Day 9 - The Durango and Silverton Railroad

Captain's Log - Day 9

Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Another spectacular day! About five months ago I was telling a good friend, Jerry, that we were planning this trip and the general route we would be taking. He had told me the previous year that if we ever go out this way that we would have to stop at Glacier Lake. But in our discussion in January, he insisted that we stop in Silverton, Co. to ride a train. “It is simply spectacular!” he said.

Well Jerry, you were certainly right. Today we spent all day in Durango and Silverton, Co. and we were not disappointed at all. The train ride was everything that you said it would be and so much more. For some of the younger passengers, the three and a half hour ride up the mountain along the river was a bit too much.

For me, I couldn’t get enough of it. About 700 pictures later [okay, I exaggerate a little] I simply had to put my camera down and say enough is enough. It’s like I’m a shutter bug addict or something! It seemed as though every turn in the tracks led to another fantastic scene that I did not want to forget - and so, I snapped away like some sort of nature stalker.

Disembarking in Silverton was like stepping back into the past. We stepped off the train onto a dirt street in the middle of a thriving old west cowboy town. Very well done, Silverton!

We then caught a ride back down the mountain with Rick and Kim and that was just as impressive. The mountain scenery was beyond anything I had expected to see. After all, the train ride up was so cool, that nothing could possibly compare. I was wrong, and again, I found myself being compelled to have them stop for pictures around every corner. The thing is, I don’t know if this day really compares to the giant ball of twine. I guess that time will tell which remains as the most memorable! Haha!

Rick and Kim then treated us to a dinner show in Durango, called the Bar D Chuckwagon which featured a delicious barbecue supper and a very entertaining stage show. It was a very county style show with great music, laughter and fun! They have been performing a nightly show for over 40 years at that site in Durango and it was a great way to top off the evening.

Now, just for record… yesterday’s log said that Rick made me wash his van. Well, I feel compelled to tell you that I volunteered to do that because he was fabricating a tool that would allow me to get to a loose bolt on my bike and tighten it up before losing it. Rick and Kim, thanks again for a tremendous stay and for opening your home to us. It has been saawwww- eeeeet spending these past three days with you guys! May God richly bless you for your hospitality!

Tomorrow we are off on the next leg of our Great Adventure - Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park following a route that Gary Thompson suggested to us when we were staying in the Econo Lodge in Eagle Nest, NM. (By the way, that hotel comes with my highest of recommendations for a great stay at an economical cost in a beautiful location) Gary was a wealth of knowledge and a true pleasure to visit with.

So, until tomorrow…