Until departing on our Excellent Adventure, life pretty much followed a daily routine that was dictated by work, school, kids, etc. The daily activities were pre-determined and the outcomes were fairly certain. Now, except for some domestic chores, none of that applies. Each day is discrete and very different from any other day. Planning is vague and outcome is uncertain. Today was another roll of the dice.
After a leisurely breakfast, we walked into the nearest real estate office that is within view of the RV park. All we wanted to do was set an appointment, but we soon found ourselves talking with a very personable agent named Lana. We described our situation and tried to convey our vague requirements. After patiently listening she queried the database and gave us a list of properties to view in Glade Park, which is a community somewhat outside of town.
To reach Glade Park you must cross through the Colorado National Monument. We could see the monument from the RV Park and it appeared to be a series of red cliffs bordering the southern edge of town. We intended to visit the park during our stay, but driving to Glade Park would force the issue. By the way, the RV park is named Monument RV Park. Imagine that.
We entered the park and stopped at the ranger kiosk. Explaining we were on the way to Glade Park, the ranger waived the $5.00 entrance fee. It was our lucky day.
We had no idea how spectacular the rock formations or views of Grand Junction would be. We stopped several times to enjoy the view and take some pictures. Readers of this triplog are encouraged to view the pictures associated with this log entry. The place was like a mini-Grand Canyon.
Glade Park was a crossroads with a general store that served as grocery, gas station, post office and source of local gossip. The entire afternoon was spent driving along gravel roads, viewing properties and trying not to get lost. We did see some promising properties and will probably ask the broker to arrange access to one particular piece. However the highlight of the day was another conversation we got into with a local rancher.
Looking for a particularly elusive 40 acre plot, we wandered into a pretty wild area. Asking the rancher for directions, he said he had some land for sale. Imagine that. If we bought a particular lot, he had 160 adjoining acres that were accessible to him only by horseback. We went to investigate. Our conclusion: too remote. But our experiences of the day gave us more food for thought.
The return trip to Grand Junction followed a different route through the Colorado National Monument and dropped us at the east end of town. The views weren’t quite as spectacular, but we enjoyed the ride. Before returning to the coach, we stopped to spray-wash the mud from the Jeep and have some Mexican food that did not meet expectations.
The remainder of the day was spent preparing for our overnight trip to Vernal, Utah.
Before falling asleep, we reflected on the day’s events. We saw some beautiful sights and talked with some interesting people. Best of all, none of it was expected or planned. I wondered what tomorrow would be like.