After good byes with Kristina, we headed towards Pagosa Springs, CO where we had lunch at Kips which is right on Main Street and en route to Durango.

The drive was SPECTACULAR!  Each turn provided breathtaking photo ops:

Looking closely, the perspective is in play:

Chimney Rock

The day was brilliant and as spectacular as a summer Colorado day could be.  Perhaps because we were driving on a Tuesday, there was very little driving traffic and we were able to make super strides

on the highway.

We got to Durango and stopped at the Statler Hotel, a landmarked building which provides an old time-y vaudeville review complete with villain, hero, damsel and encouraged hisses and hoorays! as well as comfy cocktail room or bawdy cowboy bar.  We took a little break there and Q was welcomed and behaved like the champ he is!

We roamed around for an hour and caught the 5:00 Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge RR arriving at the station.  Now we have the tourists!  But, what fun it was to see how excited everyone was and happy to experience the ride.  We thought about taking it to Silverton and spending the night there OR spending the night at the Statler... but then, reason returned and we headed to Farmington where the rates were more our style.  :)

 Keeping up on the blog is WORK! Many times there's no internet access so I have to remember things via the photos and usually it's right before I go to sleep.  Patty snapped me at work... :)

Tomorrow we head to AZ and the beginning of the end of the DRT.  It's been such an amazing ride with all the discoveries, connections, reconnections and heart felt loving moments.