Bisti Wilderness Parking Lot

The trip here from Gallup was smooth.  A few sprinkles as a front passed through.

The area is known for dramatic wind-eroded sandstone formations called "hoodoos:"

source: farmingtonnm.org

source: Wikipedia

Where I am, it looks more like this:

Right off on the horizon, you can see the red rocks which may be where the interesting stuff happens.

But here in the parking lot, not so much.  Getting from here to there involves a fair bit of walking, and some scrambling up and down small washes.  Not easy or fun for this balance-impaired geezer. So: my original idea of spending a day exploring the area needs revision.  Besides, it's gonna rain again today.  

I'm thinking I'll drive up to Farmington and over to Aztec, and re-visit Aztec Ruins National Monument. Unlike most other sites which present the Chacoan culture, this one has a completely restored great kiva. It's a restoration, which means it's an educated guess about what it might have looked and felt like when it was a center for the ceremonial life of these people back in the day.  

I'll arrive at Navajo Lake a day earlier than I'd planned, but there are gazillions of camping sites there, so I shouldn't need a reservation.  The plan is to hunker down there, and then work down to White Rock to see Doug and Dotty and their convalescing dog Shuba.