November 6-7, 2020 Palisade, Colorado

 

Jim Jim, Chili dog and John elbow bumping for social distancing as we are leaving. Nice visit with Jim Jim. We passed through Parachute Co, the Western gateway to the Rockies, Welcome to Parachute-Holiday Craft show coming up- held in the Colorado Hemp Institute. An all purpose stop at the Subway/Napa auto parts/firearms and ammunition store in Parachute. These large flowers in the park are solar panels. For 10 years we traveled with our rubber guard rattlesnake Frank under our step. He disappeared when we were camped in the Navajo Indian Reservation. We adopted our new rubber guard rattlesnake Francine this year. 

The marijuana dispensary in Parachute has the hands down best name. The Tokin  tipi! We think it may have been a curio store before. The bus at the Basecamp RV park in Palisade, Colorado. Behind us down the hill is the Colorado River and across the river is a vineyard. 

Martha and Martha are camped in Fruita mountain biking, they dropped by for dinner. We are having happy hour watching the sunset over the river. Great to visit with them. Evening light on our view from the front of the bus. 

Sunset over the RV park. We drove up to Grand Mesa today. I have never been here before and John was here long enough ago that he did not remember it. The mesa rises steeply about 6,000 feet above Grand Junction. These two small towns were on the way. The top one is beautiful downtown Mesa and the bottom one is Cedaredge.

Welcome to RV cowboy country, Cowboys and Angels hair salon  in Cedaredge, we were in Grand Mesa national forest. There were many cross country ski areas and trails on the mesa. Grand Mesa  one of the worlds highest flattop mountains with an average elevation of 10,000, is dotted with 300 lakes and reservoirs. It is known for  fishing, hiking, camping, scenic views, skiing, snowmobiling, sledding and outstanding deer and elk hunting. 

Powder horn Ski resort. Looks like it has lots of tree skiing. There are so many aspen I bet this place is spectacular when they are turning in the fall. 

View down to the valley floor. There was a snow storm on the top of the mesa. 

Island lake is one of the 300 lakes on the mesa. Corbett Lake across the street from the visitors center.

The visitors center is a cool rustic log building. It is closed because of Covid. More aspens along the road. 

It was raining on the way down. Rain over the valley below. Rain looking toward some high mountain ranges in the sun.

Land O' Lakes trail head. Discovery trail by the visitors center. We had meant to hike it, but there was snow. Grand Mesa national forest with a drawing of the mesa from the bottom, and cows. The only animal life we saw today. Back in Palisade the campground  is on the Fruit and wine byway. The valley is packed with vineyards and orchards.  Just Peachy fruit, orchards, products and farms. Locust seeds in the campground, wasp nest in fall leaves and Big John's Ace and lumber store. If John had his own hardware and lumber store we probably would not be on the road now- he'd be busy building things. 

South of Grand Junction. Downtown Palisade.

Peach orchards at the entrance to Basecamp campground we we currently are. There are also marijuana green houses and a dispensary right here called Happy Camper. The view from one of the riverside tent camp spots along the Colorado river here at Basecamp campground.  No trailers or RV's can camp down here. 

Sunset over the Colorado River from the campground and sunset on the mesas above us.