Sunday, April 09, 2017

 Chuga-chuga-choo-choo


Train travel has always seemed so romantic. Such a unique way explore off the beaten path. The Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway (that's a mouthful) boasted to be the #1 tourist attraction on Trip Advisor and it came with rave reviews. I was a little skeptical about the length (5 hours!) and cost ($200 and that's with a 30% discount!) and the fact that me and Maddox were the only ones actually excited about it (although he was a little nervous because he just watched a Nova special about train crashes. That boy and his Nova. He spouted off train facts almost the whole way up). But this was something to check off the bucket list and there weren't many other options of where to spend the day so I was grateful everyone else (grudgingly) obliged. The first almost hour is just getting out of town and the scene was nothing too spectacular so I was beginning to have my regrets. Jason spent the whole time studying for a big licensing test he has coming up and Kylie just took a very expensive nap. But once we started our way up the canyon and made our way to the open air car, it took my breath away. Hugging the edge of a sheer cliff to a roaring river below, towering Ponderosa Pines with snow capped mountains as a backdrop. It was just beautiful.

















We stopped for a quick lunch and stroll by the river. Which always leads to rock skipping contests. I wish we would have had little bit longer to explore around in the fresh mountain air. The recorded message promised lots of snow so we were sure to pack snow pants and gloves, the boys were a little disappointed they couldn't build a snowman.
















So the overall consensus was that it was a photographer's dream for me, Maddox and Ryder gave it 4 out of 5 stars only because I wouldn't let them buy anything from the concession car, Jayden liked it more than he'd like to admit (although he would rather be snowboarding), Kylie was bored out of her mind and the highlight for Jason was when we rolled past a group of people camping and they all dropped their pants and mooned us. It was pretty much his favorite past time in high school so he has a great appreciation for it-ha! But now Maddox and Ryder won't stop dropping their pants and mooning everyone at home. What is it with boys and butts??




Ryder requested a photo on this statue. And when Ryder requests a photo, you never quite know what to expect. Love that little ham.





We drove through Shiprock New Mexico on our way here and were in awe by this massive jagged rock jutting up in the middle of absolutely no where. It was too dark to take a picture and I mentioned to Jason how I wish I had gotten one. We were going a different way home but he made sure to go out of his way so that I could get my picture. That's how much this boy loves me and I kinda sorta really like him back.






1 comment:

Just me said...

Again again, a lovely humourous gorgeous post, J. I did PARTICULARLY love the lines re boys, butts and mooning. Even with modern technology, and so much change generation to generation, mooning seems to remain an excellent (annoying but also really funny) past-time for boys (and, er, husbands?!). Great stuff, J, and don't you stop. I mean blogging, not mooning. :-)