Monday, June 7, 2021
We pulled up camp and on the road by 6:00 AM. We did drive by the World’s Wonder View Tower which was built sometime after 1926! It’s a shame that no one took care of it and kept it as a tourist stop. It would be fun to say you climbed the six stories and looked out! Right now it is run down and the contents inside have been auctioned off. We read online that a group of Colorado residents purchased the tower and it was reported that they would restore it, but that happened in 2016!
World’s Wonder View Tower 
Area beside the tower
Back on I-70 for a little while before we turned and started a southwesterly direction. Again not much to see on I-70 except windmills and fields and then on route 24 more farms and then a glimpse in the distance of mountains! When you look at that picture below, ignore all the bug splatter on the windshield!
Windmills 
Fields 
In the distance, our first glimpse of mountains!
We drove through Colorado Springs and we could see Pikes Peak off in the distance. It was their morning rush hour so there was some stop and start driving.
The scenery was beautiful as we climbed in altitude.
Route 50 followed along the Arkansas River. There were many rapids and the water was flowing quickly! We did see several whitewater rafters!
The road had many twists and turns and some steep grades on the Monarch Pass! The elevation was 11,312ft above sea level. It’s a good thing Dave was driving. He did an excellent job! It’s a good thing we didn’t read about the Monarch Pass until later. This is a time where “ignorance is bliss”! After we came down the pass, we could smell that the brakes were hot so pulled over in an area and parked and had a lunch. This gave the motor and brakes a chance to recover from the extreme up and down and winding roads and our nerves a chance to calm.
One of the scary curves. 
An Aspen Grove 
One view from our lunch stop. 
Our lunch stop for us and “Miss Daisy”! 
The view from our spot looking the other direction!
Another hour and we were parked at our nephew’s home in Gunnison! He had room for us to park and also unhook the Prius. We quickly set up and went exploring along route 50 to wear the road is closed due to construction. We turned onto the alternate route to see how it would be when we leave to head to Utah. Well, let us tell you it is a narrow two lane road with switchbacks and not a lot of guardrails.
It was a scenic drive as far as we went toward the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We didn’t get any pictures because we missed the one pull off that had some room. It was beautiful but we aren’t going to take that route! Below are some pictures from along route 50!
Blue Mesa Dam 
After our exploration, our nephew was finished with his work for the day so we had a chance to catch up and also meet his adorable dog!
Meet Skaya 
Our nephew and his puppy!
Our view from the camper was spectacular! It was breathtaking!
Our nephew took us into Gunnison and we got to see the town and had dinner at a restaurant, Ol’ Miner Steakhouse and the food was delicious. It was a good day and we’re happy to be here for two nights! Tomorrow Chris is off work and he is going to take us to Crested Butte where he used to live and other sights around the area. It will be another fun-filled day with family!
