Western Colorado

View As We Entered Colorado

We entered Colorado via Highway 70, which is the main artery linking this mountainous state with its westerly neighbour. Our first port of call was 30 miles east of the border, in the pristine, clean and pleasant streets of old town Grand Junction. Here, we stayed at the Hotel Melrose, a sincere and perfectly preserved classic hotel where every room was different and styled with an honest interpretation of the past. With our lodging secured, we ventured out onto a pretty but quiet main street that was sprinkled with sculpture and craft shops. Following a short walk, we found a brewery/ restaurant, which after a brief conversation with a waiter, was able to modify its menu to cater for the appetites of two particularly ravenous vegetarians. Typical of the meals that we have encountered so far, the food was solid, fresh and comforting. The beer however, was something special (Widowmaker - Rockslide Brewery); Pale and wheaty, it was brewed on location and is so far the best of the generally high quality of beer that we have encountered right across the States.

Grand Junction

Honestly, if there is one British attitude toward this country that is just wrong, it is the belief that Americans can’t do beer. It pains me to admit it, but today, there is more regional variety and quality in the average American bar then there is in the average British pub. It’s such a shame, but we have systematically destroyed our brewing heritage in the UK. It saddens me, and it makes me really appreciate the efforts of CAMRA and the establishments that preserve the few real ales and micro-breweries that remain.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

Delta

Delta

The next day we headed out along Old Highway 50 towards the Rocky Mountains and a second night in what was proving to be an intensely beautiful state. En route, we passed through Delta, a town that appears to exist for no other purpose other then to claim its self awarded title of ‘American capital of murals’. It was undeniably a bizarre place, but it was definitely worth the 10 minutes it took to walk down its main street.

Foot of the Rockies

We then started our climb into the Rocky Mountains, which upon first impression reminded us both of a larger version of the landscape that you see in the Highlands of Scotland. This soon changed however, as we climbed higher and further into the huge evergreen forests that sit on its peak. Here lush green pines were lightly peppered with the bright yellow leaves of Aspens, each of which seemed to perform vibrantly within the autumn breeze and under the autumn sun. This journey had certainly taken us towards, round and over some of the most picturesque scenes that we had traveled through so far and I was loving every minute of it.

That night we decided to aim for Gunnison for no reason other then it was roughly a 3rd of the way across the rectangle that is Colorado. Gunnison, was a friendly and surprisingly hip college town that appeared to be preparing itself for the winter ski season. So after a coffee and a tasty vegan muffin, we departed the following morning, ...still heading east.


© All Images By Paul