I have never moved before. Wow, it involves a lot of people in and out of our house! Lots of noise, dust, and it has kept Mom and Dad busy. We aren’t done yet, but we are making progress. How do I know? Because we have been able to do more fun adventures.
This past weekend, Mom picked a new park called Snooks Bottom, named after a homesteader and farmer in the Fruita area during the 1900s. William and his wife were innovators and used a team of horses to pull water out of the Colorado River. The term “bottom” refers to the low, flat land situated along the riverbank.
Today, it is an open space free to the public located at 1051 Kingsview Road in Fruita. We took the 340 west to Kingsview and turned left. Instead of continuing on to the Devil’s Canyon trailhead, the park is on your right. We drove by it on our way to Devil’s Canyon when we hiked there, and Mom wanted to come back. It has plenty of parking space and a human restroom. A one-mile paved path goes around the lake, and I was ready to go!
I didn’t know anything different being born and growing up in Phoenix, so I thought fall meant 
“just not as blazing hot as summer.” Man, fall is different here…cooler, crisp…and I love it! Several other folks were out walking their dogs, so I got to make friends. One dog and I circled around so much we made our owners dizzy. Ha!
The views of the Colorado National Monument (CNM) are amazing. Apparently, a trail takes you from Snooks Bottom over to the Devil’s Canyon trail system. We made note for future reference. Today, we enjoyed a leisurely walk. Some of the dogs were jumping in to swim. I still haven’t overcome my dislike of water. Humans were fishing, and the ducks and geese were letting everyone know to keep their distance.
After our beautiful walk, Mom plugged in the Bread Mine at 211 E. Aspen Avenue in Fruita. Our contractor’s girlfriend works here, and we have been wanting to partake in their yummies. Mom and Dad got these huge apple pastries. I assumed I would get some, but they gobbled them up. Wait, what just happened? I didn’t even get a crumb. Not cool. I guess they were THAT good. They had all sorts of flavors of sourdough bread. Pop in and tell them Moka sent you!
Fruita’s farmer’s market was going on, so we walked 
through. Again, I got to make some canine friends. Local farmers, beekeepers, and crafters had their booths. It was small but friendly. Back home we went so Dad could keep plugging away at his list. We barely got in the house, and a big storm rolled in. Kaboom! Mowgli and I took a nap, and Mom had a hair appointment. Humans sure require a lot of maintenance!
The next day, I knew an adventure was about to happen. Mom packed some snacks and the cooler full of drinks. We were on a “Fall Color Quest!” Fall is Mom’s favorite time of year, so she is stoked to be in a place where the leaves actually change. Just an hour away is the Grand Mesa, and we hopped on the 70 heading east. We connected to the 65 North toward Powderhorn Ski Resort and kept going up.
I’ve been here once when our friend, Mary, visited, but everything was green then. Now, the 
aspens were yellow and orange. Each year about 2 ½ million people visit the Grand Mesa National Forest, but it has never been super busy for us. Folks were fishing, and in the winter, we will come to snowshoe. Anyway, you feel like you are top of the world and rightly so. It is the world’s largest flat-top mountain and sits around 10,000 feet.
We stopped by some of the lakes to take pictures and get a little walk in. Mostly, we were doing a drive by today. Mom took lots of pictures. Some areas were at peak while others were close. The back side heading toward Delta hadn’t started yet, so if you are planning a foliage trip, this coming weekend and next will be 
prime.
When we came to Delta during the return trip home, Mom and Dad went to The Stockyards at 1205 Main Street for a bite to eat. I was certainly hoping I would get a taste this time! Mom asked for a medium rare burger and got a well done one. Their French fries were homemade and tasty, but it was overpriced for mediocre diner food. I gobbled up my pieces gladly, though.
Before I knew it, we were back home. Dad still had time to work on some projects. A perfect balance of chores and adventures. With us being near so many cool places, I know we will be on the hunt for more fall color. Stay tuned!
By Moka Jiro
My name is Moka, a sesame Shiba Inu, and I am carrying on Kuma’s legacy by sharing adventures with my family. My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, is my translator and photographer. She is also a motivational speaker & trainer, life & wellness coach, fitness & nutrition guide, and author of nine published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy mom ever!
Enjoy my blog at https://www.lorrainebosse-smith.com/category/moka/
and be sure to follow me on Instagram: moka_jiro_shiba.
Explore this great world we live in, and I hope to see you on the trail.
(with help from Lorraine Bossé-Smith)
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