Cedaredge, Colorado Weekend

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Colorado Story - August, 2007

The highlights of this weekend’s visit to the Kehmeier ranch were (1) animal visits of a bobcat, a porcupine, and deer, (2) a sober cyclist convention and parade, (3) and a trip to Black Canyon with the Kehmeier family.

Wildlife

Tracy saw a bobcat in the yard Sunday morning, but alas by the time she retrieved her camera, the bobcat was gone. We were also greeted by a porcupine that night. Nancy and I took some very pleasant morning and evening walks in the town streets of Cedaredge and she captured the deer in the picture with the rainbow. I feel like I established a relationship with one deer as we stared at each other for about 5 minutes before getting bored.

Sober Cyclists Convention

This weekend happened to be the annual convention of the International Serenity Run. This is a group of several hundred bikers who have sworn off drugs and drinking. Most belong to AA and work the 12-step program. Every evening there were several AA meetings. Other than being sober and serene these cyclists bring the full motorcyclist subculture with them. Many, if not most, dress the part with colorful head bands, leather vests or jackets, silver chains, tattoo covered arms, and big bulges in their midriffs. While only about one-fourth were women, women were common as both front-seat and backseat drivers. The motel where we stay was packed with bikers and they were very friendly and unusually pleasant to be around, which I presume is a consequence of their working the 12-step program.

On Saturday the Serenity bikers held their annual parade. As you can see by the photo, hundreds of bikers sped into the valley double file. As they entered town they threw candy and trinkets to the crowds lining the sidewalks. They honked their horns and waved just like any other group on parade. Some wore crazy hats such as one with a bit hotdog. But most just wore their usual biker costume. I got the impression that these “reformed” bikers still loved the symbols and culture of serious bikers. It must be fun for many to play the role for the weekend before going back to their respectable jobs on Monday.

Black Canyon

In the afternoon the Kehmeiers drove us to the Black Canyon, Colorado’s answer to the Grand Canyon. The drive took about an hour and we stopped in the little cow town of Crawford for lunch. As you can probably see from the picture, the Black Canyon has the majesty if not the color of the Grand Canyon. It is 2,000 feet deep and 1,000 feet wide at the top. It is not as deep but much more narrow than the rival canyon, so in some ways it is more stately, imposing, and black when in the shade.

We viewed Black Canyon from the Northern Rim at nearly 10,000 feet. Especially fascinating were the scraggly pinyon and Utah juniper trees. The latter are very knurled and gnarled looking, perhaps because they must grapple with so much heavy wind and very little water. In one of the photo are Nancy, Dorothy, and Norman among the knurled Utah juniper trees at the edge of Black Canyon.

We definitely recommend that you visit the Black Canyon and perhaps you can arrange to do so on the weekend of the famous and curious Serenity Run.

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Photos

Deer and Rainbow
This rainbow lit field with a deer is in Eckert, which is a suburb of sorts of the little town of Cedaredge in Western Colorado about 50 miles from Grand Junction. (photo by Nancy Kehmeier)

Serenity Bikers Parade
Every year the Serenity (sober) Bikers hold their parade in Cedaredge, Colorado. This shows the head of the parade coming from the North just before town.

Black Canyon
This photo was taken from the Northern Rim at 10,000 feet, looking at a 2,000 feet drop.

Hikers among juniper trees
The hikers are Nancy, Dorothy, and Norman Kehmeier, at the top of Black Canyon.

Serenity Bikers Parade
Bikers are teetotalers but still know how to have fun.

Serenity Bikers Parade
Biker teaching dog new tricks in Cedaredge.