Choo Choooo
Today was rail-trippin’ day for Ma and Pa, on the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This route was hacked out of the mountains in the 1880s when gold and silver was discovered in them there hills. Silverton is at the top of the route, sitting at 9500 feet. The mines had all gone by the 1930s but the remains of the old mining town survive and now serve as a tourist destination. But only in the summer months - in winter it shuts up shop as typically it’s under 7m of snow.
So here are the intrepid duo, waiting to set off in their restored 1880 coach, and very comfortable it was too, pulled along by a genuine steam engine huffing and puffing.
The train shoogled and rocked up steep climbs and beside sheer drops and rushing rivers. All very dramatic indeed and all the while the mighty peaks loomed above us, some over 14000 feet high (about 4300m for the metric bods). Hard to describe and do it justice, so as usual let’s let the pictures tell the story:
Once at Silverton there was time to mooch about, though the shops were just full of everything imaginable with ‘Silverton’ printed somewhere. And lunch in a gem of a place with an old singer crooning country and western classics. Actually great!
Back down the mountain by bus and into Durango by 4.30. What’s that? Time for a visit to Walmart? Why yes. And while buying sensible necessities like shower gel, Pa was tempted by this ‘for Callum’. Don’t panic - there wasn’t room in the suitcase! But if anyone is visiting in September....
Grand Canyon tomorrow!
So here are the intrepid duo, waiting to set off in their restored 1880 coach, and very comfortable it was too, pulled along by a genuine steam engine huffing and puffing.
The train shoogled and rocked up steep climbs and beside sheer drops and rushing rivers. All very dramatic indeed and all the while the mighty peaks loomed above us, some over 14000 feet high (about 4300m for the metric bods). Hard to describe and do it justice, so as usual let’s let the pictures tell the story:
Once at Silverton there was time to mooch about, though the shops were just full of everything imaginable with ‘Silverton’ printed somewhere. And lunch in a gem of a place with an old singer crooning country and western classics. Actually great!
Back down the mountain by bus and into Durango by 4.30. What’s that? Time for a visit to Walmart? Why yes. And while buying sensible necessities like shower gel, Pa was tempted by this ‘for Callum’. Don’t panic - there wasn’t room in the suitcase! But if anyone is visiting in September....
Grand Canyon tomorrow!
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