Colorado Plateau, Mesa

Some of the most spectacular canyons carved out over centuries by nature, are to be found where Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, (called four corners which is marked by a monument) and sections of Nevada.

 

Recently, we were able to visit the Colorado National Monument in Mesa, which is a section of the Colorado Plateau and even drove around Rim Road. This route (around 25 miles long) takes you from Fruita and ends up in Grand Junction and provides you with the most panoramic, unforgettable but sometimes dizzying view of the rock formations, tunnels and city below.

This area had been populated by the Ute people, (or as they call themselves, Nuche). They are Colorado’s longest continuous residents.

Castle Gate rock formation

Can you believe climbers ascend that!

However, as part of America’s brutal and oppressive history, they were forcibly moved and confined to reservations elsewhere.

Other spectacular rock formations

 

Wining down (or up)

In my book, Colorado is one of the most beautiful states in the USA and hence one of my favorites. It is a large state and since I know I have only seen a tiny section, never pass up an opportunity to see more.

The Book  Cliffs mountain range 

 This fall we went 'wining ' in Palisades, a town so small that it doesn’t even have a proper supermarket to serve its 3000 or so residents and only a few places open before 10 am. 

The drive to get there is really spectacular though.

Palisades is close to Grand Junction , the last city in Colorado before you cross over into Utah. So close seems to be the relationship between its residents and the state of Utah, that the street signs tell you the distance between each section of Palisades and the Utah border. 

Strange since that town is in Colorado!

We went over to Grand Junction and while it seems pleasant to the eyes, us three black girls did not appear to be welcome in some places and some signs on vehicles were downright dangerous looking. 

Like the sign on a large truck declaring "I lubricate my AR 15 with the tears of liberals". 

So we never tarried long there! 

But I stray.

The little town of Palisades lies in the valley beneath the huge attractive Book Cliffs Mountain range, so named, as someone decided that it looks like a series of books on a shelf.

Here its 35 and 8/10 miles from the Utah border!

It does in parts and the general area is so attractive.

 Ironically, though close to alcohol-shy Utah, Palisades has over 40 wineries and that is why we were there. 

Many farms have grape arbors in the back and wineries in front, so wine tasting is the name of the game there.

 On this trip we booked a horse -drawn carriage to take us from winery to winery so we could enjoy the various varieties without falling into the trap of drinking and driving.

 We were so lucky that our first stop, was at Varaison Vineyards for it was the owner who greeted us and he had a wealth of knowledge.

 Better yet, he introduced us to some of his best wines.

After that, our fantastic luck ran out though, as at the other wineries at which we stopped, they told us we had to pay for the tastings.

Varaisin Vineyards

 This could be because they suffered a terrible loss in 2020, when temperatures dropped from 54 degrees to 17 degrees overnight, wiping out most of the grape crop. But if people do not get to taste the products,  don’t they tend not to buy?

Anyway, thanks to Varaison we were so well souped up, that the little tots we got elsewhere just kept up happy. Then when we returned to our hotel, it was Happy Hour.

So, our day of wine tasting was, filled with happiness, very well spent and we even made some new friends to boot.

 Beautiful Colorado I just love you, (when it’s not cold!)-

Memories

Some of the sculptures downtown Grand Junction