I went to the Grand Canyon and ....

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by Dizz

Walking up to the rim, I was greeted by a vast canvas of color. You have all seen pictures, but they don't do it justice. It was about 10 miles wide from north to south and 233 miles east to west. Looking northward, all I could see were bands of color with very little else to view. It was almost like being in front of a giant mural. It almost looked FAKE! It is impossible to get a good sense of distance there. I was having a hard time telling where one formation begins and the next ends. They were almost endless!

I got to listen to a ranger talk about the formation and he explained it like this:
D: Deposition ... sediment from the sea lays down the layers
U: Uplift ... a tectonic plate lifted the whole thing up
D: Downcutting ... the river did it's thing
E: Erosion ... weathering mostly.

I thought the acronym was cute.

What did you feel?
Describe it, Im really interested in the emotions you experienced.
Please.

[Kathy Ellen]

Hey Dizz

Your pics are absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Can I ask for your help please? I teach 3rd graders (8 year olds). We've just begun a Social Studies chapter about our Native Americans, and now we're learning about the Anasazies.

Have you seen any new info about the Anasazies or any other cliff dwellers native Americans on your journey?

I had some lovely pics of the Mesa Verde but misplaced them

I'd love to share some thoughts that you've had about looking at the cliff dwellings and the Grand Canyon....as Nomad had also asked.

Thanks Dizz

[Patsy Warnick]

Dizz
Wonderful - some what scarey pictures.. I remember standing very close to a edge.. of course that's when I was younger & had control...

Is this your first visit to the Canyon??

If you enjoyed the Canyon recently - it's beautiful when it snows, which should be soon.. you see the Orange/gold rocks with a shimmer of crisp snow edging.
It's absolutely beautiful...

BTW - it's your kind of car I dodge....!!!

Glad you enjoyed the Canyon - it's a remarkable place - it's a must see..!!
Thanks for sharing
Patsy

[Dizz]

Originally Posted by Kathy Ellen

Hey Dizz

Your pics are absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Can I ask for your help please? I teach 3rd graders (8 year olds). We've just begun a Social Studies chapter about our Native Americans, and now we're learning about the Anasazies.

Have you seen any new info about the Anasazies or any other cliff dwellers native Americans on your journey?

I had some lovely pics of the Mesa Verde but misplaced them

I'd love to share some thoughts that you've had about looking at the cliff dwellings and the Grand Canyon....as Nomad had also asked.

Thanks Dizz

These are petroglyphs from the Puerco Pueblo. It's a 100 room complex, built on a hill in the petrified forest. They pecked these designs for unknown reasons. It could have been artistic, a rite of passage, signals to travelers, spiritual, or all of the above. The 'village' was between a river and a natural seep. The location was ideal for farming and seeing the area all around. Most of the AZ tribes, were farmers. The cliff dwellers would maintain farms by the water, while they would climb ladders to their homes. They were really resourceful, but every location I saw was ideal for water and food supplies. They also traded a lot and most of them loved Macaws! They traded heavily to get the birds and their feathers from tribes in Mexico.

[Dizz]

These are pictures from Montezuma's Castle, north of Phoenix. The red ones are built high up on the cliffs and were accessed by ladders. The white ones were near the base of the cliff and were easy to get to. Most of the dwellings I saw in general were built by the Sinagua... a generic name for the ancient people in the area. They moved on and blended with other tribes. Around 1400, there was a volcano blast that changed the farming conditions for a few years. That could be why they moved.

Patsy, I went there when I was about 4 years old. I have more recent memories of Zion and Bryce canyon. We didn't get very close to the cliff, but 2 feet off when there wasn't a railing. It's solid rock right up to it.

Nomad, as far as feelings go, I have a hard time answering you. I have grown up seeing natural wonders. My parents saw to it that I see and learn and gain a proper respect for the land around me. I am amazed at all the different landscapes and feel really happy when I see it. It brings back childhood memories and makes new ones for my children. I am impressed by the natives that have such great ingenuity. There is a lot of knowledge that was lost when they disappeared.

The third picture is of a ball field that are scattered all over Arizona. They think they played a game similar to hockey.