The Four Corners & Telluride!

Gerry and I recently returned from a fabulous road trip.  We left Los Angeles last Monday and drove to Flagstaff, AZ.  Tuesday we drove to Mexican Hat, UT. 

Mexican Hat

We explored the area, and did some hiking in Monument Valley.  We stayed overnight at the Mexican Hat Lodge, one of only 3 places to stay in town.  The Trip Advisor web-site warned us to "be brave."  Actually, the place was fine.  We didn't spend much time in the lodge, so it didn't really matter. 

Natural Bridges National Monument was a blast!  We hiked the 8.6 mile loop trail which led us beneath all 3 of the natural bridges.  It was a very scenic hike along the canyon  floor.  The temperature was HOT and we only saw a few other hikers. 

Owachomo Bridge

Thursday was our Mesa Verde National Park day.   It is definitely a Park worth visiting.  I highly recommend taking the one-hour tours of the cliff dwellings.  The ancient Pueblo indians lived here in the 1200s, and then disappeared from the region in the year 1300 or so. 

Mesa Verde - Cliff Palace Tour w Ranger Bill
 

Mesa Verde -The Cliff Palace;  a view from the distance.

Thursday evening we arrived in Telluride!  We highly anticipated participating in the 32nd annual Telluride Mushroom Festival.  Anne's family founded the event over 30 years ago.  It is quite the convention of mycologists and avid mushroom people!  It was my first visit to Telluride and I was impressed with the spectacular scenery - not to mention the mushroom forays and spending time with my sister and her family.  We were in Telluride until Sunday morning.  The three days in Telluride flew by!  


Jason leads us on a 6:00 am mushroom foray Friday morning.

Amanita Muscaria!  What a find!

Pretty to view...but don't eat these!



Eat these instead:  Lactarious Deliciousus!  We did so on Friday night.

We went on a few forays Friday and also on Saturday.  Saturday evening we participated in the Mushroom Parade.  The Mushroom Parade is definitely one of the highlights of the festival weekend.  Creative costumes galore!  Our "Family-ta Muscaria" won the best costume award.  I admit we did look pretty darn cute.   


Before the Mushroom Parade
 

Check out the fancy headwear, or should I say mushroom caps?



Doing the muscaria tango!

 We can't wait until next August when we hope to return to Telluride for the 33rd annual Mushroom Festival.  It's a beautiful setting for a fantastic festival! 

More pictures of our road trip can be found here.