Flags are fully unfurled with the a serious gust of wind as they frame the moon.

Ryan Clifton raises his hands in celebration after the Plateau Valley 2010 graduating class turned their tassels.

Valedictorian Lexxsi Varner receives congratulations at her graduation ceremony at DeBeque High School Saturday. She went to the first day of preschool in DeBeque with pink cowboy boots and went out as a senior the same way.

Graduates Samantha Flores, left, and Tasha Gallegos grin as they turn their tassels at the end of R-5 High School’s graduation ceremony at Brownson Arena. Eighty-six seniors graduated from the alternative high school during the ceremony.

Gateway School Principal Pat Chapin watches a lone graduate Dustin Copeland turn his tassel.

After circling into a spiral at the north end of the field, Grand Junction High School students throw their caps into the air at the end of Tuesday’s graduation ceremony at Stocker Stadium.

Fruita Monument High School Valedictorian Chad Hotimsky addresses fellow students along with hundreds of spectators Tuesday evening during a commencement at Stocker Stadium.

Palisade graduate Gilberto Rivas shakes hands as he receives his diploma Monday evening during a commencement ceremony at Stocker Stadium.

Axel Urie, the Head Boy for the 2010 class from Central High School, gets a hug from Central’s Principal Jody Diers during the Central High Schiik Commencement at Stocker Stadium Monday morning.

Mary and Dick Cabela, two of the three founders of th

Arch Archuleta talks with CU Chancellor Phil DiSefano at the Double Tree hotel in Grand Junction, Friday. Colorado University honored Archuleta with an honorary degree for his contributions to CU, Mesa State and Grand Junction.

Joe Cocker tosses one of his homegrown tomatoes into the air.

Tatum Niemeyer, 9,  of Grand Junction jumps from the top of a climbing rock in the new play area in the three hundred block of Main Street at the block party for the opening of the first section of the uplift project.

Cabela store employees Whitney Fox and Kaleb Bell, swing dance to a live band right before the opening.

Grand Junction High School sophomore Hannah Trackler was recognized for her volunteer service last spring with emergency responders.

Fruita resident Tony Finnerty chows down on a huge burrito totally nearly two feet in length at The End Zone in Fruita Wednesday afternoon. Finnerty, along with Luke Hayes of Mack, Larry Cathey of Fruita and Daniel Feuerborn of Grand Junction were in a race against a 90-minute clock in the “Intimidator Challenge,” for a grand prize of $50 for the first man to finish the plate in the allotted time.

Erica Griffin, 11, of Grand Junction shoves another handful of sand up behind the head of Justin Takos, 16, as she and her friends Avalon Tiffin, 12, and Samantha Hoffman, 14, bury him in the volleyball pit at Canyon View Park.

Basley McClaskey, center, dribbles through defenders during a passing drill Wednesday evening during a Fire FC soccer club practice.

Eleven-year-olds Trevor Nielson, left, and Roper Nelson play in the spray from an open copper pipe at the Ute Water’s water tap and piping demonstration during the Water Festival Tuesday at Mesa State College. Area fifth grade students descended on the college to learn about and play in water.

Central High School’s Loren Forney practices at Bookcliff Country Club Tuesday May 18 , 2010.

A biker’s shadow is cast along the Lunch Loop Trail off of Monument Road. The Grand Valley has hundreds of miles of great mountain bike trails.

Biology majors Sharice Pena, 21, left, and Cassandra Edwards, 24, clean and prepare one of the 453 live mounts that the Museum of the West gave to Mesa State College.

Michelle Wheatley and Hank Schoch weave their way through No Thoroughfare Canyon last week on the southern flanks of the Colorado National Monument.

Bonnie Richards, co-owner of American Spirit Shuttle, shows off her new tour vans and SUV at the Graystone Winery. The Company, in business in the Grand Valley for 15 years, has branched out to offer vineyard and agricultural tours in the Palisade area.