I had been looking forward to this day for the last week. Our first hike of the unit was incredible. The ancient pueblo structures hidden away within the mountain side were amazing. Although we were not able to attend the four hundred foot ladder to the top of the canyon our trip was a success in the greatest way. We witnessed more wildlife than all of the others put together. Our first siting was of a brown bear cub searching for food across a tiny stream. Then came a mule- deer which was a total change from the white tailed deer we so often come across in New Jersey. It was almost as if the deer was from a different planet. These creatures did not sprint off into the woods in fear of the human tourists, instead they inched closer and closer every minute. ALthough deer are widely hunted in New Jersey, they are safely protected in the natural preserve of Bandelier's National Park. The serenity of this encounter placed me in a different set of mind. It took me far away from the hustle and bustle of the ever so aggressive competition that consumes the people of New Jersey on a daily basis.
After that the next creature we observed was a giant yellow butterfly which may not seem like much through this blog, but words could not do its beauty justice. It added to the peaceful setting of Bandelier's trail significantly. And as if that wasn't enough, we came upon a diamond back rattle snake, which surprised us as well with its calm nature. It did not slither off into the distance, but instead it remained in the same spot while tourists continued to take pictures.
These natural encounters put together made up a a splendid day on our over all trip in New Mexico and managed to relieve my mind and depress my body.
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