Puebloan Mysteries: Begin in Durango

On May 3rd, 2024, Joan and I flew to Durango, Colorado, to join an Off the Beaten Path small-group tour titled "Puebloan Mysteries." We arrived a day early, wary of our recent history of canceled flights and missed connections, and were rewarded with gorgeous weather and an on-time arrival. We stayed at the historic Strater Hotel, founded in 1887. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Joan had done her research and chosen the Chimayo for dinner; then, in the darkening evening, we were entertained by the back-and-forth maneuvering of locomotives and railcars at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway station.

Our group was to meet at 5:30pm on May 4th, so Joan and I had a chance to explore the plateau where Fort Lewis College sits. We bought a bag lunch at the fabulous Jean-Pierre Bakery (hello, Adam and Victor!), including an apricot strudel and a raspberry croissant. The calories would not be wasted; we walked to the foot of the Sky Steps that led up to the college and began our ascent.

When we reached the intersection with the Nature Trail, we instantly decided that switchbacks were preferable to staircases.

Joan and I reached the top near the college chapel.

The Fort Lewis campus is spread out on the plateau. No students are visible in this photo; we were here on graduation day, and everyone was gathered at the sports field for the ceremonies. We heard a lot of cheering!

This school has evolved: from military outpost to Indian boarding school to rural high school and now a public liberal arts college. Inside the clock tower,

There is a plaque acknowledging the weight of its history,

and one describing the career of the first president of the college.

There was a stunning study in illusion on the side of an arts building.

Further on, we encountered the Center of Southwest Studies.

Then it was time for us to explore the rim trail, a few steps from the road hugging the west side of the plateau. We were surprised at the number of exhibits along the way. We had a broad and gradually shifting view of Durango on our left.

Zooming in on the Animas River.

Wait ... what's this?

It's a model of the geological history of this area, constructed with stones from each layer. There's an explanatory plaque.

Nearby, we encountered a relief model of the area,

and its attendant lizard.

Joan and I journeyed on, wondering when the trail would begin to take us to the other side of the plateau. When we saw that we were now parallel to a golf course, we retraced our steps for about 100 yards and found a foot/bike path along the road that separates the college from the golf club. It led us to the eastern edge of the campus, and there we headed south. At one point we spotted this hawk waiting patiently for a prey item to pass by.

Our exploration took us past recreational facilities such as the

disc golf course, then around the rim to a bench where we finished our lunch goodies.

Joan and I had completed an orbit around the campus, and now it was time to return to our room at the Strater (with ice cream along the way, at the Cream Bean Berry). We linked up with our guide, John Ninneman, and the rest of our group at 5:30 and headed out for dinner. Tomorrow, the Off the Beaten Path journey would begin with a visit to Mesa Verde.

Fairfield 20: Picking Up Where I Left Off

 This post is the first in two years about Fairfield, Iowa, and MIU (Maharishi International University), which I visited again in November 2024. (The previous post is here.) There wasn't much to report about in the interim; I spent 99% of my time at the Raj during the intervening trips, focusing on Ayurvedic health treatments and dodging COVID-19. I entered the Golden Dome for my meditation program only once, or twice, or not at all during those visits. This trip was the reverse: it was 100% about meditating in the Dome.

The view approaching from the back.

This sunset photo shows the Maharishi Tower of Invincibility and the side of the women's Dome, the view every time I walked to the men's Dome.

The front of the Dome had a refreshed entryway. No more would ice and snow slide down on folks opening the front door in winter. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Inside the Dome, in the lobby and shoe room, there were lots of ways to spend your money.

A small alcove exists for those who wish to perform yoga postures (asanas) before entering the meditation area.

It was satisfying to settle in at the Dome again. While the early-morning session was well attended, the late-morning 2nd session typically had only a couple dozen of us.

 

Walking from the Dome to the Argiro Student Union, this bridge and scene caught my eye.

Climbing up to the Argiro.

The miniature Vedic Observatory in front of the Argiro.

For a long time, the cafeteria in Argiro barred visitors such as myself, but now, with a decreased student population, guests may purchase a meal pass. The old paper punch-out tickets have been replaced by credit-card-sized e-cards, and the number of remaining meals is stored electronically.

In the Argiro, I reconnected with many of the folks I hadn't seen in a while, including Tom Hall, a TM instructor in Knoxville in the early 1970s -- I was instructed by his wife, Jill Hall. I also dined off-campus with Steve Nolle, another former Bell Labs employee, and Irene Murphy.

 

I paid a brief visit to the Wege Center for the Arts,

The view from the atrium; you enter from the other side.

Many of the student works had a deeper meaning, or, were perhaps whimsical?

The most significant change over the last two years was the university's financial situation. After a greater-than-expected deficit in the budget, the Dome Market & Cafe and the university store were closed as cost-cutting measures. Various staff were let go, including, perplexingly, a shrink in the Development Department (fundraising!). The president of the university, John Hagelin, was replaced by Dr. Tony Nader the month before I arrived. Uncertainty about what would happen next floated around the campus.

 

On the last day of my visit, I was fortunate enough to visit Bill Graeser, a poet, photographer, and locksmith. Here's a rough panorama of his office. The camera collection was the first thing that jumped out at me.

A closer look:

Bill is also fond of visual puns, for example:

A keyboard.

Shoehorn and mousetrap.

 

My ten-day visit was chock full, yet from what I heard and saw, I'm concerned about the university's future.