The Gold Belt Tour is a linked series of roads connecting the towns of Florence, Canon City, Victor, and Cripple Creek. We had been debating for some days whether we would attempt the Phantom Canyon Road (one of the Gold Belt Tour roads), and today decided in the affirmative. Why the debate? Well the guide book Nina has been reading points out that there are two tunnels along the road (something that is usually an issue for us) that the road is narrow, twisting and unsuitable for long vehicles (over 25ft). The road turned out to be fabulous. It is, as advertised, twisting and in places very narrow. Most of it is an old railway bed and in places where the road runs through cuts in large rocks it has not been widened since its railways days. For miles it runs along a narrow man made ledge on the side of a steep valleys; it was exhilarating.

At the end of the Phantom road is the town of Victor an interesting mix of old decaying mines and some simply gargantuan modern open pit mines. In the late 1800's Victor (and its nearby neighbor Cripple Creek) boasted some of the most productive mines in the US, including the Ajax, Portland and Independence mines. In its hey day this region produced more gold than the California and Alaskan gold rushes combined. Victor also lays claim to fame as the birth place of famous broadcaster and author Lowell Thomas.

Parked in the main street of Victor while we did a short walk around town we got to meet one of the local law officers wondering why this big yellow vehicle was parked on the wrong side of the street. We also met Sandy and Deb from the nearby City Hall building, a wonderfully restored building from the gold rush days that still contains an old fire engine, functioning (though unused) period jail cells, as well as city hall offices and an office for the local police.

Sandy and Deb directed us to an impressive vantage point above the town called The American Eagles Overlook from which a view can be gained down into the working open pit of a contemporary mine.

The afternoon light made for poor photographs from the overlook so we looked for a quiet spot to camp for the night so that we could return to the overlook in the morning light.