It is impressive as a ruin. What must it have been when it was occupied?

Then we moved on to Peach Springs. This is a site just off the road (Indian 9) outside Crownpoint. There is almost no activity here. It is another example of an outlier, but there are so man, that they don't all get the attention they deserve. One could not take a step around the site without discovering sherds.

All that remains of the site is a mound which covers the 25 rooms. The mound is about 20 feet high.

The site was guarded by a collared lizard. I thought it would have been poisonous given its bright colors, but it is not.

On the second day of our trip, we drove to the foothills of the Chuska Mountains to visit the Toadlena trading post.

The trading post has been in operation for at least 100 years and has helped the Navajos to demonstrate the quality of their weaving.

This is an example of the relationships of just a single family of weavers in the area.

The post is run by Mark Wnters and his family. There is a museum of weaving arts in the post.

One pattern found in many of the rugs is called "Two Grey Hills." These may be the hills, but then the locals may have just been funnin' the tourists. We are looking at the San Juan Basin from Toadlena. Even though we look like we are way up in the mountains, the elevation is not much more than 5,500 feet.

Examples of the beautiful rugs

Some of the wool yarn used to make the rugs.

The wool before it has been spun.

Showing us how the wool is prepared.

The will is being carded.

The roof of the trading post has a pattern to t.

When we drove down from Toadlena, we stopped at another Chacoan outlier site at Skunk Springs.

This was a pretty barren place, as you can see. We are standing on the site, which could easily be mistaken for rocks and dirt.