theDIBB - Grand Train Journey across USA

Day 10 – (27/6/06) – Back to the bordello.

We take breakfast at the Strater Hotel then it’s time to head back to Grand Junction.

Before doing so we go to watch the departure of the 480 locomotive as it takes another load of passengers to Silverton and back. We spot Dot, the Presidential Car attendant and go over to say Hello and also Goodbye. She had been a star on our trip and had a fabulous sense of humour. We have all day and so take the road towards Silverton. We can have lunch there. We obviously arrive well before the locomotive and so have time to wander around the shops and attractions again. When the train finally arrives we ensure we are level with where the Presidential car will stop. Sure enough Dot descends from the carriage to place the foot stool in place for its leaving passengers. She spots us and bursts into hysterical laughter. “You devils!” she declares.

(When we got back to the Uk we sent her some British goodies care of the Durango Rail-road address. She was good enough to send a card back thanking us.)

Silverton is a former silver mining camp, most or all of which is now included in a federally designated National Historic Landmark District. Its population is around 600. In 2002 an extreme ski mountain, Silverton Mountain, opened near the town. It is one of the highest elevation towns in the USA at 9,318 feet above sea level.

We go off to the Bent Elbow (the former bordello) for a coffee. It has an amazing bar. There is a pianist who knocks out those saloon type honky tonk tunes whilst people eat and drink.

Time to head for Ouray. We climb roads leading us back to 11,000 feet and pass the peak of Red Mountain again. The drop into Ouray snakes back and forwards until we reach the valley floor. Originally established by miners chasing silver and gold in the surrounding mountains, the town at one time boasted more horses and mules than people. Prospectors arrived in the area in 1875. In 1877, William Weston and George Barber found the Gertrude and Una gold veins in Imogene Basin, six miles southeast of Ouray. Thomas Walsh acquired the two veins and all the open ground nearby. In 1897 opened the Camp Bird Mine which produced almost 200,000 ounces of gold by 1902, when Walsh sold out to Camp Bird, Ltd. By 1916 that mining company had produced over one million ounces of gold.

The town is also famous for its hot springs which you can enjoy at the open air swimming pool.

We plough on to Grand Junction. We are staying at an airport hotel here so it’s handy for returning the hire car. Once we have sorted ourselves out we head out into town for something to eat. In Main Street we find the Il Bistro Italiano. I can only refer you to Trip Advisor. People praise this place to the rafters.

It’s hot and sunny so we sit outside with a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio and have the sweetest, most tender calamari in a lemon butter sauce. It literally does melt in your mouth.

Grand Junction has sculptures around town and my favourite is right opposite where we are sat. It’s a full size bison made from car fenders (bumpers) and it is entitled “Chrome on the Range”.

How about this one? “End of the rails”.

Our train is due to depart the following morning at 9a.m. and so we make use of the hotels spa and swimming pool and then watch some TV before retiring for a good night’s rest.

INDEX: http://DIBB.in/11466192