It's no wonder that Twoey Willard (VP of Research for a newspaper column) is able to assume the alter-ego super hero of "Adventure Dog" when called for.
That occasion presented itself on a recent journey from Stately Willard Manor to Stately Willard Manor West.
The VP is particularly interested in the natural history of the West. On a prior trip he explored El Morro National Monument, so when the opportunity to check out Montezuma Castle National Monument occurred he was primed for the experience -- you know what I mean.
This national monument, like El Morro (but unlike many others), welcomes curious canines -- the rangers would rather have them on the trails than in a hot vehicle.
To begin with, the name is a misnomer. Although the Aztecs held sway during the existence of the "castle," their travels did not lead them as far north as central Arizona.
The name for the cliffside dwellings was coined by early American settlers who assumed it was of Aztec origin.
The builders were Native Americans who came to be known as the Sinagua.
Spanish speakers will quickly note that Sinagua is simply a run-together of "sin agua" meaning "without water."
Although these early residents were given that name, it doesn't mean that they were literally without water.
Montezuma Castle is built into a limestone cliff above a creek that provided its inhabitants with drinking water and water for their crops.
The structures that became Montezuma Castle were probably erected in the first part of the 12th century.
They reached their maximum size in the 1300s and were probably home for several thousand Sinagua.
The Verde Valley hosts not only Montezuma Castle but also Montezuma Well and Tuzigoot National Monument.
The Sinagua lived and farmed in the region from around the sixth century to 1425.
At about that time, for reasons of their own, the cliff-dwelling peoples moved north and south of the Verde Valley into pueblo-type villages.
Twoey sniffed out no trace of them but he did find hints of some of the creatures the Sinagua ate, mainly rabbits and ground squirrels.
So, as he hoisted his flag tail (substitute for a cape), he deemed it an adventure worthy of his talents and left messages for other canine explorers who might follow his lead.
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- It was a time prior to the advent of cellphones. The first transatlantic telephone service was inaugurated between London and New York City in 1927.
- Obviously, it was a precedent that not many chose to follow. The last king to lead his troops into battle was George II in 1743 at the Battle of Dettingen.
- The first kiss shown on a movie screen in India appeared in 1977 (well after many American teenagers did the same while watching the movies in drive-in theaters).
- Won't you come home Bill Basie? Jazz musician Count Basie's real first name was William, not Count.
Jim Willard, a Loveland resident since 1967, retired from Hewlett-Packard after 33 years to focus on less trivial things. He calls Twoey, his bichon frisé-Maltese dog, vice president of research for his column.