The trip to Gila Cliff Dwellings

On July 6, we all went to see the Gila Cliff Dwellings. This site is in the Gila Mountain National Forest and is about 50 miles away. However, that is 50 long twisty mountain miles! And we were all in one truck--4 of us in the back seat of a pick-up. Now granted it is a nice big pick-up but some of us are broader in the beam than we'd like so it was snug. That's putting it mildly! We finally got there and started our hike to the cliff dwellings--it's about 1/2 mile. This 1/2 mile is an impressive jaunt--it's up a trail that rises sharply and we're already at 8000 feet! There was panting and huffing. Once there the view was spectacular. The dwellings are nestled in large caves--they were built in the 1200s and abandoned around 1300. Not much is known about the Mogollon people who built them, where they went or why. But the dwellings are extensive and well preserved. You can climb up inside them and look out over a spectacular canyon. Be sure to look at our pictures on our photo gallery www.airstream1529.com

On the way back we stopped for lunch at Grey Feathers Inn and Cafe. Possibly it was the hike and altitude, but whatever the reason, the food was the best EVER! We had great hamburgers and then a lovely Fruit of the Forest Pie--berries, rhubarb, etc in a wonderful crust. Tom had ice cream which made him a happy man. The really neat thing about the inn was all the birds around. They had feeders all over and there were so many different birds. The inn had large porches covered with hummingbird feeders. There were 8-10 in the front and several out back and all of them were consistently covered with hummers of many different varieties. They hovered around and drank and drank and then chased each other off. It was wonderful to watch the tiny little things. I did not get any pictures there but did get a couple of ok shots at the Visitors' Center for the Cliff Dwellings.

We all got home a bit stiff but ok!