Stepping Back

Yesterday was an interesting day for me as I took a step in a backwards direction. At the urging from a friend I decided to join the local senior citizen group on a trip to El Morro National Monument. I had been there probably thirty years before, but without a park guide. This time it was very educational. Also this time I didn't go all the way to the top.

El Morro is also called inscription rock and contains the signatures and markings of travelers who passed through the area many years ago. The stone is Zuni Sandstone, a deposit of windblown sand of Jurassic age, about 170 million years ago. Some of the signatures are beautifully elegant and some are quite primitive.

The path we were following was very easy to walk, but the sun almost directly overhead made the journey a little uncomfortable. We took every opportunity to hydrate and take advantage of the limited shade. Our guides were very knowledgeable and very personable.

By the time we arrived back at the visitor center it was time to enjoy the nice sack lunch the Senior Center had provided and spend some time visiting. I was also happy that the driver of our van was someone I had known for several years.

All in all it was a very pleasant day taking a step back.

The above photo shows footprints left by early travelers.