Our main objective today was Hovenweep National Monument. This place is very much out in the boondocks. You don't just run across this place while driving around unless you are trying to shake a sheriff's posse. As with many of the places out here, it is all about Indian ruins. The four corners area is full of these sites. The ancient culture which built them all was a large group of people. Then, all of a sudden about 1300, they just up and left never to return. The buildings left behind are very interesting. Because of the dry climate and lack of earthquakes, many of the structures remain. Remember that these people did not have metals (except for gold and silver) for making tools. The houses are of sandstone which is found in abundance (right Dave?). I asked several rangers how they did the stone masonry, they didn't have a clue. Rangers now days are more interested in the social side than the technical side which is a real shame. It would have been nice to have a discussion about the building techniques, but they seemed only prepared to discuss the fortunes of these people and their culture, blah blah blah.

After our visit we traveled on to Four Corners and stood in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah all at the same time. This was a low order bucket list item for me, but we came within miles of it so we gave it a go. It was a disappointment. The Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation department operates it. The is a $5 admission fee per person. They have a big plaza with a central marker where the four corners are supposed to be. It is surrounded by a building that has about 100 small kiosks where the Indians can sell their trinkets. It was all made possible by the US taxpayers through the Bureau of Land Management. As with so many things on Indian reservations, the place was in obvious need of maintenance, especially the parking lot. I am glad we went. I would not ever think of returning.