Aug 21-22 Gunnison, CO

We drove up to Gunnison for a couple of days to check out the eastern end of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  The first day we were there we went into town.  It’s a cute little Western town with one main street.  There are a lot of bike, hike, kayak and general sporting goods stores, so this is obviously a very sporty town.  The end of town was blocked off because the USA Pro Challenge bike race was coming through in a little bit.  The bikers started the day before, riding from Durango (altitude 7,000’) to Telluride (altitude 11,000+’ – gasp!)  This leg was Telluride to Crested Butte, another 40 miles up the road from Gunnison. 

 

Gunnison got all dressed up to greet the riders.  The leaders of the pack came swishing through and I had just enough time to click the shutter once before they were around the corner and gone.  Then the rest of the pack came along about 4 minutes later.

 

 The whole event took about 15 minutes, and then the bikers and their entourage were gone and the town started putting all the decorations away.  I caught this shot of the firefighters taking the enormous flag in, with their children watching carefully to make sure the flag didn’t touch the ground. 

 Some of the businesses passed out long plastic “clappers” that were blown up really tight and smacked together to make noise to cheer the riders on.  After the official use was over, the kids started doing what kids would naturally do with such lovely toys.

 

 

 

The next day we went on a drive through the mountains north of Gunnison.  There are some very upscale housing developments between Gunnison and Crested Butte.  One had some pretty spectacular art work.

                                                                                                    The crests that gave Crested Butte its name.

   

High mountain meadow                                                        Road along the top of the world.

     

Here we are getting near the top of the tree line.          The aspen will be just gorgeous in a few weeks.

              

An abandoned cabin way out back of beyond.  This was a lonely place to be ranching years ago.

   This was the heart of an ancient volcano that has eroded into a grand ruined castle on top of the mountain.