Interstate 76 from Nebraska to the Denver area of Colorado is beautiful; so much green! Spring has truly sprung in colorful Colorado!

My original Colorado plan was shortened. Rain was moving in for 3 days in the Denver area, so I nixed my cycling in the Fort Collins area. I did however travel south of Denver to visit with friends and enjoy dinner at the Sherpa House in Golden. Wow, this place brought back my memories of my Nepal – Everest Base Camp trek in 2001! The “house” really looks like a lodge you would find in Nepal and the food was delicious!

Fortunately my friends have a quiet neighborhood so I slept in my van. This worked perfectly since one left for work at 5:30am and the other one was enjoying the morning to sleep in. I wanted an early morning start too. I was off to Grand Junction, CO.

Interstate 70 west travels through the Rocky Mountains, thus tunnels and beautiful towns on the forested mountainside during the first half of my travel. I birded at a rest area … pleasantly surprised to see an American dipper at the creek’s edge. Then the landscape scenery opens up to flat land with mesas in the distance and a drier look to the land.

I arrived in Grand Junction relaxed. Last year I drove through the National Monument located here and with rain sprinkles, once again I hd to nix my idea of bicycling. (If you have not visited the National Monument, add it to your “to do” list.)

Next morning I birded at Grand Valley Audubon Nature Preserve. It is a wetland area. I decided to only stay an hour since I still had a 4.5 hour drive ahead to Monument Valley, Utah. On the road again….

Here are a couple of photos from my birding. I spent time watching this osprey bring in food, and watch the other adult feed the 3 young, but one young always seemed to be missing out on getting food.