The Evening in Silverton and return to Durango

We enjoyed the 4 O’clock cookies and coffee as  worked on this Blog and edited/sorted photos. 

The wine and cheese was nice as we enjoy the company of fellow travelers and our conversation was very diversified and most enjoyable. 

A local restaurant  was recommended and  we learned the portions were very large. So we opted for The Golden Block Brew Pub which served wood fired pizza. Good pizza and Durango craft beers. 

We called it an early night and crashed into the comfortable beds. 

We were up and at um at 0600 having coffee and waiting for the sun to rise, ready for the day.

Our breakfast at The Wyman was French Toast in a vanilla sauce, coffee, juice, fresh strawberry compote, all was very, very, good. 

After breakfast we walked about town from 9:00 to 10:00 as we waited for the San Juan County Historical Society Museum to open. This was a most enjoyable museum and I was most enlightened about the process of hard rock mining which took place in this area. Well worth the admission. It is kinda funny seeing “old” stuff in display that one remembers as a child. 

After the Museum we walked to the old Depot which was built in 1882. The station master was well versed in the history of rail road and was a pleasure to chat and learn from. 

We then wandered back to a restaurant called Eureka Station where we enjoyed a traditional Cornish Pastie (a meat pie) and for dessert we had an Apple Pastie a la mode.  We then headed back to our hotel and retrieved our backpacks and made our way to 12th street and watched the first train depart.   

We departed Silverton at 2:30 PM. A nice and enjoyable return. On this return leg the light for photography was not so great so we enjoyed chatting more with fellow passengers and taking in the scenery. 

Once back in Durango we quickly went and picked up The Boys (the pups) from Puppy camp. They were glad to see us. Then straight to the campground. Set up the camper and took The Boys for a walk. They enjoyed meeting other pups in the nice sized pet run here at the Alpen Rose RV Park. 

Back to the camper and I cooked dinner, The Boys were crashed and after dinner I followed their lead. 

This has been a fun trip and one we would do again for sure.

I wonder if folks would be interested in doing a group trip where we could have a private rail car? 

DURANGO SILVERTON NARROW GAGUE RAIL ROAD.

We were up early, got the pups up. Broke camp and drove to the Healthy Hound and Fat Cat Kennel where The Boys will spend the day and night.  Then we are off to the Durango Silverton Rail Road yard where we park Diesel Truck and Camper.  The fee is $9.00 per day. 

We are early so we stop at McDonalds for coffee. We were early and thought we would have a wait before we boarded. We went into the station and received our tickets and boarded the Parlor Car. Passage in the Parlor Car includes snacks and hot and soft beverages. There is also a bar in the Parlor Car so one does not have to make their way to the concession car. On advantage of the Parlor Car is the is a small open platform on the rear of the car where you can stand for better views. 

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad operates on a 45 mile stretch of track from Durango, Colorado to Silverton, Colorado.  It was after the American Civil War a former Union General William Jackson Palmer made his mark as a railroad man and moved West as the country expanded west.  The plan was for the Denver and Rio Grande Railway  to build a narrow gauge rail system south from Denver to El Paso, Texas. Palmer and his associates saw the advantages of the construction of a narrow gauge railway, as the narrow gauge (3 ft) is well suited for the mountainous environment and the construction cost were less expensive. The Durango - Silverton section was originally opened in 1882 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway for the purpose of transporting silver and gold from the mines in the San Juan Mountains. 

These days the loads of silver and gold, and miner have been replaced with passengers who are seeking a unique experience, be that the mountain scenery or the experience of traveling back in time as one travels by steam train. 

The steam powered locomotives used today by the D&SNG were built in the 1920s. Originally there were 10 locomotives and currently there are three owned by the railway. The other seven were requisitioned by the US Army during WWII and were operated on the White Pass and Yukon Route during the war. When the war ended these locomotives were scrapped in 1946. 

Our Journey will take us from Durango, Colorado to Silverton, Colorado, where we will spend the night and return the next day back to Durango. Most folks make this a one day return journey. 

Durango depot was built in 1882 and is restored to it’s original form. There is a very interesting Rail Road Museum at the Depot. Sadly we did not have enough time to enjoy before our train departed. 

The narrow gauge rail system is a tad bumpy, swinging back and forth,  so one is always attempting to maintain contact with something solid. 

The train leaves Durango at the stated time of departure. The first part of the journey is through downtown Durango and then for the first few miles you are traveling next to a highway.  Soon you enter a much more scenic stretch of the route. The aspen trees had turned their fall golden colors and the higher peaks have a nice dusting of snow. 

We shared a table in the Parlor Car with a couple who had been working as Season Park Service employees at Moab. We enjoyed sharing stories and they are planning their first  trip to Europe. 

The 3.5 hour trip passed quickly as we scampered about taking pictures and enjoying the scenery. 

When we arrived in Silverton, we were met by a trolley which transported us to our hotel for the evening. We are staying at The Wyman Hotel in the “Steam Punk Room”. The decor of this property is great.  The Wyman Hotel is located in the Wyman Building which was built in 1902 by pioneer packer Louis Wyman. This building over the years served many functions and has been recently restored into a hotel. 

At 4:00 PM there is tea and pastries, followed by a 5:00 pm wine tasting with cheese. 

The Journey To the Durango Silverton Rail Road.

Day one of our trip to Ride the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: 

We got the camper loaded, pups and all, and made our way south on I-25 towards Denver.  This is a very uneventful drive to Denver, maybe because we do it rather often. Our route skirts Denver to the west till we reach Highway 285. Our plan is to    travel slow and enjoy the ride.  Some of the fall colors are out and sadly we did not locate a safe turnout where we could stop and take a picture.  

We traveled south till we reached Buena Vista, Colorado. We are spending the night here at Snowy Peaks RV Park. The winter rates are very reasonable ($36.66 including tax, about $50 during the summer) and we have full hookups. The WIFI here is a tad slow but for me, that is expected in most campgrounds. 

After we drive into our site the first priority is to get the pups out for a walk. The Boys are great as we walk about the campground, lots of little dogs bark at them and they just silently ignore the challenges. They make sure their presence is know as  blessed  several trees, bushes, rocks etc etc etc. 

Back at the campsite we level the camper, plug in to the power supply, and attach water and the sewer hoses.  A light rain starts to fall and we head inside the camper to connect to the internet, do some writing, and have a glass of wine. 

I think the camp meal this evening will be fried ham, potatoes, onions and peppers. Well, better get The Boys for another walk. The Boys get several “such pretty dog” comments. I think it is going to their head. 

For the evening meal I prepared a skillet of potatoes, onion, red bell pepper, and diced ham. Simple and easy and cooks up nice in the cast iron skillet. After dinner we walk the pups, then clean things up and call it a night. 

Day 2

We were up about 0500 and took the pups for a walk. Breakfast was pancakes and sausage. Lounged a bit enjoying the coffee and quiet. 

For some reason I sleep really well in the camper. 

Today we head south to Durango. 

Our route took us over Wolf Creek Pass and some of the Aspen trees were really nice and golden. 

We arrived in Durango and found the Kennel where The Boys will stay while we are on the our train trip. We then made our way to Alpen Rose Campground checked in and found our camping space. 

We had made plans to meet an old friend at a local restaurant. We made our way back into Durango and had a great time visiting and enjoying a great meal. 

We made our way back to the campground and prepared ourselves for the next days journey. 

The Boys have been  great travelers and very very very good campers. They do not bark or howl at other dogs and when left alone have not destroyed anything.