BLUE MESA RESERVOIR - BLACK CANYON OF GUNNISON

GUNNISON, COLORADO – BLUE MESA RESERVOIR
What a beautiful location and great camping locations within the Blue Mesa Reservoir and Gunnison areas.

The Gunnison Black Canyon area is nationally known for its geology and topography – and for the historical lore surrounding that area. Local legends say that pioneers and trailsmen would enter the canyon to avoid passage over the rocks. Trapped in the canyon with no way out, many perished. It is said that you can hear their cries of sorrow and pain during calm weather periods within the canyon.

Our journey to Gunnison took about two hours longer than we anticipated, due to the steep grade over Monarch Pass through the southern Colorado Mountains. Some portions topped an 8% grade, and pulling the Cirrus Trailer, even with the Dodge 2500 Diesel, proved quite the climb. When we make that climb again, we will plan to not fill our water tanks ahead of the trip. The fresh water tanks add too much weight.

BLACK CANYON OF GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK
The canyon has been a mighty barrier to humans. Only its rims, never the gorge, show evidence of human occupation – not even by Ute Indians living in the area since written history began. The Black Canyon stretches far beyond the 14 miles within the national park. Including the canyon within Curecanti National Recreation Area and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, the total length is 53 miles.

Climate
Weather can vary greatly between the canyon rim and canyon floor. Summer daytime temperatures range between 60 to 100F (15 to 38C), nights 30 to 50F (-1 to 10C) Winter daytime temperatures range between 20 to 40F (-6 to 4C), nights -10 to 20F (-23 to -6C). Precipitation is minimal, brief afternoon thunderstorms occur during the summer.

THE SHAKEDOWN CRUISE

We call the first trip of the season “The Shakedown Cruise”. Before your RVing season begins, you need to de-winterize your rig and make sure all the facilities are operating properly. You don’t want to pull out on the first trip of the year and find out you’re 500 miles from home and have a problem with your RV. We found the perfect spot for our Shakedown – Cherry Creek State Park. It’s a great getaway spot, but it is close to home (3 miles), close to the city (within Denver city limits) . . . and if we discover a problem, we’re close to the services needed to fix the problem. State Parks offer all the amenities you need for an overnight shakedown and almost every major city in the country has a State Park close by.
Shakedown Checklist:
• Check electrical system and fuses
• Fill your water tanks with just enough water to test toilet operation, test sinks and outlets for leaks
• Check your fluids and tires
• Check the braking system in your towing vehicle and on the trailer
• Attach/adjust mirrors
• Check your hitch and coupling system hookups
• Test your battery levels and charge if necessary
• Check your water heater system
• Fill propane tanks if needed
• Think Safety: make sure you have a First-aid kit, road flares, a good shovel, tool kit and hoses!



Be prepared for anything. Our first Shakedown was scheduled for late March. We planned it it early February - the weather in Colorado was amazing, hardly any snow and temperatures running in the 50's and 60's. But as luck would have it, two days before we are to leave for Cherry Creek - it snowed three feet!!! Nothing stops us . . we made it to the park with no problem. We backed into a beautiful spot, turned on the water and whammo - toilet sprung a leak . . . water everywhere! It's exactly this type of thing that makes your Shakedown worth the trip, and parking in a big city makes the repairs that much easier. We unhooked, went to our favorite RV store, got the parts and had it fixed by nightfall!

DON'T ROUGH IT TOO MUCH - LET'S WATCH TV!

Most RV’s come equipped with a television. Although adventure RVing isn’t about sitting inside watching TV all day long – it is nice to be able to check in on the local weather situation, or perhaps catch that big sporting event or playoff game. Sometimes the weather isn’t always conducive to sightseeing – so it is fun to be able to make up a bowl of popcorn and settle in for a good movie on the tube. Everyone now knows that the new FCC regulations on digital transmission of television signals has caused some viewing headaches at home – and on the road. You are no longer able to pick up local television stations in on your RV TV unless you’ve invested in a digital receiver for your rig. But there are other options. DIRECT TV and the DISH NETWORKS both provide awesome receiver systems for your RV or trailer and it’s easy to get one set up, no matter where you travel in the US. Both services offer great FREE systems for your RV or your HOME. All equipment is FREE, and the installation is FREE. It is so easy to get your system up and ready for your next trip. The monthly rates for DISH and DIRECT TV in your HOME or RV are incredibly inexpensive, it all depends on what package you decide on. It is totally worth it. Sign up today and be connected where ever you decide to travel.

PARKING AT HOME OR IN STORAGE

WHERE DO I PARK THIS THING?
If you'RE lucky enough to have the space in your own backyard, you’re a huge step closer to making the pack-up and planning that much easier. Many covenant communities don’t allow parking RV’s on the streets – they don’t in our neighborhood. So we took some spare space next to the house (see if you can get it near an electrical outlet and access to the water hose), cleared and leveled the ground and surrounded the space with an extra tall fence and gate. We finished the space with pea gravel and set up cement stones for the drive in and leveling once parked. It is very convenient and provides super easy access for trip readiness. If you can’t park it at your home, there are RV storage stations available in most major cities. The closer to home the better.

BACK IT UP BABY . . IF YOU CAN'T SEE MY MIRRORS, I CAN'T SEE YOU!
Get yourself a pair of good side mirror extensions for your towing vehicle – or permanent ones if you prefer. If you go for the extensions, do some shopping for the type and size recommended as a “best fit” for your truck mirrors. Permanent mount mirrors are nice – but expensive – and may require drilling a couple of holes into your doors – ouch! They also may tend to get in the way during everyday driving around town. I guess it would depend on whether you use your towing vehicle as your everyday ride. Paying a little more for removable extensions is a good idea . . remember, you get what you pay for. Cheap mirrors will blow forward – or blow off – in high winds. Many will also have squirrely mounts which tend to deteriorate over time – you might only get one or two seasons out of them. There is also the issue of vibration when you’re driving rough roads or in windy conditions. Spend some time checking out the reviews on mirrors – it’ll be worth the time.
If you’re traveling partner is the one that will direct you when backing into your backyard, RV storage space or camp space – it’s best to discuss and work out the hand signals in advance. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve witnessed huge fights between teams when trying to do the back -in thing. And invariably, the driver needs to jump out of the truck several times to check the progress and location when backing. My husband and I worked on the hand signals after our first attempt at backing it into the backyard – which consequently was our first RV fight. Starting a trip – or ending one for that matter – on a fight, is the pits. If you can’t see his mirrors – he can’t see you or your hand signals. Customize your “right”, “left”, “straight back” . . . and don’t forget the “how close” and “stop” signals too. It’s also a good idea to make some kind of mark or identify a spot on your trailer and on the truck for lining up the hitch. It’ll save a lot of time and a lot of heartache.