Grand Junction, Colorado has been a great base camp to explore the surrounding area. We spent one day up on the Grand Mesa which is just a great big mesa with lakes and forests and recreational opportunities at 10,000ft. We hiked the Crag Crest Trail which meandered up to a ridge and then ran along on top of the world for about 6 miles. But alas, my camera decided to quit working so have to remember the views with our mind’s eye. Another day we went to Black Canyon.

Our campground is just outside the entrance to the Colorado National Monument and we have gone into the park several times. We’ve seen its red rocks and eroded spires at sunset, at sunrise, in the heat of the day and during a thunderstorm. Will biked the 30 mile road through it twice, once from each direction. This morning he saw a big horned sheep on his ride through. Later on we decided to drive back up there to show me where he saw it, and low and behold we came upon the whole herd scrambling over the rocks.

This is Colorado peaches country and they are ripe now, so we have been stopping at the fruit stands every chance we get.