I'm with you and tRuthful in approaching mindless visitors calmly. Have you thought about asking your ranger friends what they suggest? It's hard not to be confrontational, but the rangers may have some sound advice or tips about how to make the MVs aware and more mindful. Agree with Anita that not everyone will care, unfortunately.
Thank you, as always for sharing the beauty and awe that many of us will never see in person. Walk in beauty!!!
Hi Peggy! Good idea! I just updated the post to add that I have asked my ranger friends in the past what to do when we see people acting inappropriately, and they all said not to engage and report the behavior to them instead. It's super hard to do!
This was an amazing travel narrative. The photos were stunning and the history and experience you shared makes me want to go. I so appreciate you and J's awe at these amazing sites. Thank you for the respect you showed and saying something to the people. I have no advice because each situation is different but I do feel that to remain silent allows people to continue with their bad acts. We can't save everyone but we can try to help a few understand.
I hope you get to go someday! It truly is an amazing place.
I need some kind of training to find out how to get my point across, without any kind of authority to back it up. I've tried being nice to people and giving them the benefit of the doubt, but it never goes well.
I'm so glad you made it to Chaco Culture! I have an architecture degree and it's the place in the four corners area that had me the most in awe of these amazing Ancestral Puebloan people and the structures that are left as witnesses to their skills at building and living with the land.
To be honest, I also struggle with dealing with the lack of respect for these places. I wish I was more capable of that, but my strong feelings get in the way of communicating in a calm manner. I have a lot of respect for those who have the skill to remain level-headed while helping others learn of the harm they are doing.
We visited in March when we had visited (back in the 90's) and I think we didn't see that many people. I know it was Spring Break for schools here in Illinois this week so I wonder if that increased the number of visitors that were there when you were there (I know Spring Break is at different times for different areas of the country, though, so it might just have been that I didn't remember the people since it was so long ago.)
I hope the positives outweigh the negatives from this visit and that you have a lovely time at El Mapais!
I'm with you on letting my strong feelings get in the way! It's hard to see other people doing harm and not say anything, but every time I try and no matter how nicely I phrase things it doesn't turn out well.
The positives definitely outweigh the negatives, tho! It is such an amazing place!
I love Chaco Canyon!! Truly a spiritual and magical place for me. The entry road is definitely slow and jarring -- but I always considered it a good deterrent for those with negative behaviors. Seeing your journal makes me want to visit again.
I'm with you and tRuthful in approaching mindless visitors calmly. Have you thought about asking your ranger friends what they suggest? It's hard not to be confrontational, but the rangers may have some sound advice or tips about how to make the MVs aware and more mindful. Agree with Anita that not everyone will care, unfortunately.
Thank you, as always for sharing the beauty and awe that many of us will never see in person. Walk in beauty!!!
Hi Peggy! Good idea! I just updated the post to add that I have asked my ranger friends in the past what to do when we see people acting inappropriately, and they all said not to engage and report the behavior to them instead. It's super hard to do!
May you walk in beauty as well!
It might help if you or J could quietly video the activity and send it with your report to the rangers.
This was an amazing travel narrative. The photos were stunning and the history and experience you shared makes me want to go. I so appreciate you and J's awe at these amazing sites. Thank you for the respect you showed and saying something to the people. I have no advice because each situation is different but I do feel that to remain silent allows people to continue with their bad acts. We can't save everyone but we can try to help a few understand.
I hope you get to go someday! It truly is an amazing place.
I need some kind of training to find out how to get my point across, without any kind of authority to back it up. I've tried being nice to people and giving them the benefit of the doubt, but it never goes well.
I'm so glad you made it to Chaco Culture! I have an architecture degree and it's the place in the four corners area that had me the most in awe of these amazing Ancestral Puebloan people and the structures that are left as witnesses to their skills at building and living with the land.
To be honest, I also struggle with dealing with the lack of respect for these places. I wish I was more capable of that, but my strong feelings get in the way of communicating in a calm manner. I have a lot of respect for those who have the skill to remain level-headed while helping others learn of the harm they are doing.
We visited in March when we had visited (back in the 90's) and I think we didn't see that many people. I know it was Spring Break for schools here in Illinois this week so I wonder if that increased the number of visitors that were there when you were there (I know Spring Break is at different times for different areas of the country, though, so it might just have been that I didn't remember the people since it was so long ago.)
I hope the positives outweigh the negatives from this visit and that you have a lovely time at El Mapais!
I'm with you on letting my strong feelings get in the way! It's hard to see other people doing harm and not say anything, but every time I try and no matter how nicely I phrase things it doesn't turn out well.
The positives definitely outweigh the negatives, tho! It is such an amazing place!
I love Chaco Canyon!! Truly a spiritual and magical place for me. The entry road is definitely slow and jarring -- but I always considered it a good deterrent for those with negative behaviors. Seeing your journal makes me want to visit again.