally married?

    Anyway, it was great fun. We especially enjoyed meeting the new extended Bohrer family and getting together with all of our relatives and out-of-town friends for a weekend of revelry.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Archives at LBJ Library

    Backtracking

    September 4, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Before heading back to Durango we visited the Texas haunts of LBJ. As children of the 60s we have pretty strong opinions about the man. They are correct but woefully unbalanced. The Vietnam debacle is only half of the story. He also accomplished many remarkable things, particularly for minorities, children and the elderly.

    Also visited the grave of Buddy Holly in Lubbock. Just imagine the music he would have created had he lived even as long as Mozart who died at 35.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Hunt, Lorraine, Linda, John out for a stroll on the slick rock
    Fremont handsCairn sunriseSunrise over CanyonlandsRainbows over Squaw Flat campground

    Deja View

    September 19, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We returned to Canyonlands NP for the fall tour as campground hosts. Greeting us are multi-colored rocky spires and campers with fascinating life stories. The beauty also attracts friends as our ranger compatriot Paula from Hovenweep and long-time friends from Ft Collins, Linda and John Mahan, have also sync'd visits to the park with our tenure.Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Pregnant bison petroglyph
    The Great Hunt panelTemple Mountain Fremont rock art; eight foot tall figures.

    Nine Mile Canyon-- Avenue of Ancient Art

    September 24, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We spent the afternoon rock art hunting in Nine Mile Canyon east of Price, Utah. This remote canyon actually contains mile after mile of rock art dating back 1000 years to the Fremont culture and up to 18th century Utes. By some estimates there are 10,000 images on these canyon walls.

    At the upper reaches of the canyon we saw "The Great Hunt" panel. Archaeologists believe that with such detail this panel may depict an actual bighorn sheep hunt from centuries ago.

    The highlight of the canyon was a glyph of a pregnant bison; complete with a horned baby bison in utero. And women think they have tough deliveries.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Lorraine amid the goblins
    Where the goblins emergeA goblin arch?

    Goblin and Friends

    September 25, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Our first day off from hosting began on a creepy note. We went to the restaurant next to our motel in Green River, Utah for breakfast. The place was deserted. Our hostess took us to the booth in front of the TV, which was playing Fox and Friends. We thought we were in a re-education camp.

    I asked her if she could mute it or change it to the Shopping Channel. She said it was their policy to always leave it on Fox during business hours. Wow! And you thought goblins only came out at night.

    Then it was on to Goblin Valley State Park where we hoped to find refuge with real goblins.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Bruce, Deborah, Hunt and Lorraine
    La Sal Mountains with Canyonlands in the foregroundToad kabob?Scanning the potholes for signs of lifeHunt and Bruce playing peekaboo with Deborah

    Canyonlands Groupies

    October 8, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Our friends Deborah and Bruce Burton are hooked on Canyonlands. Last year they tented during a one-week visit. This time they rented a small trailer. It was nice having them "co-hosting" as we did lots of hiking and cooking and escaped to Durango during a couple of rainy days.Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    Lorraine prowls the ancient hallway of Moon House
    Room with original plaster and depictions of the moonLightning? Or maybe a snake?Moon House front yardOriginal Anasazi rebarVarious structures of Moon House

    Moon House

    October 15, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Moon House is one of those iconic ruins that even has its own Wikipedia page. After getting our permit (only 30 hikers per day are allowed in) we drove a harrowing, rutted eight miles to the trailhead. From there it was an occasionally steep two miles in, some of the trail sorely in need of rope and pitons. After frequent butt-sliding we were amply rewarded by a spectacularly preserved "ruin."

    The most memorable feature of Moon House is a series of pictographs showing phases of the moon. The rooms are so well preserved that some contain ancient corn cobbs.    Read more

  • HerbAvoreHosting and Toasting, 2018Traveler
    The penthouse at Junction Ruin
    Mother-in-law unitPotsherds

    Kane Gulch

    October 16, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We capped off our two-day break from Canyonlands by hiking down Kane Gulch four miles to where it meets Grand Gulch. Grand Gulch contains one if the richest stretches of cliff dwellings in the Four Corners area. But we're saving that for another visit so stopped at the intersection to visit Junction Ruin.

    While Junction Ruin appears conventional in a ruined sort of way the real attraction is the midden spilling down the hill in front. BLM has it fenced off but you still get a keen sense of what these people threw out just by examining the edge of the pile. Potsherds, corn cobbs, charcoal and stuff we didn't even recognize. All of which we put carefully back on the pile if we picked it up.    Read more

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