Well this is a red letter day! When we were in Moab we met a young couple from Florida who were out on a five month RV trek. They like to do outdoor stuff and had kayaks and bicycles with them and we had several nice chats with them in the campground. They let us know about a really great national park in the mountains of Colorado where the hiking was really great, so when we left Grand Junction we headed for the area they suggested.
Before we pulled out we noticed this baby dove that had fallen out of a nest on our campsite and stayed put long enough for me to take some photos. Mom and Pop Dove were nearby so we knew it would be OK. First flight day maybe?
As we left Grand Junction we got a good view of some of the vineyards and orchards for which the area is famous.
Our journey that day was alongside the Colorado River which, unlike our blue rivers at home, was very muddy and it seemed fairly high on the banks. It was so great to finally see some greenery and to leave the desert behind., although temperatures were still in the 80’s.
As we drove through the Glenwood Canyon area, the river valley narrowed to a gorge so there was lots of action in the Colorado River in terms of rapids, rafters and kayakers. The divided freeway had to become a double decker structure to fit in the canyon and we could see a bicycle path that ran for many miles alongside the river, below the freeway. It was really dramatic scenery and we were enthralled.
The reason for the red letter day is that we got about twenty miles past Glenwood Canyon, heading for this national forest park our Florida friends recommended and John said “How about going back to stay in Glenwood Springs and bicycling the trail along the river”. This is very unusual for John to suggest backtracking when we are underway with our rig. It’s like this inertia thing that says “must go forward!” I thought it would be fabulous to go back there. So we pulled off the freeway, checked our campground directories, found a campground in Glenwood Springs, phoned them on the cell to make sure they had room for us (they did) and turned back. Good move!
This is our campsite in the Glenwood Springs RV Park, which is between the freeway and the Colorado River. Our truck is to the right of centre and our trailer is to the right of that. The river is behind the building down a big hill. What a gorgeous spot!
We arrived in the early afternoon so after we got hooked up to our services we got on our bicycles and peddled three miles to downtown Glenwood Springs on the excellent bicycle trail. It appeared to be the old road, now closed to automobiles and reserved for pedestrians and bicyclists and it went right along the edge of the Colorado River. Pinch me somebody! Oh wait, my old bicycle seat was pinching me just fine…
Downtown was really busy with traffic and we had to bicycle over this long footbridge that went over the freeway, the river and the rail yard (did I mention I hate heights). We checked out an outfitters surplus store which was overpriced for the most part but I did get a neat balaclava for snowmobilng. We cycled through some residential streets that were interesting and shady. It was mostly uphill on the way back to the campground so the trip back was very challenging and my tush was suffering somewhat.
After supper at the RV we drove back in to town to browse the shops (that is John’s favourite time to go window shopping with me – when the stores are closed). Honestly it was just as well because prices were really high, this being such a popular tourist town. But we did find a cycling shop that was open and I bought a new bicycle seat – one designed for girls! My 25 year old seat was falling apart (I mean the bicycle seat silly – my behind is somewhat older than that). John installed the new seat on my bicycle and we were all set for our Colorado River trail bike ride the next day.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:58 pm Thanks for the clarification of your seat. May it be really comfortable!