We celebrated our first week of this epic roadtrip adventure by sitting on our bums all day. Granted we did this aboard a 137-year-old narrow gauge train that traverses 45 miles of God’s Own Selfie called the San Juan National Forest. Every tree, rock, cliff, and white-crested rapid spoke to me like a happy little Bob Ross painting. It was almost sinister in its perfection, taunting my OCD picture-taking, and pranking me into looking away when we passed a wall of boulder 10 inches in front of us only to resume the breadth and depth of the mythical Anduin when I had set my camera down.
It’s difficult to impress with words the magnitude of the Beauty we saw today. I guess that’s why about 200,000 people a year ride this train, burning 6 tons of coal and 10,000 gallons of water PER ROUND TRIP to see this geological Shangri-La. I am telling you, this vacation experience has undone every sip of every drink I ever took out of my re-useable smug straw. But I trust that the Durango Silverton Train will one day soon go Eco, transition to electric or solar or banana peels, and continue to provide this service of allowing commoners like me to fall in love, head over heels, with this natural world.
Though being completely honest (which by now I hope it’s clear is my goal here), there are a few sections they could shave off, you know, or speed up, or something. It was a long trip. I’m not saying I would have wished it to be different, this time, especially because the kids took turns there-and-back sitting next to me to get a back massage, allowing me to gift them something I know they love, no strings attached, pure love and connection. But next time, I think the kids and I both (and Bob) would trade that little bonding moment for a quicker bus back to town. Shout out to the Avalanche Brewery, for a tasty lunch and IPA. The rest of Silverton was like a little movie set– cute and strange and quaint and fictitious. Still, a 9/10 day. Who am I kidding- 10 out of 10. Did you see that raging blue river?
Car Full of Carpenters 
Looks like another gorgeous day in paradise! Can’t wait to see where you are off to next ❤
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