Magnus Goes to the Red Rock Country, Day 16

Wednesday, September 25

For our second day at Cochiti Lake, we decided to risk the long drive without Molly to see Bandalier National Monument. We left at about 10:30 and did not return until after 3:00. Which sucked. Except it was such a very great place!

The drive to get there--and back--was horrid.  We had to go up a huge hill to get to the suburbs of Santa Fe; I was driving and I didn't get a good start on the way up, so by the time I reached the top my speed was down below 50. In a 75 mile per hour zone!  Bad driving, I say so myself.  (Luckily I was in the truck climbing lane, stuck behind a big truck that wasn't doing any better.)

The parking lot was full but we were able to squeeze into a spot in the overflow parking area. The visitor center was so crowded that all we did was visit the restroom and show our pass. But when we got onto the trail to the ruins, the people thinned out nicely. And everyone was very polite.

 

There's a long canyon wall where there are dwellings all down it. So cool. And ladders you could climb up and look in.

Next to the canyon was a mostly dry creek and a wooded area, then the opposite wall. And in the wooded area, very close to the visitor center, I saw a Hepatic Tanager!   New life bird!

 

Later I took Molly for a long walk, almost to the boat ramp. The only reason we didn't go all the way is there were warnings about blue-green algae in the lake and I didn't want Molly drinking out of it.  Stupid me forgot her water dish!

We saw an interesting animal down there. It was a little larger than a squirrel, thicker bodied, and with less tail. But it was nowhere near the water, so I don't think it was an otter.  Maybe just a squirrel.  No good picture.