All aboard! Next stop, Silverton!
The car below is my favorite. I obtained a cafe mocha that was highly coveted by our two little preschoolers. "Mmmm Momma, that's good. That doesn't taste at all like your coffee at home." I don't know if the coffee was that good in 1888 but it made viewing the below freezing environment quite cozy for me.
Although our train moves slowly, it sure beats the 1880 alternative of wagon and horseback. I seriously doubt Ma pioneer sipped a steamy cafe mocha through the snow covered mountains with her feet kicked up in the back of the wagon.
I have traversed the road between Durango and Silverton more times than I can count, literally. And since my maiden voyage on that road as a toddler, I have wanted to ride this train, actually I have begged to ride this train and see the wilderness that lies deep within these mountains. Uh, I mean, Savannah was dying to ride a train and we did it all for her.
Savannah really has been excited about riding a real train (as opposed to the one in Disney World). Although the temperature was in the teens, we rode with the windows open the entire trip so the girls could dangle their hands out in attempt to take it all in. Our soot covered girls couldn't get enough.
This was my view most of the time, the backs of Ella and Savannah's heads. I feared a 4 hour train ride would lead to boredom eventually. But once again in my parenting, I was wrong. When we stopped periodically the girls would hang their heads out the window and play peek a boo with each other. They entertained our whole car with the hearty giggles from that game. Grandpa was amazed by how the girls amused themselves. He pictured them captivated by the train and scenery before the trip. Then once on the trip he realized the exploration of a screw on the wall can hold a little explorers attention for at least 15 minutes. Then they move on to latches, doors, windows, and handles.
Oh, and I must tell you about the bathroom. My taking Savannah and Ella to potty in a bathroom 1/4 the size of a port-a-potty was entertaining for the whole car. I saw wives nudge their husbands, smile and say "watch this," as I escorted the children to the tiny toilet. One child would squat under the sink while one sat on the potty. I on the other hand squeezed my feel in behind and around the toilet and hovered over the tinkling child. We all three laughed although I am sure Ella did not know why we giggled, she was just happy to be apart.
Halfway through the trip we moved to the open car in hopes of capturing some great pictures. Savannah informed my not so delicately that she would freeze to death if we did not return to our warm seats abruptly. Ella kicked back in a seat like she was at the beach. My Texas girl could not hang with the Colorado girl in the cold!
The fall foliage was beautiful and believe it or not, that was one of the things Savannah was most anxious to see. She has been hearing about fall for a while now but could not understand why our leaves in Texas had not changed yet. Boy, that was a long story.
As we climbed higher Savannah observed the snow and then proceeded to announce we had driven into winter. "No, dear. It snows here in the fall as well as the winter ("and spring and sometimes summer at Dawn's house" I almost added but then decided not to confuse her more). 
Old mines of some kind dot the hill side. They use to mine sulphur around Silverton but this could have been a coal mine too. Oh, that rotten egg smell of the Silverton from my childhood. Good times. Good times.
We've arrived!
Ella was happy to see her Momma who drove over the mountain (in 1/2 the time it took us) to pick us up so we could journey on to Ridgway.
Ella is headed back to the concession car for more cafe mocha!
The whole time we were on the train Savannah was asking where the fire was. She already knew all about the fire and steam. Now that we were actually on a train, she wanted to see it. The engineer could see her interest so as Grandpa lifted her up to see, the engineer opened the doors to the fire more. That's all Savannah can talk about now.
That night, as we prayed before bedtime Savannah thanked God for the latches that open the windows on the train, the fire that makes the train go, the food car for obvious reasons, the cold open car, the warm car where we sat most of the time, the conductor, and for the "chuga, chuga, chuga" motion. I would say our experience is burned into her memory.
Halfway through the trip we moved to the open car in hopes of capturing some great pictures. Savannah informed my not so delicately that she would freeze to death if we did not return to our warm seats abruptly. Ella kicked back in a seat like she was at the beach. My Texas girl could not hang with the Colorado girl in the cold!
The fall foliage was beautiful and believe it or not, that was one of the things Savannah was most anxious to see. She has been hearing about fall for a while now but could not understand why our leaves in Texas had not changed yet. Boy, that was a long story.
As we climbed higher Savannah observed the snow and then proceeded to announce we had driven into winter. "No, dear. It snows here in the fall as well as the winter ("and spring and sometimes summer at Dawn's house" I almost added but then decided not to confuse her more).
"Momma, there's snow. I really think it's winter here."
"OK, time to switch! Savannah, it's your turn to sit with Grandpa. Ella, you come up here with me."
Old mines of some kind dot the hill side. They use to mine sulphur around Silverton but this could have been a coal mine too. Oh, that rotten egg smell of the Silverton from my childhood. Good times. Good times.
We've arrived!
Ella was happy to see her Momma who drove over the mountain (in 1/2 the time it took us) to pick us up so we could journey on to Ridgway.
Ella is headed back to the concession car for more cafe mocha!
The whole time we were on the train Savannah was asking where the fire was. She already knew all about the fire and steam. Now that we were actually on a train, she wanted to see it. The engineer could see her interest so as Grandpa lifted her up to see, the engineer opened the doors to the fire more. That's all Savannah can talk about now.
That night, as we prayed before bedtime Savannah thanked God for the latches that open the windows on the train, the fire that makes the train go, the food car for obvious reasons, the cold open car, the warm car where we sat most of the time, the conductor, and for the "chuga, chuga, chuga" motion. I would say our experience is burned into her memory.
