WEDNESDAY, August 20

Bike race today, and US 50, our route to Gunnison, was closing at 9:15.  We squeaked by with 15 minutes to spare.  Lots of clouds on our way up to Monarch Pass, and it was cold (and trying to rain.) So cold that we turned the heater on for a few minutes to take the chill off.  Right about then a snow plow passed us in the other direction.  Winter, at least in this part of the country, is on the way.  Lots of bike riders on the road, and spectators (all bundled up) everywhere, although the race wasn't scheduled to start for a couple of hours.  Got some good pix once we were actually up in the clouds.

Spectacular views on the 6-mile rim drive along the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, but doubt my camera will do them justice - especially this time of day, with the sun directly overhead.  Chasm Point, deepest/ narrowest spot, was etremely dramatic, and made my stomach do flip flops.  At one overlook we saw a perfect example of an unconformity; over a billion years of rock type are missing between two layers.

Driving into Montrose around 2:00 looking for a place to eat, we had to make an 'emergency' stop at Ladybug Quilting.  The best quilt shop we've visited so far, and I could have spent a long time in there if  we hadn't needed to eat, but did manage to take some pix and buy a few things. Good sandwich at Great Harvest Bread - but my thermarest is MIA. I remember taking in into Sacred Grounds espresso for 'breakfast' this morning, but we were in a rush to beat the closure on highway 50 and maybe I left it there?  Good thing I packed a second one as a spare!

Passed several pastures filled with llamas today.  The other day we drove past a pickup with a couple of llamas in the bed of the truck.

In Ouray we went back to 'that bookstore' we didn't get enough of before, and as long as we were in the neighborhood did some foo-foo shopping. Quite the white-knuckle drive across the pass to Silverton.  Waterfalls!  And the colors of Red Mountain were incredibly vivid.

We're camping tonight in Silverton, and had dinner at the Handlebar Grill as recommended.  Good food, and lots of interesting decor.  After dinner we walked over to the depot, where we saw some tiny old cabooses.