A couple hikes and a small project

We decided we had been sitting on our butts long enough and went out yesterday morning for not one but two hikes.  We are very close to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.  For someone afraid of heights, this park scares me more than any other, including the Grand Canyon.  The Grand Canyon is deeper, but it is so huge I don't think your brain can get itself to believe it's real, therefore for me, it's not as bad as the Black Canyon.  The Black Canyon has very steep walls, so it's straight down over 2000'!  Too much for Billy boy.  We had visited the Park many years ago, and haven't been back.  Even last year when we were in the area, Jan and I took a ride over to the other, eastern side of the park, but not in the official area.  
Our first hike was out to Warner Point.  The entrance road climbs up pretty steeply onto the mesa that was uplifted before the canyon was cut by the fast moving river.  A couple views on the way up.

Pretty morning

Adobe hills

The trail is all the way at the rear of the park, about 11 miles in.  It's just a 3/4 mile one way hike on top of the canyon that terminates in a viewpoint at the deepest part of the canyon, 2772'!  We were encouraged by the "three amigos" on our way.

The three amigos

It was a pleasant hike, although up and down pretty much the whole way, but quiet and serene, very peaceful and no one else around!  Doing this stuff in the morning has its pluses.  We were rewarded with quite a view, the Black Canyon in the foreground and Grand Mesa in the distance.

The path was in a juniper and piñon pine forest.

As we drove back out of the park after our hike, we stopped so Jan could take a few more pictures.  This is "Painted Wall", the highest shear cliff in Colorado at 2250'.

Painted Wall with the river below

Another shot along the way.  A long, long way down!

Then we drove out of the park and then east into Cimarron to the bottom of the Morrow Point Dam for another hike, this time down along the Gunnison River.

Morrow Point Dam

This trail was in stark contrast to our first hike, instead of high on top of a ridge, we were right down along the river.  It was very nice.

Along the river

Moving along, very much enjoying the fact I'm not hanging over an edge:)

Motating along

A couple more shots on the way back out.

Gorgeous day 80 degrees

Almost out

We had a wonderful time, 2 mind you, hikes in one morning.  I know only 3 miles total, but we sure enjoyed it!  Nice to get out and about.  Had enough time left to do one more project that we've been wanting to accomplish for quite awhile.  We have a cabinet underneath the dining table that really needed a shelf to increase its usability.  I had been putting it off for some time, so decided now is the time!
Only took a few minutes, actually more time to allow the stain to dry than the actual construction.

I have no idea how all that wine got there!!!