Road Trip 2009-- Colorado--- Part II

The story continues...and so do the pictures!

August, 4-Tuesday

I woke up early (which was easily done because of the train whistles going by) and caught some cool pics of the train coming through our RV park.

On the way up to Durango Mountain/Purgatory, we also got some cool shots. This hot spring juts up on the side of the rode on the way too.

We had lots of fun at Durango Mountain. It's a huge ski resort that has cool summer activities. There we dared the alpine slides which were fast and furious. (Okay, so I went "SLOW!!!" compared to Daddy per Reagan, but she still loved it!) Reagan also got to bunji/trampoline jump. It looks wild and crazy and it was, but Reagan wasn't scared at all and within seconds was a pro at doing flips! She also got to climb a huge rock tower. Sometimes her bravery surprises even me! Travis enjoyed lots of time in a bounce house and trying to feed the ever so tame chipmunks that littered the place!Next was me full filling a promise....Reagan got to ride a horse at Buck's Livery Stables just a cross the road from Durango Mountain. She was in heaven...even though we couldn't all go on a long ride since Travis is so small. She didn't mind her "pony ride" around the stable on Zorro at all! She even convinced the cowboy to also let her ride a "small pony" or a mule...she chose Totsie and met Roll too! Too funny! She loved every minute of it! Travis even got to join in the fun and just sit on a horse for a while. He thought he was so big! It was cute!

Then, it was off to satisfy Jason's need to fish...with all the ponds, lakes, and streams around--he couldn't resist. So we went to Haviland lake...and no luck and then we took a drive to Vallecito lake which was big...and still no luck.

Aug. 5th--Wednesday

Finally...the day we had been waiting for--the day we got to ride the train! Trains are just cool and the kids had been seeing them every day. They were so excited to get up and go ride the train! We actually rode the bus up to Silverton which turned out to be great. Both kids took a nap and Jason and I just enjoyed the scenery and listened to our driver give us a great verbal "tour" of the area. We ate a fantastic lunch at some Silverton "saloon" and just walked around a bit before it was already time to ride the train back to Durango.

The ride was amazing--each scene more breathtaking than the last. You wind through canyon after canyon following the Animas River. We were grateful for inside seats because it got cool and even rained. The kids loved riding --just sticking their heads out and enjoying the passing scenery. It was cool to imagine this was how people used to travel all the time...it was so slow to us--a 3 1/2 hr. ride to be exact! All in all--it was definitely worth the ride! (and the $$!)

August 6th--Thursday

We drove up to Silverton (which was so much faster than our train or bus the day before!) and went to the Old Hundred Gold Mine. We went on their tour...down into the mountain side we rode a little train and got see how mining used to be done. Jason and Reagan enjoyed it, but Travis wasn't a fan. I spent most of the time trying to keep him quiet and from running down the old mine shafts! What a kid!

Afterwards, they had "free" gold panning and everyone loved that. We found lots of speks and fleks!

Then, it was off to Ourray "The Switzerland of America". It was a twisty drive up to a small town high in the mountains. Just outside of the town was Box Canyon Falls. It was cool-- a waterfall coming out of this rocky gorge...which during the winter is frozen and icy. It was really loud inside it and the water was cold--Travis figured this out first hand as he stuck his foot in at the bottom!

From Ourray, we decided to try another 4X4 trail called Yankee Boy Basin Trail. It wasn't the roughest road ever, but still "bouncy bouncy" as the kids would say. You drive and drive up these mountain passes. Along the way are lots of abandoned mines and homesteads. We stopped and looked at a few. There also was the Twin waterfalls or Coors Falls. It was beautiful and so majestic. At the end of the trail, we were above the "alpine" level--there were no trees, just beautiful wildflowers...and some snow in spots. I think we were just under 13,000 feet in most the pics.

August 7, Friday

We started the long ride home, but decided to change things up a bit and came home through New Mexico. We drove to Albuquerque and ate at Rudy's BBQ and then kept on driving. Jason was grateful to finally see some elk on the drive....we had seen lots of deer but no elk in Colorado.

August 8th--Saturday

We looped around through Silver City to see my Grandma Mayrice. She had fallen while we were gone and broke her wrist and hurt her knee pretty bad and is now staying in a care center there. She came home for the day and we got to spend some time with her. It was nice...but soon enough it was time to get home!

Saturday 4:33 pm--We made it home! It was a fantastic vacation, but everyone was ready to be out of the truck. (Per Jason's truck, we drove about 2, 000 miles and spent 55 hrs. in it! Crazy!) It was great and I can't wait to do something like this again next summer!

We are glad to be home though...minus the millions of loads of laundry and the 105 degree + weather!

Ps-Both Jason and I have decided our camera just doesn't do Colorado justice--the colors aren't as vivid and amazing in our pics as they are in real life! Oh, well-------till next time!

Road Trip 2009--Part I

****Revised Version!!!****

We thought it would be fun to take a road trip vacation to finish out the summer...and so far it has been fantastic!
Tues--
After loading up the 5th wheel, we set out and spent a day driving from home to Farmington, NM--getting rained and even hailed on in route! It was decent drive, but the kids did great (despite Travis only sleeping about 30 mins. out of 7 +hrs in the truck !). We ended up spending the night at the fair grounds there. It was cool 'cuz it was just us in the whole place.

Weds--
We hung out in Farmington for the morning and then drove on to Mesa Verde and spent the night at the AA RV Resort--in short, this place was redneck, but a hit with the kids. We were surrounded by horse corrals--which Reagan absolutely loved. They even had heated pool and hot tub--which felt great 'cuz the rain kept falling off and on! Reagan learned to climb trees...and Travis or "monkey see monkey do" tried too!
Thurs--
Mesa Verde National Park...this is a huge (the largest actually in the US) archaeological site. Per the paper work there is over 4,500 sites including 600 noted cliff dwellings. We saw just a fraction of this. We did "hike" down to Spruce Tree House and saw the museum there. We went a on "driving tour" where we stopped at a point on the mesa where you had a panoramic view of 6 cliff dwelling in the mountains surround it. Amazing! We'll have to make another trip someday so we can go in more dwellings--they have 10-30 ft ladders to go up and down and small tunnels you must pass through (which wasn't possible with a 22 mo. old busy boy!)
We drove this night up to Delores, Colorado. We drove along the "million dollar highway" and the scenes were breathtaking--everything looks like a postcard in Colorado! Priest Gulch RV park was right on the Delores River and we got more rain and temp even dropped to 42 over night! Reagan and Travis enjoyed digging in our dirt and made a friend named Shannon from Albuquerque.
Fri--
We started out the day driving further up the amazing Colorado Highway up to Telluride. First, we drove right up to the base of Bridal Veil Falls. It was beautiful...amazing how at the end of the valley road a waterfall just appears. Then, it was a trip to the park for lunch (where Reagan met some friendly ducks and Travis took a nap) then a walk through the farmers' market (which Jason said was Hippy Heaven) and through town and on to the Gondolas--and into the SKY! The kids loved this. I did too--its like floating through the air! We made it to Mountain Village (at the top of the mtn. above Telluride) where Reagan found a mountain to climb and we enjoyed some ice cream and Mexican fish tacos!! (crazy Larsons!)
We drove on up above Telluride to some small mtn. towns--just checking out the scenery and then decided to head back. On our way back to Priest Gulch, we decided since we were already near by, we would make the 4X4 trek up Ophir Pass. The road is an old wagon trail from Ophir to Silverton. It wasn't too rough, but we were on the side of a rocky mtn. thousands of feet up! Climbing roughly 4,000 feet in just an hour amounts for some cool views...and even some snow on the sides of the mtns. Crazy! At the end, we stopped a the stream and let the kids stretch out and Jason panned for gold. Just a flek--so no real luck, but fun just the same! We didn't get back till late, but it was a great day!
Sat--
Travis, Reagan, and I all started in with a summer cold--runny noses and coughs were abundant! Must have been the cool 60 degree air we were in! So, we drove to Cortez and got some meds to help with the sniffles. Jason decided with all the lakes and rivers around, he needed to go fishing. We relocated to the McPhee Reservoir and then went fishing where the Delores River meets the Reservoir. Jason even caught a fish within just a few minutes of us arriving! A few more bites, but then it was off to the cool Delores Kids Park , and back to the trailer to eat our fish (we had some frozen to go along with the fresh one--at Reagan's request).
Sun--
Still sniffling, we got up early and went to church in Cortez. It was a small ward, but the people were nice and we even met a family from Douglas who knew some cousins of mine. Then, we drove on into Durago, Colorado. It is beautiful--and reminds me a lot of Flagstaff. We are camping at the United Camp Ground and are just a stone's throw from the Animas River (which flows right through town) and the Train runs right through our camp too! We have all amenities here--even cable TV and wireless internet! Camping sure is rough these days! We also ate an amazing place called Serious Texas BBQ. It is yummy to say the least! It is warm here --80's and everyone is rafting the river. We are all wishing we could go, but we'll have to save that for our next trip. There are horses everywhere--even in at this camp ground. Reagan is loving it!

Mon--
We got up today and watched the Train run through camp. Reagan and Travis absolutely loved this! They can't wait to ride on Weds. Then, we just checked out downtown Durago. It has lots of historical buildings and cute shops. We went to the Zubberfizz Soda factory and got a tour and learned how to bottle soda. Then, we went to (the Original) Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory...yum! The kids are resting and then we will be off to Bar D for a chuck wagon dinner and show.

***Bar D turned out to be great--good food and some cheezy, funny music mixed with some twangy country. Reagan and Jason were in Heaven!

We are having fun just relaxing...yes, even I am just taking things one day at a time! Colorado is such a beautiful state...every view is picture perfect. And we love the weather!