On our way to the San Juan Mountains for our annual visit, on September 28 we met the Wedlakes in Grand Junction for a little sightseeing and a fine lunch at their home. We parked the motor home with Jeep attached in a parking lot at a closed supermarket and they met us in their car.
They drove us up to the Colorado National Monument, an area of eroded red sandstone typical to the Colorado Plateau, literally on the outskirts of Grand Junction. Above shows Grand Mesa on the horizon, the world’s largest mesa we were told.
View from the Visitors Center showing the water course which eroded this deep canyon.
Jerry and Jill Wedlake and Jo
Jerry and I were good friends in grade school in Beloit. We try to get together every year we go to the San Juan Mountains.
Liberty Cap formation so called because climbers plant the U S flag on the top every Fourth of July.
At the Ridgway Railroad Museum this authentic replica of the Rio Grande Southern’s Galloping Goods no. 1 is on permanent display. It is operated on a short narrow gauge track.
Recently the shed roof has been added to protect the cars, restored and unrestored, from some of the elements and more track was laid.
I love to drive the county road between Ridgway and Ouray . Most of the way it is on the roadbed of the Denver & Rio Grand RR branch to Ouray. This old mill is on the road.
These views are along U S 550, the Million Dollar Highway, north of Red Mountain Pass. While the fall colors were a bit past their prime while we were there, even on a cloudy day they were spectacular. I particularly like the ones tinged with red.
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