Five Senses

When I first heard about the trip to the Tonto National Monument, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from it or the project. I was excited about the prospect of it, though. When we pulled into the parking lot, my excitement grew to make the three mile round trip hike to the upper cliff dwellings of the Salado tribe. As we made our way up the trail, our guides shared a plethora of knowledge about the geography, plants, animals, etc. I truly enjoyed learning new information about the breathtaking surroundings and chatting with our guides, the students, and other teachers.

Once we arrived at our destination, my mind began racing with ideas for the project. I look forward to learning about many things, including:
     1) when the upper and lower dwellings were first discovered
     2) the number of people who lived in both dwellings
     3) the enemies of the Salado people
     4) the items that have been found by the archaeologists
     5) the writings and language of the Salado people
As an English teacher, I am most interested in the different ways the people communicated with one another, their friends, and their enemies. Have there been any diaries or journals found?

After thinking back on the day, I realized that I used all five of my senses throughout the trip. Down by the spring, the water flowed casually and there were a few lifeless leaves which twirled to the ground from the tree branches above. Although we weren't allowed to touch many of our surroundings, we did feel the chill of the cave walls and the slight breeze of the day, as well as the dryness of the agave root that the people used for chewing gum so many, many years ago. When we noticed the ash from the fires darkening the roofs of the rooms and cavern, I could almost sense the heat and scent of the wood burning to heat the corn and squash. We had been told about the tang of the cores in some of the desert plants on the trail; tasting the agave-flavored candy that Matt bought at the gift shop was a sweet ending to a pleasant day.