Jeepin' to Pitkin

We have definitely found relief from the heat here in lovely Gunnison, Colorado. We've been here for a couple of weeks now and are loving sunny days that sometimes top the 80-degree mark and nights that drop off into the 30's. We've been having so much fun here we just haven't found time to blog!

Today was another installment of Rocky's Wonderful Adventures in the Rockies. We joined KOA neighbors Karen and Arvin and their two grandsons to run our Wranglers up the mountain to the town of Pitkin.

We headed about 20 miles east of Gunnison to County Road 887. It's neither the most direct, nor the smoothest route. But, it's definitely scenic. The Jeeps loved it!

And, so did the boys! Sammy and Grady were all smiles as they rode along with grandma and grandpa.

One of the best things about having a Jeep is the chance to enjoy views like this one. If anything is worth 30 minutes on a rough Forest Service road, this certainly is! Even on a hazy day, this is one impressive vista.

These days, we're longing for a four-door squirrel, which would make it much easier to carry a couple of friends. We got a kick out of watching the boys bound out of the Jeep at each stop and then climb back in. When you're four, who needs doors?

After a stop for lunch, we finally made our way to the town of Pitkin: Population 66. At an elevation of 9,216 feet, this one-third square mile alpine town is quiet in the winter. But, the place booms in the summer months, when a couple of hundred people call Pitkin home. On this sunny afternoon, Pitkin City Hall looked like it was the place to be.

Founded in 1879 as a mining camp, Pitkin boasted three churches by 1881. Today, the Pitkin Community Church provides an interdenominational service each week.

Many of the structures in Pitkin have seen better days. They are a powerful reminder that life high in the Rocky Mountains can be rough, to say the least. These days, there's not a lot to see in Pitkin. But, as we discovered, getting there is more than half the fun!