Moab!

Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO

After Crested Butte we decided to make a run for Utah.  We set out across US Rte. 50 (the same one that runs through Loudoun) and headed west through the mountains out into the desert.  We made the Colorado Plateau by sundown and Grand Junction, CO a little bit later.  We took the scenic route off the Interstate once in Utah and found a nice campsite within feet of the Colorado River.  It was dark and windy but warm when we set up Greg's tent at the Dewey Bridge campground.
Unfortunately without knowing it we picked a very windy spot to set up camp.  We didn't get much sleep because the gusts pounded the tent so loudly.  By about 0530 the wind had gotten to the point that it was sustained around 30-40 mph and sleep was impossible.  The tent was bucking pretty bad even though we had staked it well, and I was seriously concerned that it was going to collapse in, so we declared a Mayday and broke camp in about 5 minutes and managed to wrestle everything into the truck without losing any gear. I'm sure it was comical.
We drove another 30 miles through winding buttes and red rock cliffs to Moab, where we have just finished two huge breakfast burritos and coffee at the Eklectica Cafe.  The weather is warm, rain has stopped, and there are mountain bikers everywhere!  Not sure what the rain will do today but we will get cleaned up and look for a ride.  More pics and details later.