Colorado: Western Slope Vietnam Memorial Park

Not every pit stop needs to be a big, well-planned event. Bria and I pulled into Fruita, Colorado at 3:30 in the afternoon, tired of driving and in need of a break. Signs on the highway told me this town was the home of several options to explore, so we popped into a Wendy’s, grabbed some lunch, and did a quick internet search.

There were a few child-focused activities in the area, but most seemed to be closing at 4. Out the window, we spotted a display featuring a full-size helicopter and some statues and flags.

"Can we go see the helicopter?" Bria asked.

So we set off across the parking lot, and found the Western Slope Vietnam Memorial Park. The small park features a UH-1H Huey helicopter, a symbol of the Vietnam era. Speakers tell a brief story of the people impacted by the war when you step onto the platform, a feature that connected Bria to the display and helped her to understand the the display.

We spent half an hour reading names on the wall, acting out scenes with the statues, and checking out the helicopter and flags. It was an interesting history lesson and a great break from the road.