We drove to Gunn
ison, Colorado, along scenic highway 50, through the Black Canyon, ears popping as we approached an altitude of 8000 ft. It is a huge recreation area, with hunting and fishing lodges every few miles. We saw a bunch of fishermen in the streams fishing for either trout or salmon. We can really tell the difference in the air—dry and thin. The temperatures are getting cooler too—low of 48, high of 65. And, the colors and scenery continue to be breathtaking around each curve. We stopped at the Alpine brewery in town a
nd sampled the Spent Grain Cobbler. The crust is made from the grains used to brew the beer, after they’ve been used in the fermenting process. Yummy…it was delicious! (Better to use spent grain for desserts rather than send to the animals for feed!)
And, speaking of animals, when we arrived at the campground, there was a friendly donkey greeting us!
On Wednesday we saw the first rain and drizzle since we left home. It brought cool temps overnight, and a cloud cover. We had breakfast at a small cafe in town, and a lady there from Louisiana stopped me and said that Jim looks just like Jeb Bush!! Ha ha! Now, that’s one I’ve never heard before!
We took a drive north to Crested Butte, a former coal mining town that is now a ski town. As we approached the town, it felt like we could reach out and touch the clouds that were
hanging over the mountains. We climbed to an altitude of about 9900 ft. You have to wonder how the pioneers were able to cross the country and how they discovered these places. We were amazed at all of the cabins, condos, hotels, houses, etc. on the mountain that fill up for winter activities. 
The quaint downtown was very colorful with shuttles pain
ted by local artists. We also took an extra breath when we noticed the Oxygen Bar…something you don’t see very often! The hillsides looked like they were covered in velvet. It’s too bad the sun wasn’t out because the colors would have been even more brilliant! By the end of the day, the sun greeted us again...
The scenery has been a welcome surprise—we didn’t know what to expect in this area. It would be fun to come back in the winter and see how different it looks.
Hard to believe we’ve already been gone almost three weeks (my hair keeps reminding me--I'm ready for another haircut!)
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