Durango Downward through Utah Canyonlands Home

 Colorado by Auto Trek, Major adventures  Comments Off on Durango Downward through Utah Canyonlands Home
Jul 222013
 

Natural Bridges discovered first by a prospector in 1883 looking for gold along the Colorado River, then publicized by National Geographic Magazine in 1904 and proclaimed Natural Bridges National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 thus creating Utah’s fist National Park system area.  Canyonlands, Arches, Island in the Sky, Cedar Breaks, Zion, Bryce and Capital Dome were gratefully added as appreciation and preservation for these natural wonders.   What a gift for us and our progeny!!

Water and gravity are the land’s prime architects, cutting flat layers of sedimentary rock into hundreds of canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches and spires.  The Green and the Colorado rivers dominate canyon formation in the general area.  These remote lands were known only to native Americans, cowboys, river explorers and uranium prospectors until the national park was established in 1964.  Formation trivia: natural bridges differ from arches in that they are formed by the erosive action of moving water.  Arches are formed by other erosional forces like seeping mo1sture combined with frost action.

Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Ride

 Colorado by Auto Trek  Comments Off on Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Ride
Jul 202013
 

An easy and beautiful drive from Dillon to Durango punctuated only by a late afternoon downpour that scoured the countryside and the sky leaving every pine needle and aspen leaf sparkling. We arrived in plenty of time to explore Durango, find our way to the rail station in preparation for an early morning boarding and have a delicious meal in a great restaurant. Seasons, recommended by Kerri’s connoisseur friend Vickie, was wonderful as well as beautiful and popular with locals and tourists alike–definitely a destination.

Our narrow gauge train ride began early. We were seated in the caboose, a luxury car restored with period fixtures and salon furnishings. Other car passengers were less cosseted. Young families and hikers rode in open air freight cars with benches or simple passenger cars. Yet all were fun and festive. The entire ride up and back was amazingly varied and gorgeous.

Our arrival in Silverton was also our lunch break and the town was glad to see the train pull in and fill up local restaurants. Silverton is also accessible by highway and,  during the winter,  is popular as a ski and snowboard mecca promoted in part by the famous young Olympic snowboarder Shawn White. (For a great winter view of Silverton AND a thrill watching Shown White click on the linked U-tube video clip). The train only runs from May to mid-October when snow flurries begin and it is too hazardous.

We arrived back in Durango tired but savoring every moment of a fun filled adventure and all the glorious scenery we had seen.

We left Durango early the next morning and dropped down into the Canyonlands of Utah.

Durango Historic Hotel

Durango Historic Hotel

Silverton Main Street Walk After Lunch

Silverton Main Street Walk After Lunch

Ready to be Back in Durango

Ready to be Back in Durango

One of Two Stops for Water

One of Two Stops for Water

Railbed is at the Edge of Deep Canyons

Railbed is at the Edge of Deep Canyons

Rails run Right Alongside the River

Rails run Right Alongside the River

One of Many of the Old Mines

One of Many of the Old Mines

Our Political Pose

Our Political Pose

And Still Chugging Along!!

And Still Chugging Along!!

Building Steam to Pull Out of Silverton

Building Steam to Pull Out of Silverton

More Silverton Mainstreet

More Silverton Mainstreet

Seat of Government

Seat of Government

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Silverton Mainstreet

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Toast to a Great Day

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After Lunch Mainstreet Stroll

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Checking the Rails

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Silverton’s Bustling Mainstreet

All Ready Covered Track

All Ready Covered Track

Off Our End View

Off Our End View

Robert Ready to Roll

Robert Ready to Roll

Outside Our Caboose Luxury Car

Outside Our Caboose Luxury Car

Ready to Go

Ready to Go

Our Caboose Had the BEST View

Our Caboose Had the BEST View

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Building the Necessary “Head of Steam”

Morning Sunlight

Morning Sunlight

All Aboard

All Aboard

Awaiting "All Aboard" Call

Awaiting “All Aboard” Call

Durango-Silverton Railroad Station

Durango-Silverton Railroad Station

Incredible Views at Every Twist and Turn

Incredible Views at Every Twist and Turn

Silverton Across the Main Street

Silverton Across the Main Street

Seat of Government

Seat of Government

Merchandise SURPRISE!

Merchandise SURPRISE!

On to Dillon

 Colorado by Auto Trek, Major adventures  Comments Off on On to Dillon
Jul 152013
 

The last leg of the journey was surprisingly beautiful as we explored Arches National Park north of Moab, Utah and then into the alpine mountains of Colorado. Both are lands of extreme contrasts and stunning beauty.

Right beside the Colorado River

Right beside the Colorado River

Lunch Stop by the River

Lunch Stop by the River

Close Up and Accessible

Close Up and Accessible

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The Powerful Colorado River Carving Its Way

Early Castle Valley explored by the Mormons

Early Castle Valley explored by the Mormons

 Canyonlands formations arising in the distance.

Arches National Park formations arising in the distance.

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Native Americans just like artisans around the world selling their creations along overlooks.

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Headed into the heart of the country.

We had a relaxed and welcoming week with Eric, Kerri, Henry and Eliot at their lovely spacious vacation home in Dillon, Colorado. Although the boys spent most days in Science Camp, they were home in the evening for sessions of basketball or a movie.
Morning hikes began just out the front door and up the mountains into valleys still sprinkled with wild flowers. After walks, Kerri and Michele explored Breckenridge, Vail and Frisco poking into every corner and cranny of their fun and unique shops. Seldom up to shop, Bob and Eric fished Dillon Lake as well as the many local streams practicing their catch and release skills. Daily showers and sometimes downpours kept all the greenery glistening and the air crisp and clean. It is such exquisite country and invites exploration it is no wonder that everyone looks fit and glowing.

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Our first view of Dillon from the highway includes the lake.

Eric on a daily ride, this time with Uncle Ashe.

Eric on a daily ride, this time with Uncle Ashe.

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Eric fishing Dillon Lake with Uncle Ashe but just like he did with his dad during our visit.

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Eric at the top of Loveland pass.

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Bob and Michele at the highest point in our trip.

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Sunset Arriving

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Sunset Sliding Over the Valley

View from the Dillon Deck

View from the Nelson’s Dillon Deck

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Yet Another Gorgeous Dillon Sky from the Nelson’s Deck

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A visti to Keystone to try to buy winter lift tickets.

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Keystone, yet another charming and family oriented village.

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Lunch after a Breckenridge shopping and exploring adventure-delicious and festive.

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We just finished a wonderful lunch in Breckenridge. Waiting for the showers to arrive and savoring our time together.

Shakespeare in Southern Utah

 Colorado by Auto Trek  Comments Off on Shakespeare in Southern Utah
Jul 142013
 
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Bob joins the Bard

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Michele kanoodling with Falstaff

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The Greenshow delighting townsfolk as well as theatergoers.

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Greenshow silliness is great fun.

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The Utah Shekespeare Festival is committed to produce all of Shakespeare’s 38 plays between 2012 and 2023 and this comfortable attractive outdoor setting is perfect.

IMAG3074For us, the most memorable play in our 2013 season visit turned  out to be “Twelve Angry Men.”  It was wonderfully staged, impeccably cast and stunningly performed.  The themes were moving and relevant even though set in 1957–a powerhouse presentation where each of the jurors is forced to examine his own motives and biases.    The Shakespeare we saw was a seldom produced history, “King John,” which did not seem to have permeated the psyche of the actors.

We also had a very pleasant stay in Cedar City.  Michele loves to visit college and universities and this small town campus turned out to be a little gem nestled a natural wonderland.  The theater complex is very well supported by the locals and gaining reputation.  All the townsfolk families turn out for the “Greenshow” pre performance which  was a delight on it’s own. Each summer evening on the lovely green surrounding the Adams Theater is filled with Elizabethan song and dance.

Up the hill to Cedar Breaks National Monument

 Colorado by Auto Trek  Comments Off on Up the hill to Cedar Breaks National Monument
Jul 142013
 

Ashe suggested a delightful side trip into the mountains above Cedar City.  Early morning we quickly wound and climbed through cliffs of marine and river-bourne sandstone deposits which began about 150 million years ago.   These are  brilliant layer upon layer  uplifted skyward, glazed by volcanic ash and activity, eroded by frequent rains mixing with weak acid which reacts and eats away at the limestone.  Freezing temperatures expand water in the cracks of the rocks widening them into fissures and gullies.  Gravity unrelentingly pulls rocks from the cliffs.  This ceaseless process creates the incredible panorama near the top but every turn and bend in the upward climb is a surprising and glorious color display.
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