We slept in for a while and after
getting gas and a Starbucks mocha, we headed back to Phoenix by way of
Cottonwood, a small town southwest of Sedona and a center of copper mining near
the old mining town of Jerome. Just outside
of town is another national monument called Tuzigoote, so we decided to stop
and visit.
Tuzigoot (the Apache word for
“Crooked Water”) is the remnant of a Southern Sinagua pueblo built between 1100
and 1300 AD. It sits on the summit of a
long ridge rising about 120 feet above the Verde Valley. The original pueblo was two stories high in
places, with 87-ground floor rooms.
There were few exterior doors and entry was through roof openings and
external ladders. The village began as a
small cluster of rooms inhabited by around 50 people for 100 years. The
population doubled around 1200 then doubled again. The site was also abandoned around 1400 when
the Southern Sinagua began their migration.
After visiting the site and the
excellent National Park visitor center, we headed back to Phoenix and the RV
resort. When we got back we had a late
lunch at the resort golf course club house then began breaking camp for our
departure for Florida tomorrow morning.
Our goal for tomorrow is Las Cruces, NM.
We had a great time in Arizona
and are now looking forward to Florida.
We are behind on posting pictures and will catch up as we can heading
East across fly-over country.
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