A few minutes past 6:00 am on Sunday, January 9th, following a coffee and bagel run, the four of us were on I-70 heading west through a snowstorm [en route to the GRAND CANYON!]. We took separate cars and agreed to meet in Grand Junction to pick up needed provisions {tortillas, peanut butter, apples, whiskey...} From there, we drove through Moab, debated whether we should stop at Arches National Park, and eventually arrived at Sand Island, Utah. Justin had researched the area beforehand and decided it would be a perfect place to set up camp for the evening (and to divide up our drive, being we weren't in any rush). Of course, he was right. It probably took us 7 hours to get from Denver to Sand Island, near Monticello. Actually, we made excellent time considering our stop in Grand Junction as well as the slower speeds on snow and ice-covered highways. As soon as we arrived, we hopped out of the car, cracked a homebrew (vanilla porter), and began to explore. Located along the San Juan river, Sand Island features a large panel of petroglyphs (anywhere from 800 to 2500 years old!!) on gorgeous reddish/orange sandstone cliffs. After sharing stories, our excitement about the trip, and a few more beers, we grilled some brats and went to sleep early ... probably dreaming of the next day's adventure. Below are photos of our campsite and the San Juan at sunset.
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