Bicycling Montana, Wyoming,
Colorado and New Mexico - 2006

Gunnison to Alamosa, CO

July 3, 2006

We awoke and when we looked out our motel window and we saw hot air balloons.

We ate breakfast, and at 9:00AM we drove across the street and arrived at the Gunnison Pioneer Museum. This Museum had a number of old buildings including two old school houses and a post office. It had a large number of farm implements as well as more than 50 antique automobiles from early 1900 to 1920 trucks to more modern automobiles from the 50's and 60's. There was a railroad water tower as well as a narrow gage Denver and Rio Grande train. We spent almost 2 hours at this museum.

After leaving the museum we went to downtown Gunnison and Mary Kay shopped. Another hour passed so we ate lunch at a small Deli, in front of our parked car.

After lunch we headed back the way we came yesterday until we reached Highway 149. We again turned south and headed back to Alamosa. This was a beautiful ride through the mountains.

However, when we entered the mountains, we encountered rain from time to time. We crossed the continental divide at Spring Creek Pass. This pass is 10,901 feet in elevation but to get to the Continental Divide we had to go over Slumgullion Pass which was 11,361 feet in elevation. We reached Creede, CO where they were having the Colorado State Mining Championships. They were seeing who could manually make a hole in a rock the fastest and deepest. There were about 150 people watching the Championship competition. After leaving Creede, we encountered the heaviest rain we had all day and it lasted until we were east of South Fork, CO.

We returned to Alamosa and stayed in the same motel we had before. Only our room is next door.