Renae and I had decided to go up to the Grand Mesa this weekend because it was color Sunday week. But because of everything else going on we didn't leave for the Mesa until 3pm on Sunday. We thought we would drive up Land's End Road with the dogs, get out and walk/hike a bit and then eat supper at the Wild Wood Restaurant at Powder Horn. As we started up Lands End Road you could see in the far off distance the aspen's were turning bright yellow and orange with every color in between, the oak brush was orange, yellow and red on one side of the road and still green on the other side of the road. There was another type of brush that was low cover and had turned a really dark shade of red.
Our first stop was about 5 miles up Lands End Road to let the dogs out to run around because they were getting excited. Where we stopped happened to be where the stream runs through, so the dogs went and got wet and then pee'd and pooped everywhere. Exciting I know. We all got back into the car and headed further up the road. We stopped again about another 5 miles in to look at the different colors. Because it was so late in the day everyone was coming down Land's End and it seemed we were the only one's going up. On some of the more hair pin turns the downward bound cars had to pull over to let us pass because there was only room for one vehicle on the road.
About half way up we came upon some vehicles pulled off/on the road picking boisin berries. I asked Renae what they were picking and she told me the berries make a really good jelly. SOOOOO the next time we passed close enough to some berries for me to stick my hand out of the window I picked a sprig and popped one in my mouth. It was the most foul tasting berry or for that foul tasting anything I had put in my mouth (and that is saying a lot). I immediately if not sooner spit out the berry and began gagging on the after taste. Of course there was nothing in the car to stick in my mouth to get rid of the taste, until I found some 2 year old wintergreen mints that had chap stick and dog hair all over the wrapper, but wasted no time in getting the mint in my mouth. Renae looking offended said "Where is my candy, I want some", I told her she had to eat a berry first.
We reached the top, me still gagging, and passed the observatory, and turned off on a dirt road. We walked a little up the hill and found where the fire had burned part of the Lands End/Kannah Creek area. Snapped a couple of photos and got back in the car. We saw ground squirrels galore and one deer a female deer. We headed over to Powder Horn for supper following every slow braking car we could find. Climbed the 400 stairs to the dinning facility only to find out it served brunch from 10-3 on Sunday. Well, fine, we settled on the Wagon Wheel in Mesa. Followed some more slow braking vehicles down to Mesa and ate. They've done some pretty nice remodeling to the establishment, food was decent.
Anyway it was a very beautiful drive. Fall colors are the best.
Our first stop was about 5 miles up Lands End Road to let the dogs out to run around because they were getting excited. Where we stopped happened to be where the stream runs through, so the dogs went and got wet and then pee'd and pooped everywhere. Exciting I know. We all got back into the car and headed further up the road. We stopped again about another 5 miles in to look at the different colors. Because it was so late in the day everyone was coming down Land's End and it seemed we were the only one's going up. On some of the more hair pin turns the downward bound cars had to pull over to let us pass because there was only room for one vehicle on the road.
About half way up we came upon some vehicles pulled off/on the road picking boisin berries. I asked Renae what they were picking and she told me the berries make a really good jelly. SOOOOO the next time we passed close enough to some berries for me to stick my hand out of the window I picked a sprig and popped one in my mouth. It was the most foul tasting berry or for that foul tasting anything I had put in my mouth (and that is saying a lot). I immediately if not sooner spit out the berry and began gagging on the after taste. Of course there was nothing in the car to stick in my mouth to get rid of the taste, until I found some 2 year old wintergreen mints that had chap stick and dog hair all over the wrapper, but wasted no time in getting the mint in my mouth. Renae looking offended said "Where is my candy, I want some", I told her she had to eat a berry first.
We reached the top, me still gagging, and passed the observatory, and turned off on a dirt road. We walked a little up the hill and found where the fire had burned part of the Lands End/Kannah Creek area. Snapped a couple of photos and got back in the car. We saw ground squirrels galore and one deer a female deer. We headed over to Powder Horn for supper following every slow braking car we could find. Climbed the 400 stairs to the dinning facility only to find out it served brunch from 10-3 on Sunday. Well, fine, we settled on the Wagon Wheel in Mesa. Followed some more slow braking vehicles down to Mesa and ate. They've done some pretty nice remodeling to the establishment, food was decent.
Anyway it was a very beautiful drive. Fall colors are the best.
