We staying the twon of Bluff, which is on the San Juan River with towering bluffs all around (it's were it got it's name, I'm assuming!). It is really quite beautiful. Maybe I was able to appreciate it more because the weather was perfect and the heat wasn't making me miserable. It was hot enough for me in the 80s given the wind, dust and lack of shade but the scenery all around was amazing!
As I mentioned in my last post, Brent's parents have been volunteering at the Bluff Fort in Bluff, Utah for quite some time. They work not only in the visitor's center but also around the fort where ever it is needed. Brent's dad has been helping with electrical needs on the fort and while we were there Brent helped his dad get the last few cabins wired (so they can do things like vacuum - you wouldn't believe the dust clouds that kick up and then blow right into the cabins!).
Reed's crying because he didn't want his picture taken. Before this picture he was running around laughing and having a great time. We all gathered construction debris from around the fort and surrounding area and Brent and his dad took a load to the dump. Each day we would go out sight-seeing and be back in the afternoon to lend a hand where needed. We planned on being down there for the whole week, but Reed was not sleeping well at all, which meant that Brent and I were sleeping even less so we cut the trip short a few days and headed for home - and some sleep and yardwork!
There are many cabins that have to reproduced at the Bluff Fort, but the Barton cabin is the only original cabin (out of 40 or 50 that were built at the time) from when the fort was established in the 1880s. I took many pictures on this trip, but I had to copy a few picture off the internet because I did not have a single picture of the fort or Bluff!
While the Barton cabin may still be standing it is roofless and windowless and floorless. It is fun to see how the old pioneer cabins were constucted, added on to and just the different techniques they used. They've put a metal roof over it to help protect it.
This is Brent's great-great grandfather, Joseph F. Barton, whose cabin still stands in the Bluff Fort.
Reed's farovite thing (next to Grandpa's Rhino) was the covered wagons they had around the fort for people to sit and pose in (they have pioneer dress-up clothes, but we were to tired and dirty to worry about taking an official picture).
We went for a Rhino ride with Brent's parents along the San Juan River and stopped for lunch at these Indian ruins called River House Ruins. They were really impressive and the fun thing about these is that you could actually walk around IN them. We went to the remains of the Barton Trading Post in Rincone right on the river but Reed and I opted not to get out of the Rhino because there was a HUGE long snake sunning himself on the rocks. Eek! It was really neat to go and visit all of these places and learn the family history stories behind them. I'm proud to be a Barton!
Then we went on to San Juan Hill, the last major hurdle for the Hole in the Rock pioneers that settled Bluff. I cannot imagine getting a wagon up that hill. We hiked up the hill and across the top of the ridge to a beautoful overlook of Comb Ridge, the San Juan River and surrounding areas Reed was a trooper and walked/ran the whole way up and didn't have to be carried until the last 10 minutes or so. It was amazing! It threatened rain all day and sprinkled on us at the biginning of the hike, which I was so grateful for because the moisture and cloud covermade it a perfect day.
We went to Hovenweep National Monument and hiked the loop trail around the rim. Again reed did great but didn't understand why we could run around among these "broken house" (ruins). Between Hovenweep and River House Ruins I actually preferred the little out the way River House Ruins. Anyway, we had a picnic lunch here before driving on to:
Four Corners National Monument
Valley of the Gods - gorgeous. Reed had a little nap and due to the lack of shade we opted to just see it from the car.
The river is way down there and does some crazy winding through this part of the country, earning it it's name - Goodesnecks.
Upper San Juan/Goosenecks overlook
More overlook - Reed had woken up so we ran around up there for awhile to let him stretch his legs before - more driving!
On the front of our Utah Mapbook there is a picture of the crazy road. I alsways thought "why wuld they build a road like that and who would use it!?" Well, turns out it is a picture of the Moki Overlook, the road we took to get to Goosenecks. Yikes. Been there done that - it was a little scary. I don't have a fear of heights, but when it comes to high, windy, narrow roads...
Enjoying the view at Goosenecks. We had a picinic lunch while we enjoyed the view of the Lower San Juan River/Goosenecks. It's really crazy that the river has erroded the land in layers and made such deep canyons.
At the end of every day we were filthy and exhausted. It was so much fun though and the perfect time of year to go - not to hot, but dry enought that it wasn't muddy. I look forward to going back!
