April 26, 2019
We leave the beauty of Moab, Utah to head to Interstate 70 and our travels East to Grand Junction, Colorado and Junction West RV Park. On our way North on I191 before hitting I70 we pass BLM land with areas for boondocking. The BLM land closer to I70 at top of I191 is better than the spots between Moab and I70. This is just for future reference when we pass through this area for future travels. We have been told that this will be the last year that you can boondock on the abandoned airstrip so if we come to this area again we will need to find a new spot.
Junction West RV park has extra wide, pull-through sites with full hook-ups and picnic tables. Each site has plenty of room for our slide-outs and truck. There are bathrooms with tiled showers and private dressing areas, the air-conditioned laundry room, and free high-speed wireless internet access so this was a great spot to stop for a couple of days. It is a short drive to Colorado National Monument which will plan to explore tomorrow.
April 27, 2019
Colorado National Monument
This park is 31-square miles of Colorado’s red rock, deep canyons, and sandstone towers. We took Rim Rock Drive which is an historic 23-mile route and the only paved road through Colorado National Monument. Access Rim Rock Drive from either the west entrance near Fruita or the east entrance near Grand Junction. We accessed it from Grand Junction. Either way, you’ll climb from the Grand Valley floor along the Colorado River up onto the brilliantly eroded Uncompahgre Plateau, dipping into and out of Monument, Ute, Red and Columbus Canyons along the way. You do have to watch out for bicyclists. There are many pull offs on Rim Rock Drive as well as many bikers who love the windy, up, down challenge of this Monument. This is definitely a bikers paradise.
We talked to a lady who was observing the Monument when we were and she told us the story of a couple who rock climbed up the monument and then got married while on it’s peak!! Very cool and romantic story!!
The Monument above, lower left hand side, Rim Rock Drive above.
Fruita, Colorado
After leaving the Colorado Monument, Steve and I had a local IPA in Fruita. We explored the quaint little town and enjoyed our cold beer. Fruita started out as a fruit-producing region, but today it is known for its outdoor sports such as mountain biking, hiking and rafting on the Colorado River. Both Fruita and Grand Junction were lovely stopover towns.
RollingFromWasaga 