the amazing grace

Just outside of Cortez, Colorado  is Mesa Verde National Park.   We were eager to get here and take the Balcony House tour.  This is one of three or four tours in which you can actually get into the native ruins.  This one had a special draw in that it’s the only one in which you can climb the ladders and crawl through the tunnels that were used 800 years ago as part of daily life.  We made it just in time for the last day of all tours.  Our Park Ranger was giving his last tour before transferring to Channel Islands National Park.   He was a bit choked up at the end as he had really loved his time at Mesa.  We found him,  like all of the other Park Rangers  we met, to be amazingly interesting and “heartfull” about the National Parks.  He was enjoying speaking with Charis about how she could be a ranger too if she chose.  We had a funny moment that night in the tent as right before falling asleep the thought, “we should buy Junior Ranger Hats” popped in my head and gave Charis an enduring case of the giggles!