This past weekend, I headed down to Durango with a great friend from the club. The Durango and Silverton was running a special for the Rio Grand Southern #20, fresh off a 14 year rebuild. A great birthday gift from a friend that just loves steam trains. It was a quick trip, drive down on a Friday and back home on a Sunday to fight ski traffic. Yet a needed trip since I haven’t been out much, also felt good to get the 4runner out of the garage and stretch it’s legs. Super fun to get back down to Durango and ride a very historic train with my pal Dan. Saturday night we meet up with some friends in town for some fantastic Mexican food. Good times indeed.
Once in Durango, we headed out right away to Chase RGS #20. We weren’t the only ones:).
Last Thursday, I meet up with a friend and checked out this years Stock Show Parade. It kicks off the annual Stock Show held in Denver. The parade starts at Union Station and heads up 17th street towards Civic Center. They had the Steers back this year in the front. Such a fun Denver tradition:).
A small spiral bound calendar measuring 12″ x 18″ when opened and hanging on the wall. Managed some good adventures with the 4×4 club this year. Even got back down to Chama to check out the 100 Years of Steam celebration that the Cumbre and Toltec was doing. Though sadly things didn’t work out for this years Outlaws Run. Next Year!
55 calendars available.
I’m selling the calendars for $20 each. This includes shipping.
A little late in getting these posted, but here are my favorite sunrises from this past year at work. Always some fun ones. Some sunrises include multiple images Sometimes the post sunrise being the more dramatic part. Also got to enjoy a few Sundogs over the year. Enjoy:).
Last Saturday a friend and I headed up to Silver Plume for a day outing. It’s been a few years since my last trek up to the 7:30 mine. Felt good to get out on a cool fall day and stretch the legs.
There’s some fun history with the 7:30 mine. Starting with the name, the owner gave the workers an extra hour to start there shift. Mr. Griffin moved West after loosing his fiancé in in NY. At a spot above town close to the mine, he would play his violin every night. Finally the grief was too much and he took his own life. Later the town of Silver Plume placed a monument in his honor.
Starting the climb above Silver Plume.
Last bit of Fall.
Good views of Silver Plume and the depot for the Georgetown Loop.
Perfect Fall weather.
Old mining building.
The hike is a gradual grade UP.
Griffin’s monument. If heading West on I-70 through Silver Plume and look up, you’ll spot it.
Fine views from the entrance of the 7:30 mine. Griffin’s monument, the grade for the Argentine Central, Pavilion Point and Silver Plume in the distance.
Last weekend, I made a quick visit to St. Paul. A short but fun visit with my brother and his family. Somehow I managed to miss my flight, a first for me. A full but fun day. We hung art, watched construction equipment (nephew favorite thing) and enjoyed an evening down on the Mississippi. Weather was perfect.
At the airport and going through security. Big lines but moved pretty quick and smoothly. Still kinda odd to not have security check in on the lower level, South side.
Progress. On the train to the gate.
Sadly, when I got to my gate, the plane was taxing out. Just missed it! A United Club was conveniently right next to my gate. So walked over and asked agents about options. They booked me on the next available flight, no charge. After just spent time at the airport. Grabbed a burger and beer for lunch, then hung out till flight.
Finally made it to St. Paul. Good to be with brother and his fam:).
Funny, while booking my ticket for the Train Trip this past June, I came across the celebrations for the Steam Trains that the Cumbers & Toltec are using are over a hundred years old. Naturally, I got excited and bought tickets for the celebration- Night shoot at the Chama Yard on Friday. Charter Train on Thursday. Drive down Wednesday after work.
Wednesday I found myself to tired to make the six hour drive after work. Thursday morning while packing, I got a call from the train “are you coming?” Yeah I messed up. Once in Chama, was a weekend filled with trains and friends. I chased the train out of Chama on Thursday up to Cumbres Pass. Stopping along the way. Once at Cumbres Pass, I came upon the charter train for that day. Hung out with one of the Engineers for a bit before watching the Chama train come into the yard and take on water. Back in town, enjoyed a nice lunch from the hotel and some relaxing before heading back over to the Chama yard. A group was leading a walking tour around the yard. That evening, I was back at the yard for a night shoot. Sadly my tripod broke, but learned some new settings and was able to get a few shots.
Saturday, I was up early. While passing through Los Pinos, I was able to watch that days charter train pass by. Then I continued the long drive home.
A parade of steam. They ran three trains together (a triple header) and blew the horns through the yard in Chama. A fun way to start the weekend.
Hard to believe it’s been Over six years since I’ve been to the West Portal of the Alpine Tunnel, Just outside Pitkin, CO. A landslide in 2016 nocked out a portion of the roadbed leading up to the West Portal known as the “Palisades”, closing the road till repairs were completed last summer. With that, I decided it was time to head back to Pitkin and the West Portal for this years Ghost Town Run.
Sadly attendance for this years run was a bit light, though it was good to just be out. Our usual spot was already taken when I arrived Wednesday after work but managed to find another on a short drive past on the Middle Quartz Creek road outside Pitkin, CO. Though there was a neighbor, after meeting them Kevin and his wife were great people to hang out with. Joining me for the run this year were my pals Travis and Dan (with his family). After a full day of relaxing in camp ( I did detail the interior of the 4runner), I meet up with Travis the next day on the trail, where we spent most of the day exploring the West Portal of the Alpine Tunnel. A beautiful hike over Altman Pass brought us to the East Portal of the Alpine Tunnel. Out of all the years of exploring this area, would be a first visit for me. Back at the rigs we enjoyed a nice afternoon drive down the old railroad grade, stopping at the Midway Water Tank to check out all the old inscriptions. Oldest I’ve found is from 1908. Back in Pitkin, Travis and I headed over to the newly renovated Pitkin Hotel for an early dinner- recommend the burger. Great to see some excitement coming into this great little community.
Back at camp, we’d spend the evening hanging out with Dan and his family and our friendly neighbors. No fires though since a stage one ban was in effect:(. The next day, with the light attendance and my ARB fridge not working all the sudden, decided to head home early. I bid farewell to our neighbors, Travis and Dan then headed out. Going over Cumberland and Cottonwood Passes to get back to 285.
Though a light club run, was really good to get back to the West Portal of the Alpine Tunnel.
A fine sunrise to start a long day. After an eight hour shift, I’d hope in the 4runner and make the trek towards Pitkin.
Camp. Not our usual spot, but a fine spot along the Middle Quartz Creek no less. Ended up making some new friends as well.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve been able to make the blubs annual “Blow Off Work and Go Wheeling Run”, run. This year my pal Matt informed me that the run was on a Friday, and now having my 4runner in the parking garage across the street from my Apartment downtown, I just had to make the run.
With a total of 12 rigs, we meet at the trial head and aired down. It’s been ages since I ran Slaughterhouse Gulch but still just as fun as I remember with some great drives through the forest. Nothing to challenging but enough to have fun with. The cloud cover made for a perfect mountain afternoon and friends from the club even better. After, some of us made a short drive into Conifer and stopped at the Snow Pack Taproom and Pizzeria for some refreshments and Pizza. I left before the food arrived, but enjoyed the company. A short drive down the hill and I was puling into my fancy parking spot downtown. Not to long after, hanging out with more friends at the local watering hole before finally calling it a night. Sublime days of Summer indeed.
At the trailhead for Slaughterhouse Gulch. Typical hangout and catch up after airing down:).
Late June I had the good fortune of having the club up to the pond in the Upper Meadows. Step Mom asked why “I wasn’t doing it on the Solstice”. Well my pal Time took that spot with the summer campout on Argentine the weekend before (it was the same weekend for our Adopt-A-Trail). But the next weekend was set for a summer campout with the club. A handful of friends joined me for an evening at the ranch. We got to finally use the fire pit the fire department built for us and a cousin stopped by for a beer and gave some good history of the ranch.
The next morning, spent some time relaxing, then drove back down to Downtown. Parked the 4runner and walked home.
