Durango-Silverton, Four Corners, and Monument Valley

Yesterday, we rode the steam train from Durango to Silverton on the well-known narrow gauge railroad, has been operating since the 1800s. Our car was restored to match that time period and we had narrators in period costume telling us about life in that area in the late 1800s and about the spectacular scenery we were seeing from the windows. A one-way trip in the train usually takes about 3 1/2 hours, but our trip up the mountain took a bit longer (in the neighborhood of two hours longer) because our engine broke down and we had to be rescued by another. This actually turned out to be the younger boys' favorite part of the whole trip, since we were able to get off the train and play with all the coal that has fallen by the wayside. They were fascinated that they could break it fairly easily with other rocks, and they loved how shiny it appeared on the inside, even when it was dull on the outside. They were also interested in the fact that there were pieces of every size. They even found one chuck that probably weighed five pounds. You've never seen such dirty, happy boys! We did finally make it to Silverton in time for a late lunch and then reboarded the train and headed back to Durango, where we grabbed some dinner before finally making it back to our RV park. It was a long day but so much fun!

All aboard!

A big hunk of coal

Catching a glimpse of the engine and
other cars as we round a bend

One of many spectacular views

A beautiful​ rainbow over the gorge
on our way back to Durango

Today, we bid adieu to Colorado and checked some other states off our list. Our first stop was Four Corners. The kids had all been looking forward to being in four states at once, and they all posed for individual and group photos. From there, we headed over to Monument Valley, AZ, to see the rock formations made famous by pretty much every Western movie ever made. It was truly a beautiful and unique place, so we lingered a little longer with lunch at the onsite restaurant. After many more miles of amazing scenery, including Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell, we finally made it to our campground in Utah, just outside Zion National Park.

Four Corners

Monument Valley

A Navajo taco for lunch

Mesa Verde

Today's adventure took us out to Mesa Verde National Park and to two of the amazing cliff dwellings it houses. The scenery was absolutely beautiful and the dwellings were impressive and thought-provoking. No one really knows the whole story of the people who inhabited these structures or why they eventually moved on, but there is plenty of speculation. It's an interesting mystery to ponder. I do know that the inhabitants must have been physically fit and limber to climb up and down those cliff faces and to crawl and squeeze through the tight spaces we visited today. I also know that mothers of toddlers (and boys of all ages) must have never taken an easy breath!

Mesa Verde

Ready to explore the dwellings

32 feet, almost straight up

They made it, with smiles in place!

Time to squeeze

Balcony House

The edge of Balcony House

Time to crawl

Cliff Palace

An inward view of Cliff Palace

A tight stairway to the top
(The native people would have used only
toe and finger holes to assist with the trip
in and out of the of the pueblos!)

From Colorado to Texas and back again

Yesterday, we drove from Colorado to Texas so we could pay a visit to the DPS office this morning and pick up a very important piece of paper. The lady in the office was blown away by Ruth's organization and couldn't believe she had all the necessary paperwork. She said she thought it was the first time in the history of the county that someone actually got their permit on the first try. Today, we turned around and drove back to Colorado, because we're a little crazy like that. But, our new driver did get some time behind the wheel, so that was pretty exciting. We are now at one of the best KOAs ever, just outside of Durango.

Apparently, Texas was glad to see us!

This is how younger brothers wait on big sister

She's official!

Not everyone is lucky enough to do their
beginning driving in a beauty like this!

Lunch in New Mexico, Christmas style

The Caboose Cafe and Pavilion at our KOA

Pizza and a movie under the pavilion

A sticky situation, a hike, a gathering, and hamburgers

The first thing that happened this morning was actually rather unpleasant but had a happy ending. As we attempted to leave our very steep camping spot, our hitch got in a bind on the pavement and our RV got stuck at a wonky angle where the tires couldn't get traction. Fortunately, some very kind fellow campers saw our situation and came to our rescue with some tire ramps that allowed us to gain enough traction to unstick, for which we were incredibly grateful. There are so many good people in the world, and we find many of them at RV parks.

When we were finally on our way, we headed over to Lovell Gulch Trail, just outside of Woodland Park, for a wonderful five-mile hike through Pike National Forest. There, we were able to stretch our legs and our lungs, and we were afforded breathtaking views of Pike's Peak and the Sawatch Range. It was a gorgeous day and a beautiful place and just what we needed after a day of rain and relative inactivity yesterday.

Crossing the stream

King of the hill

A Clay-sized passage

The reward of our 950 foot increase in elevation

We were all pretty hungry after our hike, so we drove into Woodland Park and found the first park with a playground and stopped for a picnic. A while later a throng of people in costumes and with musical instruments began flooding the park. And soon the whole park was filled with music and dancing. After some inquiries, we learned that it was a gathering of Morris dancers from all over the country. If this type of dancing is new to you, as it was new to us, Morris dancing is a type of English folk dancing. It was a treat for us to be caught up in the festivities!

The Morris dancers create some of their own music with
the bells attached to their legs. 

Many of the dancers use handkerchiefs in their dances

Some of the dancers use sticks to beat out rhythms

Not really a dancer but something of a mascot

"The Betty" saw me watching from the sidelines
and decided to come educate me about what I
was seeing. He explained some of the history
and symbols of the dance. Apparently, "The Betty"
is always a man dressed in woman's clothing
and represents fertility.

The Betty bestowed a fertility gift upon me,
which I wouldn't have eaten for anything,
since it came from an unknown origin, out of a basket that no telling how many people had rifled through,
in the very permissive state of Colorado.
But, I did appreciate the gesture.

Our last activity of the day was to celebrate National Hamburger Day at the oldest restaurant in Woodland Park, The Ute Inn. They had a variety of gourmet burgers, and our group ended up with a tasty selection, which included a Bleu cheese burger, a spicy apricot burger with brie cheese, a grilled cheese cheeseburger (a hamburger patty between two grilled cheese sandwiches), a kid's cheeseburger, and a couple of Ute Sloppers, which were served open faced and smothered in green chile. It was a delicious end to a lovely day.

Happy National Hamburger Day!

The Ute Slopper

The grilled cheese cheeseburger

An Inspirational Day

Our first stop of the day was the Air Force Academy. We thoroughly enjoyed driving through the beautiful campus and were so inspired in the visitor center as we learned about what goes on at The Academy to train the young officers who come out of the program. At least two of my children are now seriously considering this path for their futures.

A peek at Pike's Peak on our way to The Air Force Academy

Welcome to the Air Force Academy

Strong moral character is a fundamental at The Academy

The Air Force Falcon

After our visit, we stopped for Mexican food, before heading to yet another truly inspirational place: The Olympic and Paralympic Training Center. It was so impressive to see all the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities and to hear about the devotion these athletes have to their chosen sports. Some of the athletes live and train there for years with the hopes of someday representing the US on a podium, with gold medals hanging around their necks.

Welcome to the Training Center

Watts Homeschool 4-man bobsled team

More bobsledders

One of the amazing weight rooms

Anti-gravity treadmills help athletes
recover from injuries quicker.

A little gym inspiration

These buckets are filled with weights and attached to a pulley system. The swimmers put on a belt, which is attached to the bucket, and then swim away, trying to raise the bucket as high as possible. It was so impressive to watch!

Our last bit of fun for the day, after an exciting trip to Wal-mart, was to cookout at our campground. This is the first time we've gotten out the grill on our trip, and somehow it made us seem more like real RVers!

Cooking out under the pine trees

It's a good life!