Trip #126 (57): Completely Colorado In May: Sand Dunes, Fruita/Grand Junction, Ridgway and Biking

Trip #126 (57): Completely Colorado in May: Sand Dunes, Fruita/Grand Junction, Ridgway and Biking

Left Santa Fe Sat May 6 and went straight to San Dunes for 2 nights (#73). Smaller site so it took some major jamming to fit, like, removing the fire ring so those extra 3 inches of height cold pass over it, and with a sideways truck we fit. But of course the first day was the usual hurricane winds. The second day was much nicer tho overcast in the afternoon, temps mid 60s. Two nights here, got in the sandy bike ride (could only go about 2 miles, being constantly stuck in sand), the overlook hike, left my little hummer feeder in the tree (stupid), watched families set up tents and leave the next day (how do they do it), rode bikes to cross the flowing Mosca River but never made it up a dune (been there done that), went to the temporary visitor center which wasn't too bad, got ice cream at the camp store in our loop. And as is the norm lately, another plumbing problem: shower isn't getting the full hot water. To be continued. And unlike the norm, I am going to be early, somehwere between

altitude and actually being tired! Colorado has that affect on me.

Next stop after a 5-hour drive was Fruita/Grand Junction at the James Ross State Park, one of 5 parks which gets confusing when the truck GPS map goes out after being stuck in a canyon of Black Canyon of the Gunnison crawling for construction. That never happened before. Fortunately it fixed itself once we got here, but not when we stopped and tried in Montrose. Anyway, great park location, as in sandwiched between the Colorado Monument and the little town of Fuita, with all manner of STORES and FAST FOOD across the street: You name it: DQ, taco bell, McD, wendys, Einstein bagels, a mexican restaurant, Qdoba and much much more, including a City Market and True Value 1/4 mile away. And yet it doesn't feel crowded here. Low 70s here. Nice and neat campground, lots of trees and weeds, I see the guy spraying them now. It has a lake as well as the Colorado River AND some of the best bike trails ever seen: paved with concrete going in both directions. Might try McInnis canyon today instead of the monument, which we've done before,

So Day 1 here, what was left of it anyway, was a trip to Home Depot for the shower cartridge replacement, hoping to fix the hot water problem. And well, if we are going down into Grand Junction, might as well visit the Hobby Lobby and then have dinner at the Tequila's! Good call. Since Bill ordered a second, plumbing will wait until tomorrow.

Day 2, out on bikes. Rode as far as we could to the west, where the trail was closed at Loma due to high river water. So then we went East, toward GJ, until the trail was closed that way. geez. Lots of good snow melt making the river high. All in all we rode 24 miles. Good time for a lukewarm, afternoon shower, then headed out to a wine tasting at Two Rivers, 6 miles from camp. Not bad, ok not great either, but took home one bottle of Tulip rose and all the little tasting cups! hahahaa good size. So once buzzed on wine, why not drive into the Monument to the visitor center? That two-lane, cliff-side road with no guard rails... Got some info, finding out there is not really any biking there for us, which is why McInnis might be on the schedule instead. Also checked out Dinosaur Hill, where a paleo found a dino in 1911, a 70-foot something-a-saur. Nice evening, so after dinner walked up to DQ as our reward for biking so much, yeah we are dumb. and seriously, my vanilla milkshake wasn't really that good why do I keep ordering from DQ? (should have gone to Wendy's :)... ugh. oh well, I did sleep well. And Bill didn't go wrong with a Blizzard... Might be some rain coming in on Thursday, so we need to enjoy our last Day 3 here tomorrow. Probably be driving in rain to Ridgway.

Day 3