We visit Durango, CO for the second year in a row. This town is a quaint throwback to the mining days of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Set in the southwestern portion of the Rockies, Durango has captured our hearts and imagination. This year...we will take the Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Train Ride!
In addition to the Train ride, we would dine at Jean Pierre's several times during our three day stay. If ever in Durango, you must dine at this fabulous French restaurant. The dinners are great. Breakfast is even better. And the Bakery is what they're famous for.
Our Server, Noelle and the restaurant's General Manager, Steve, provided us with exemplary customer service. Great food...excellent service. All you can ask for from any eatery!
Almost home
What a great experience!
Durango!
May 20, 2011
We arrive in Durango mid afternoon and check into room 310 at the Strater Hotel. This prominent downtown landmark was built back in 1887 by Henry Strater and features the world’s largest collection of American Victorian antiques. Each of the hotel’s 93 rooms is individually appointed with hand-stenciled wallpaper. This is the second consecutive year we’ve stayed at the Strater and it most likely will not be the last!
The Hotel is two blocks from the D&SNG (Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge) and more importantly…just a single block from our favorite French Restaurant – Jean Pierre’s! We discovered this establishment on the corner of Main and College during last year’s visit to Durango and opted to dine there once again this evening!
Our Main Courses were delightful…however, the Crème Brule was devine! Ahhh…Crème Brule the way it should be served! Flaming crust, warm custard. A strong hint of alcohol…in this case, Puerto Rican Rum rather than brandy or cognac. Accompanying the Brule, a fine assortment of fruit. Blueberries. Strawberries. Apples. Cantelope and purple grapes. (Raul Gonzalez, you’d be in heaven!) After dinner, we retire to the warmth of our cozy room.
We didn’t vacate Great Sand Dunes prematurely because the Park did not live up to our expectations. The Dunes are truly magnificent. The surrounding mountains gorgeous. Our hikes…most excellent (if not exhausting). The weather…frigid! We knew it would be cooler at 8200’…however, we had not anticipated snow!
The two nights we spent in the Hob were downright painful! Our Arizona blood has thinned out quite nicely and our aging bods have become much more accustomed to the 100-degree heat we experienced at Big Bend than the 28-degree nights and howling wind we shivered through each night at Great Sand Dunes. Tonight, we shall sleep well here at the Strater!
May 21st
My Seester’s Birthday. Happy Birthday Laura! It’s also supposed to be the last day of the world as we know it…according to some religious zealot who has little faith in mankind.
We spend the “last day” noodling around town shopping and exploring the area. Daddio scores a new pair of jeans and a much needed jacket. Momma picks up a real purdy plaid shirt that she’ll wear on our train ride to Silverton. We also happen upon the Durango Olive Oil Company – a ingenious store on Main Street featuring fine olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world. The shop is set up like a wine tasting bar. All of the oils and balsamics are on display for guests to sample. Terry and I go into a feeding frenzy dipping Jean Pierre’s French breads into the assortment of oils. We found the strawberry and raspberry balsamics to be outstanding. We also added the Jalapeño and roasted garlic olive oils to our shopping cart!
On our way back to the Hotel to unload our booty, we come across the Nature Revealed Photography shop. Owner Jeff Jessing has nicely displayed his vivid photos of “nature” throughout his shop. He also offers photo workshops in appealing destinations in the west. One such workshop he is offering this July is a week-long photo tour of Glacier National Park!
Jeff only takes six students on his excursions and so far, five of the spaces for the Glacier Trip are spoken for. The sixth is up in the air. A local fellow says he’d like to participate…but hasn’t yet ponied up the cash! After talking with Jeff for a while, I let him know that if his #6 doesn’t come thru…I’ll buy the spot. He checks with #6. Number six 6 immediately coughs up the coins. Rats! No Glacier Photo Tour for Johnny this July!
May 22nd
The earth as we know it has surprisingly survived its last day! The weather report for the day of our D&SNGRR Train Ride, however, was ominous – rain and snow at high elevations likely. We awake to clear skies and head on down to Jean Pierre’s for breakfast!
For most of the past 129 years, the D&SNGRR has chugged up 45 miles of narrow gauge rail between Durango and the mining town of Silverton. Narrow gauge refers to the 3-foot wide track as opposed to standard gauge rail, which is installed with a 4’- 8 ½ ” width. Narrow gauge rail became popular in mountainous locations because it allowed trains to make much tighter turns than possible by those utilizing standard gauge rail.
In the early years, this line was called the D&RG (Durango & Rio Grande). Its primary purpose was to haul ore down from the mines in Silverton to the ore smelter in Durango. As mining in Silverton petered out and the automobile became the dominant method of transportation, the D&RG petitioned the Public Utilities Commission to abandon its narrow gauge operation. Fortunately for railroad enthusiasts and tourists like Terry and me, the request was denied.
In 1981, Charles Bradshaw purchased the then bankrupt D&RG for a couple million and immediately began overhauling the rail and the cars. Bradshaw saw the value of this railway from a tourist’s perspective and revitalized the line renaming it the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
The thrill of riding a steam-driven train through the San Juan Mountains was exhilarating! The views as we climbed from the valley floor into the mountains were stunning. We opted to travel in the Alamosa Parlor Car, which was positioned as the last car on the line. Built in 1881, the Alamosa features an exclusive exterior viewing platform at the rear end of the car in addition to a fully stocked bar! The table and chair arrangement limited the car to 24 passengers. The Alamosa was fully booked on the passage up to Silverton. Several of the guests departed the train in Silverton and opted to take the bus back to Durango. I suppose they wanted to save a couple of bucks.
The car in front of the Alamosa is called the Silver Vista. It is an open-air car capable of seating 29 guests. Today, only 7 bought passage in this car so those of us in the Alamosa were invited to observe the perspective offered from the Silver Vista Car. In my opinion, this car offers a better view of the scenery than the Alamosa...however, being "open-air" you could be subjected to the elements!
When the train arrives in Silverton, the passengers have a couple of hours to wander the town, which consists mostly of touristy gift shops and restaurants. After poking around Silverton for about an hour, Grumpy’s Saloon caught Terry and my eye. We found a table close to Lucey, the Piano Player and ordered up a Burger and Beer. All four thumbs up for Grumpy’s, the Burger and Lucey’s sensational piano playing!
Later this evening back at the Strater, the Diamond Belle Saloon is rocking to the bluegrass music of the Blue Moon Ramblers, five local geezers who really know how to entertain! Banjo, violin, guitars, great vocals. The following morning, Terry asks the staff at the Strater if they had a CD of the Blue Mooners for sale. The Staff points her down the street. Terry tracks down the Ramblers’ female vocalist, Jenny, who just so happens to have a CD in her car! Another Durango memento!
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