Passing miles of fields inhabited by horses and cows. Passing the rushing water at the base of the mountains, and the railroad winding its way along the Arkansas River's curves. Passing bikers, hikers, and tent campers. Many of the students probably missed most of the morning's scenery being completely passed out after today's 5am wake up call and yesterday's jam packed schedule.
When the students finally awoke at the first rest in Salida, the snow-capped Rockies surrounded us in all directions making you feel as though you were inside a postcard.
The bus continued its journey through the mountains, with breathtaking views around every turn. We ventured through a couple quaint mountain towns and noticed street markets, antique shops, and even crossed the Continental Divide; where water begins flowing toward be Pacific. Clarence mastered the squiggles of the Million Dollar Highway. The whole bus was "oohing" and "aahing," and hearts were dropping as they peered out the windows to the steep drops below. With no guard rails, it felt a little like riding a roller coaster.
Before boarding the train for Durango, students enjoyed shops and old tyme eateries in the town of Silverton. The unpaved streets and western vibe of the entire town made you feel like you'd gone back in time to the Wild Wild West.
The narrow gauge railroad from the mountain town of Silverton to Durango, Colorado is named for its narrow passages, where granite and stone were mere inches from the open windows of the rail car. The train took us on a 3 hour excursion through the San Juan National Forest presented us with plenty of photo taking opportunities.
There aren't enough adjectives to describe the beauty of the nature we uncovered today.
For dinner, the kids had ample amounts of free time and were able to explore the town of Durango, another eclectic mountain town with plenty of unique shops, live music, and art galleries for them to enjoy.
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