Day 31--Alamosa to Dodge City

Southeast Colorado

Today was a travel day. We left Alamosa this morning after breakfast and headed out Highway 160 toward Kansas. We made good time--perhaps it was because of the huge thunderhead behind us almost all the way! To say the least, each time we looked over our shoulders and saw it looming there looking rather ominous, we hurried a little more!

I'm in love with western highways. Those of you who know me well probably remember that I stay away from interstate highways every chance I get because I really don't like all that traffic. Out west, it has been like a breath of fresh air not to have so many cars on the road. Granted drivers get out of patience with slow pokes, but with so little traffic, it is pretty simple for them to just pass on by!

Windmill in field, southeast Colorado

Highway 160 today was quiet and peaceful. We took the "southern" route to Dodge City, rather than the one our GPS preferred. We went to Walsenburg and then down I-25 to Trinidad, where 160 headed east again. We stopped outside the small community of Kim for lunch. We ate in the car parked in an unused side road. While we sat there, at least four cars passed by! After lunch we went near Springfield, Colorado, and shortly afterwards crossed the border into Kansas. Continuing to follow 160, we drove through Ulysses until 160 turned south. We continued east on Highway 144 until it intersected with Highway 56, which took us into Dodge City.

Abandoned buildings, Comanche National Grasslands

We started out the day in San Luis Valley at around 6000+ feet, traveled over a mountain range and down into the valley, and finally ended up in the great plains. Mountains to foothills to plains--it was a dramatic change of scenery and environment in one day. Each was beautiful in its own way, even the areas around the Comanche National Grasslands, where we saw many abandoned buildings and very few signs of active life. Once in Kansas, the fields began to look rich and lush, the farms more prosperous.

Verbena growing by road

We arrived in Dodge City at our B&B, Boot Hill Bed and Breakfast, and were greeted by owner Kurt (his wife Enid was busy cooking). We have already enjoyed Enid's cookies, and we're looking forward to breakfast tomorrow! The home is on Boot Hill, right in the historic district. 

We had dinner tonight at Bella Italia. It was eccezionale! 

Smoky had been looking for this photograph for a while. Today was his lucky day!

Rural mail delivery

Tomorrow exploring the area is on the agenda.

--Shann

Day 30--Great Sand Dunes National Park

Great Sand Dunes, late morning

For some unknown reason, the trip this morning from our motel to the Sand Dunes seemed much shorter. When we were racing the sun last night, it felt as though we would never arrive in time. Today, when we weren't in a hurry, no problem with time!

We discovered, on talking with one of the volunteers manning the desk at the Visitor's Center, that the sunset last night was not a common occurrence. We're still hoping to have a repeat performance tonight, but right now it's too soon to tell.

Medano Creek provides play space for many, young and old

Shallow Medano Creek runs along the base of the dunes, and it provides a great recreation location for those who visit. Many families come here to enjoy water and sand; only a few visitors cross the creek and venture up the dunes. That's what Smoky is doing right now, hiking up the dunes. Even though the sun is still almost directly overhead, he's hoping to get some photos showing the peaks and valleys of the dunes.

We tried to get up to Zapata Falls before lunch to see the view of the valley and dunes, but our little Prius started complaining just a few yards up the road, so we scratched that idea and returned to the picnic area. We'll have dinner at the Sand Dunes Lodge so we'll be ready for sunset.

Dunes taken during hike

On our way to the park this morning, Smoky reminded me that today was our last day in a National Park. We have another a week or so before we get back to Tennessee, but today is the last official park day. It is sad, but I think we are both ready to be home again.

Dunes closeup

Dunes and hikers

Dunes closeup

Just before Smoky set off on his dune hike, we reconnected with our friends Susie and Roger. We had missed them earlier this morning, and they were in the car heading back to Del Norte when Roger spotted our car at the picnic area this afternoon. It was quite a coincidence that they were planning to be at Sand Dunes the same time we were. We started our Western Adventure with them in Yellowstone, and we ended it with them today as well.

Strong wind blows sand on dunes

It is about 7 pm now. We had a tasty dinner (complete with homemade strawberry rhubarb pie and ice cream), and now we're parked near the Visitor's Center at a pull-off, waiting for sunset. The early evening light is casting great shadows on the dunes. The wind is blowing much stronger than last night. Smoky is hoping to catch the effect of the wind on top of the dunes. 

As the sun drops lower in the sky, the light on the dunes is lost. We drive closer to the park entrance, following the light. Soon we're at the same location where we were last night for sunset, and it is becoming more and more evident that tonight's performance will not rival last night's. So with a final shot or two, we pack up and head back for the motel.

Closeup of dunes

Evening light on dunes

Tonight's favorite sunset photo

Tomorrow is a long day of travel. We need to get to Dodge City for our B&B reservations and we lose an hour to the time change, so we may not have a chance to post anything tomorrow.

--Shann

Day 29--Durango to Alamosa and Great Sand Dunes

Treasure Falls

We slept a little later than usual this morning because the drive from Durango to Alamosa was just about 150 miles, and we weren't sure there would be much to distract us along the way. We were driving Highway 160 all the way; by now Highway 160 has become like an old friend!

Between Durango and Pagosa Springs the road was reasonably straight, with nice scenery but nothing to cause us to stop. Then we began to enter the San Juan mountains, and the landscape changed dramatically. This is beautiful western country. There is enough rainfall to support a fair amount of plants, and the hillsides are covered with aspen and pine trees.

Not too far into the mountains, we stopped at a roadside pull-off labeled Treasure Falls. The San Juan National Forest was across the road, so this is a remote, unsettled area. The falls were full with the late spring runoff. A sign at the entrance instructed us to look for the water ouzel, a bird that walks under water! At first I wondered if this was a joke, but Smoky assured me that there really were water ouzels. They apparently dive into the shallow waters of streams and catch insect larvae. We checked out the stream at the base of Treasure Falls, but today we didn't see any water ouzels. I just checked these guys out on Wikipedia and discovered they are also called the American Dipper.

Ground squirrel

Treasure Falls was not without its creatures. We noticed right away that the chipmunks and ground squirrels were very accustomed to begging for handouts from visitors. They came right up to our feet and looked up expectantly! After a few minutes of teasing these critters, a bright blue shape flew in--it was a Steller's jay. This bird's appearance is striking with a beautiful color of blue on its body and a black head and crest with white eye stripes. He was checking out the people who were picnicking, looking for leftovers, I'm sure.

Chipmunk

Not too far up the road from Treasure Falls was an "scenic view" overlook on the opposite side of the road. This provided a 180-degree view of the valley and an eye-level view of Treasure Falls. Really nice.

Steller's jay

Continuing down Highway 160, we began to gain elevation as we drove across Wolf Creek Pass. We noticed a sign announcing the Rio Grande National Forest on the south side of the road. Smoky pulled off at a sign as we crested the top of the mountain and we discovered that we were on the Continental Divide at an elevation of 10,857 feet. This was the highest point we had been so far in our travels.

A narrow, steep Wolf Creek Pass was first constructed back in 1916; today's version is smooth with double lanes, snowslide sheds, and runaway-truck ramps for a safe trip over the mountain. Just on the other side we found Wolf Creek Ski Resort, good reason to keep this pass open all winter!

Once we were out of the mountains, the trip into Alamosa was easy. The land was very flat, with mountains visible all around in the far distance. We checked into the motel to unpack and relax for a few minutes before heading out to Calvillo’s Mexican Restaurant for dinner. On main street in Alamosa, this restaurant got rave reviews for its authentic mexican food, served buffet style. You know what that means! Pile that plate high with little portions of all those yummy Mexican dishes that you've always wanted to try. The price was great--only $10 per person.

Sand dunes in light from setting sun

We enjoyed dinner so much we really had to hustle to get to the Great Sand Dunes by sunset. Smoky is driving speed limit plus a little (thank goodness the roads are flat, straight, and empty!) with one eye on the sun and the other split between the GPS map and the road. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point. We turned off Highway 160 onto Highway 150 to get to the park, saying that as soon as the sun got to the point when the sky really lights up, we would stop to take some photos, even if we weren't in the park and couldn't see the dunes. Thankfully, we saw the park welcome sign on the right-hand side of the road. Not too far after that was a pull-off, from which we could watch the setting sun light up the dunes. 

Sand dunes with reflected light from sky at sunset

Before the sun got to the horizon, the light on the dunes was already remarkable, with the peaks and curves lit beautifully in the dim light. Smoky said, "Keep watching them. When the sun drops below the horizon, they will pick up color from the sky." He was right. Those dunes became even more remarkable after the sun had set. 

Sky behind us, sunset at Great Sand Dunes

The land here is so flat that we had an almost 360-degree view of the sky at the horizon. We remembered advice from seasoned professional photographers: "Always look behind you. You never know what you're missing if you don't." The clouds all around us were turning magical colors from the setting sun. What an incredible night! After the frenzy of snapping pictures, I just stood by the car and let the glory of this moment wash over me. We are truly blessed.

Smoky had so many great photos from this evening at Great Sand Dunes, I thought I would post several more. Here are some of his favorites:

Tomorrow we return to the Great Sand Dunes National Park to experience it during the day. Our friends Susie and Roger along with their daughter, her husband, and their four children will be there, too. 

--Shann

Day 28--Durango to Silverton and back

Durango & Silverton Railway

Our train on the way to Silverton

Train entering area with breathtaking views

Aminas River is in flood stage with spring runoff

Aspens and pines on the hillsides

We're on the Durango to Silverton narrow-gauge railroad this morning. Engine 480 is chugging along at no more than 15 miles per hour uphill--a soothing speed. The train rocks gently back and forth and the scenery passes by slowly enough that you can really enjoy the views. We are on the east side of the open gondola car, with the sun shining warmly in our faces. Now that we are climbing up the mountain, the view down into the green valley is becoming even more beautiful.

The chug-a-chug of the engine takes me back to childhood train trips, but I try not to reminisce too much for fear I'll miss some great scenery today. At mile marker 469, near the settlement of Rockwood, the guide book said to get your camera ready because the views were considered among the most spectacular railroading views in the world. This turned out to be no exaggeration. We were winding around a shear cliff on a small ledge with the Animas River way below us raging through the canyon! Each turn seemed more dramatic than the previous one.

We're ten miles from Silverton now, at around 9000 feet elevation. The Animas River, beside which the railway travels, is raging with spring snowmelt. The pines and aspen cover the rocky hillside, and those tall peaks are a lot closer now to us than they were just a couple of hours ago. Our steam engine is fired to the maximum level to handle a 4% grade--the steepest on this particular track. The view is almost impossible to describe. It feels as though we're going back in time as we climb higher.

The second train of the day pulls into Silverton

Silverton is a small town with one main street, which is still dirt and gravel, and an elevation of 9274 ft above sea level. Even though it is June, I'm happy to have my light-weight winter jacket on because the wind is blowing vigorously. Smoky's thermometer says 72 degrees, but it feels much cooler than that.

We had lunch at Natalia's 1912 Restaurant, a small restaurant on the corner of the main intersection in town. This building started out as a bordello on notorious Blair Street, but now a sign on the side of their building says those kinds of services are no longer offered, but their food is great!

Natalia's 1012 Restaurant

The "real main street" of Silverton, with paved street

Our train winds through narrow spaces

Aspens with their early spring green leaves

Unique fence of skis in Silverton

Our conductor

Smoky asked our waitress about the town. She said it was asleep until 11:30 a.m. when the first train arrives each day and then it goes to sleep again after the last train departs which is around 2:30 or 3, depending on the time of the year and how many trains are running. I have to admit that it seemed pretty laid back even while the train passengers were in town! Smoky just found me waiting for the train and he shot down my whole theory about the town. He walked to the second street over, found it paved with a lot more shops and a large hotel. So much for first impressions!

We're back on the train now waiting for the return trip to start. This time, our gondola car is filled with mostly different folks. Those who rode up this morning apparently had elected to take a bus or jeep back to Durango. The train also stops in Rockwood (Colorado, not Tennessee!) to drop off a handfull of folks who are staying in a B&B there, and a few miles earlier it stopped to pick up some hikers headed back to Durango.

On the way up the mountain, the open gondola car was wonderful--sun shining to warm us, cool breezes to make sure we weren't too warm, and great views with no glass obstruction. On the way back, prevailing winds (and strong ones at that) caused the smoke and sometimes steam from the engine to blow into the car frequently, so we were pretty gritty by the time we got back. If you want to take photographs on this train, however, we definitely recommend the open gondola!


Tomorrow we're driving to Alamosa, Colorado, from which we'll visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park, most likely on Thursday.

Day 27--Durango

Absolute Bakery and Cafe, unassuming but not
to be missed in Mancos, Colorado

Inside Absolute Bakery

We left Cortez this morning headed for Durango and a day of "rest" before our narrow gauge railroad trip tomorrow to Silverton. I was surprised to learn that Durango is a big city. For some unknown reason, I had pictured it in my mind as a small town, quiet and unassuming. It is quite a bustling city, and today is picture perfect, with temperatures in the 80s and blue skies!

Before Durango, we passed through the small town of Mancos. Now this was the quiet and unassuming small town I was looking for. It calls itself the "Gateway to Mesa Verde" and indeed it is just a few miles east of the entrance to Mesa Verde. Because we had some extra time today, we took a detour off Highway 160 to stop at the Visitor Center. We didn't get there, but we did find a great bakery, Absolute Bakery and Cafe, right across from a small park. 

Coconut macaroon, Absolute
Bakery and Cafe

While Smoky photographed an old wagon in the park, I checked out the bakery. My, oh my, what a lot of yummy items there were! It was hard to decide what to get, but we settled on a fresh baked cinnamon roll for Smoky and a coconut macaroon for me! Both were wonderful. While we were there, we asked if they would make us some lunch to take with us. Even though they were serving breakfast, the chef agreed to our request. Smoky ordered a fresh-baked turkey on homemade sourdough rye with sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles. I had a "sampler salad" with tuna, homemade hummus, fancy salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, and the Absolute house dressing. Everything was wonderful!

Bauer House; anyone interested?

As we drove out of town, we noticed a huge, very old house for sale by Sotheby's. The Bauer House was built in the early 1890s by George Bauer, who just happens to be the founder of the town of Mancos. This old home is now on the Colorado State Registry of Historic properties. According to the listing at Sothebys, this home has been a grand personal residence, a hospital, an antique store, a general store, and one of the top B&Bs in the country. What stories this old house could tell!

Durango was just a short drive further down Highway 160. After a stop at the Visitor's Center, we drove through the historic district before heading for our motel. After unpacking and resting for a little while, we returned to the historic district of town, checking out the shops. One fascinating place was the Toh-Atin Gallery (http://www.toh-atin.com/), which specializes in Native American art. When we entered, there was a large group of college students listening to one of the curators, a young Native American man, talk about Navajo weaving and show many rugs. This gallery had a mixture of older pieces and new ones, and everything I looked at was exquisite. I could have spent hours here.

Toh-Atin Gallery presentation of Navajo rugs

Pottery fom Toh-Atin Gallery

Street scene, Durango

We continued our walk around town, stopping in one photography gallery, Open Shutter, where examples of the life work of National Geographic photographer Jonathan Blair were being shown and sold. Seeing prints made from photographs that cost thousands of dollars was encouraging, especially when the entire gallery was focused on one person's work. 

Inside the Diamond Belle Saloon

At about 6, we stopped for dinner in the Diamond Belle Saloon at the historic Strater Hotel, which was built in 1887. The saloon has a beautiful old bar and a player piano. The live music tonight was a guitar player who reminded us a little of Willie Nelson. The waitresses were dressed in period costume, and Smoky couldn't resist photographing them! And the food was great!

Period costumes at the Diamond Belle Saloon

Back to the motel a little earlier than usual tonight because tomorrow we "have to get up in the middle of the night" (per Smoky) to catch the train to Silverton!

Day 26--Mesa Verde

Spruce Tree House from Ranger House Deck

Spruce Tree House closeup

I'm sitting on the porch of the ranger's station at Spruce Tree House. It is early afternoon. Smoky just left to walk the trail down to Spruce Tree House to look at the dwellings, some of which are three stories high. This is an incredible example of Pueblo masonry.

I didn't go on this walk because of a problem with my left hip which makes walking difficult, especially steps. I was so uncomfortable last night that we went to the emergency room at the local hospital this morning to find out what the problem was. We prepared for a many-hour ordeal (based on our experiences in the ER back home). I was admitted, went through triage, saw the doctor, had X-rays, talked with the doctor again about his diagnosis, and was ready to leave within an hour and a half. Amazing service! The diagnosis was bursitis (very painful), and the doctor recommended an anti-inflammatory medication along with something for the pain. He also said I needed to rest that hip, as in not carry weight on my left leg until the situation calms down. He wanted to send me out with crutches; we compromised on a cane and as much rest as I can manage.

Spruce Tree House closeup

It could have been much worse; at least our trip didn't have to be cancelled. I regret not getting to see Spruce Tree House up close, but I'm sure I'll enjoy seeing Smoky's photographs. 

Smoky came walking back up the trail with tales of how the Spruce Tree House was constructed. According to the ranger, this location is one of the best preserved of all the Mesa Verde sites. We're ready to drive around the Mesa Top Loop, where there are several other overlooks into the canyon with good views of other cliff dwellings, including one that was built four stories high! Incredible!!

One of the last sites along this Mesa Top Loop was the Sun Temple. This structure was an intricate design built on top of the mesa. It was not used for lodging, and even though one can't be sure of its purpose, we surmised that the building must have had some spiritual significance. The community was quite large by this time, so perhaps it was built as a plea to the gods to make it possible for these people to stay on this location. Unfortunately, they moved on not too many years after.

Square Tower House

Our last loop of the day was the Cliff Palace Loop, a 6-mile road that runs along the top of the canyon and provides great views of several cliff dwellings, including several views of the Cliff Palace. This is well named--it is a very large and intricate set of buildings on several levels of the canyon wall. Visitors can take a ranger-led hike to Cliff Palace as long as they can climb several ladders and crawl through a narrow tunnel to get there.

Cliff Palace from overlook

Cliff Palace closeup

We ate our picnic supper alongside the Cliff Palace Loop road, enjoying the pleasant, clean air, and the peacefulness of the area. I'm really glad we included the Cliff Palace Loop road in our experience of Mesa Verde, for it is truly spectacular.

Tomorrow we drive to Durango, Colorado.

--Shann