Rifle Gap

So, what happens when you miss your exit on the freeway? Well, this was one spot where you just couldn't go the next mile and turn around. We accidentally missed our exit to head off to the Grand Mesa on Saturday--the next exit was...oh, about 15 miles out of the canyon. So instead, we kept on going and checked out some waterfalls in Rifle Gap, and it turned out to be an awesome family outing! The boys had a great time. Ethan got to get in the mist of the falling water, explore some limestone caves, and pet several dogs on the way around the short trail. On our way back home, we took the exit that we were originally going to take and hiked the short "Land o' Lakes" trail (the last photo is the view looking out over the Grand Mesa). We are so thrilled that summer is finally here in full swing! Our next 4 weekends are going to be various trips up in the mountains---surely to be some good camping experiences!

You know, as we were driving from Rifle Gap Falls to the Grand Mesa, Jeni and I were talking about where we would like to settle down. We sure enjoy the proximity of so many of nature's beauties, but we have been saying that we'd like some place a little more "greener" (I mean fertile earth). We were talking again about looking into Colorado Springs or other towns between us and Denver, but then......we got to the top of the Grand Mesa (only 30 min from our home) and were immediately reminded of why we enjoy this part of Colorado. So, who knows where we'll be two years from now!