My friend Sadie and I rented a Fiat 500 and drove through California and Utah to Colorado. We stayed three nights in Grand Junction at her grandparent's ranch at the base of the Colorado National Monument and took day trips to Aspen, Telluride and various National Parks.

The morning after I took the sunset photos I awoke in the dark and checked my watch: 5:47 am. I googled "Grand Junction Sunrise," and got "5:48" so I jumped out of bed and grabbed my camera and got to witness the monument transform as the sun came up.

What an incredible backdrop. The ranch was amazing. And every time we walked through the doors of their beautiful 1960s log cabin, we were greeted with wet kisses from Lizzie, the Bernese Mountain dog.

Sadie's grandparents are some of the nicest, most generous people you'll ever meet. They have been married for over 56 years and work together every day to maintaing their ten acres. It is definitely a little piece of paradise in the high dessert. Thank you Grandma Sue and Grandpa Bill for showing this Californian how wonderful Colorado can be.