Today is half a chores-day, including a small laundry load. We have been to a LOT of different laundries in our travels. Some of them seemed like they might actually make our clothes dirtier; some of them I refused to leave Karin alone there. Others were simply plain skanky. Laundry is an absolute necessity, and hand-washing is for emergencies only.

Thus it is that we are perhaps too-much delighted when we encounter a neat, clean, well-maintained laundromat. Such enchantment we did find here at Mesa Verde NP. Cushioned chairs, scores of AC plugs (for laptops, chargers, etc.). Zounds.

Other factors at this Park are also unusually pleasing. The wifi is decent if not awe-inspiring, and it it ubiquitous. Virtually every government building, including the campground restrooms, has an antenna. (It does get a little jammed up in the evenings, so forget about streaming TV or such – – but it’s pretty nifty most of the time.)

The roads are great, the staff friendly and helpful, the attractions and sights exceptional. In short, a very, very nice place to visit for many reasons. And yes, it’s even open in the winter, at least parts of it, due to the light snowfall in this region.

Fifteen minutes down the road is Cortez, with decent shops, a Walmart (is that an indecent shop?), good prices on gas and propane, and so on. They have a 4×4-only car lot and a Shooter’s World shop, right on the main highway – – – I’m getting to LOVE Colorado.

We hear that all-day tours by the local Utes go way into the back country and right up to ruins that meet or exceed Park standards. We will do that the next time through, and also likely visit Chaco Canyon in New Mexico on that trip. It’s not that we’ve become die-hard ancient-native enthusiasts. It’s just that the thoughts and ideas of long-ago primitive inhabitants makes us think about our present-day lives and the inevitable comparisons and contrasts.

Definitely a region worth recommending, and we do.

We will spend today and tomorrow half-and-half, doing chores and casual sight-seeing, some hiking too. We’ve postponed our departure to Saturday so we can be a little less rushed.