UNLUCKY AT CARDS BUT I WAS LUCKY TO BE INVITED TO GO FOR AN ATV RIDE.

We've kept busy since arriving in Clifton Friday.  We have played cards every day except Sunday.   We had shared meals several times and joined the church crowd for Sunday brunch at Starvin Arvin's Restaurant.  We're making soup today for a group supper here at Darden's with about ten of us.  Tomorrow we have lunch at the church the group attends.  It's called NTO (never too old) and there will be a bluegrass band playing.    Aileen plays cards with the ladies on Tuesday and where they were going is out in the country south of town.  The lady's husband asked if I would like to go out on a four wheeler.  Well, certainly!!!  We just rode up the road a little ways then struck off into BLM land.  That's federal public lands.  There was a maze of ATV trails and eventually we reached the edge of the Gunnison River which has steep walls on both sides offering beautiful views in all directions.  I was able to find a couple of geocaches out there as well.

Friday we are to go west of town to visit friends Vern and Charlene where they will be looking after their daughter's acreage.   Monday will see us on the road heading home to Oliver.  We're planning on short driving days so it will take about a week to get there.  Just like in BC we are having beautiful sunny and unseasonably warm weather here in Colorado with temperatures up in the 70's in the afternoon.  That is expected to drop considerably by the weekend.

There's my guide Fred, leading us to the Gunnison River overlook.

Fred at the overlook.

The Gunnison River was a beautiful colour.

The railway followed the river mostly, but I did see one long tunnel.

I rode the red machine which used to belong to our good friend Ken, whose funeral we attended last month.  Ken had sold the ATV to Fred a couple years ago.  Ken used to bring the ATV to Caliente every winter.

I was impressed with the ranches down in the river valley.  Standing on the rim looking down I felt that I was in a Zane Grey western story.

We rode along the rim for a distance getting different perspectives on the river and ranch.

The train tracks have just exited a tunnel in the lower right.

Fred surveying his domain.  It was impressive to be riding in tee shirts in March at over 5,000 feet elevation.