固守家园-1.走进印第安人宽广的高原-绿色的平顶山

muyang

Holding the Homeland-1
Journey to the Plateau of the native Americans - Mesa Verde

向往着 Mesa Verde绿色的平顶山。是有机会去看印第安祖先集居建造的极罕见壮观的悬崖绝壁下的石砌村落遗址，去了解普韦布洛部落的文化。

Dreams of seeing Mesa Verdi, site of ancient stone ruins built under spectacular cliffs, and of learning about the culture of the Pueblo Indians and their descendants.

Mesa Verde 西班牙语- 绿色的平顶山。远远见到平顶山，贺杰的车加快马力长驱直上。

Mesa Verde is Green Flat Top Mountain in Spanish. Seeing Mesa Verde in the distance, Jack sped up and drove to the top.

蜿蜒的山路，转过山梁、满眼绝非绿色，却是满山遍野的黑枝焦木！近乎狰狞的锋枝利杈，刺入蓝天，戳破白云。天哪… 紧缩的心不断地被揪痛，我的天哪…

Past the winding mountain road, on top of mountain, there is no green, but hill after hill of burned black dead forest. Violently sharp charred branches pierced the deep blue sky and soft white clouds. Oh God! A shocked heart felt the pain. Oh my god...

Mesa Verde Fire 平顶山大火

2000年7月，极为炎热，一个月没有下雨。西南科罗拉多州危险得野火会一触即燃。7月20日下午1:30，在公园入口附近的Bircher农场被雷击引发起火灾。大火迅速蔓延，逼近Mesa Verde 梅萨维德国家公园入口。这是公园进出的唯一道路，近万名访客及时有序地撤离公园。

In July 2000, it was extremely hot and did not rain for a month. The dangerous wildfires of Southwest Colorado could start at any moment. At 1:30 pm on July 20, a lightning strike occurred at the Bircher Farm near the entrance to the park. The fire quickly spread and threatened to block the only exit. Nearly 10,000 visitors evacuated the park in an orderly and timely manner.


来自全国各地的1,016名消防员，奋战了9天9夜，最终遏制梅萨维德国家公园94年历史上最具破坏性的火灾。大火烧毁了23,607英亩，包括19,607英亩的公园地。为了扑灭山火，动用了5架直升机，6架救生运输机，61辆消防车。直升机空洒了110,000加仑的水，同时运输机卸下了427,670加仑阻燃剂。火灾所致560万美元的损失。

1,016 firefighters from all over the country fought for 9 days and 9 nights, eventually curbing the most devastating fire in the 94-year history of Mesa Verde National Park. The fire destroyed 23,607 acres, including 19,607 acres of parkland. In order to extinguish the mountain fire, five helicopters, six life-saving transport aircraft and 61 fire engines were used. The helicopters dumped 110,000 gallons of water while the planes dumped 427,670 gallons of flame retardant. Fighting the fire cost $5.6 million.


惨啊，整整18年后依然满目焦黑！

天，真不宽容。

Sadly, after 18 years,
large parts of Mesa Verde are still covered in black ash and burnt trees!

Mother nature sometimes has no mercy.

日沉高山，沉睡的高原尽收眼底。
或许是有些高山反应，或许是绿色平顶山的黑白反差之强烈，后脑勺蹦蹦跳着阵痛。一夜未能安眠。

As the sun set on top of the mountain, the deeply sleeping plateau is right under my eyes.
Perhaps high altitude reaction, perhaps the black and white contrast image of Mesa Verde was too powerful. The back of the my head was pounding; I could not sleep well that night.

晨光熹微，睡衣都来不及换，裹上一件风雨衣外套，挂上相机冲出门外。

The morning light brushed the horizontal clouds with a rosy glow; no time to change the pajamas; wrapped in a windbreaker jacket, grabbed the camera and rushed out the door.

拍摄几张后，取景器里的形象似乎有些恍惚？枯木焦枝在晨光中随风冉冉起舞。定一定神，重对焦距。岂止是逝而不灭？枯焦还生？

After taking a few shots, the eye seems a bit blurry? The blackened branches opened their arms and gracefully danced in the morning light. I had to concentrate for a second, then re-focused...

它们，上万成千根枯树，挥墨晨舞迎接新日之辉，焦枝下竟然蕴藏着此等的回生之力！

Tens of thousands of charred trees, dancing on top of Mesa Verde
to meet the glory of a new day.

Under the burnt trees there is such a resurgence of life!

此时此辰，站在山顶沐浴晨光、静心聆听清风细语：18载春秋，对于一个人几乎是她的生命的四分之一，对于平顶山，对科罗拉多州高原不过是瞬间。平顶山终归会返回她的绿色，或许还需要18年…

Standing on the top of the mountain to bathe in the warm morning light,

quietly listening to the breeze whisper:

18 years of spring through autumn, for a person almost a quarter of her life;

for Mesa Verde is just an instant.

Mesa Verde will return to her green,

perhaps it will take another 18 years…

或许...

perhaps...