Fall Has Arrived in Durango, CO

Monday, September 26, 2016

Well, this mountain fall weather is much different from my lovely desert fall weather.  COLD here!  We had a cabin in the Greenhorn Mountains for 14 years, and I loved the fall days up there. Warmish during the day and cool at night--the fireplace helped.  But here it feels like winter already.  Rained like the dickens most of the day last Friday.  A cold rain!  No more sitting outside in the evenings and chatting with neighbors.  Time to move on?

A lot has happened since I last wrote.   Remember our RV neighbor Max, the bird-trapping boy?  He and his parents, Bob and Sarah, were planning to leave on September 8 to go travel around Europe for 6 months or so.  They had moved out of this park a few weeks back (to a cheaper place to save $$).  So we were very surprised to find see their RV back in its same old space next to us one day.  Moakie, the Golden Retriever, was still with them.  Turns out, bad luck has caused them to put their travel plans on hold.  Sarah, a back-to-nature sort (as opposed to Glamgirl--a back-to-the-mall sort), liked to go into the local mountains and hunt for mushrooms.   She did that one day by herself--stepped wrong, fell, and broke her leg in three places!  Luckily, she had her cell phone with her, and even more luckily, she had cell service up there in the mountains.  She called her husband--unfortnately, he had left his cell phone in the car (isn't that just like a man?) and didn't get her frantic message until 2 hours later!  She left a message that she thought she had broken her leg and that Max would know where to find her (him having been to those hunting grounds before).  Of course, as soon as husband Bob heard her message, he contacted the local Search and Rescue unit.  Max (as he excitedly told us later) got to ride with the S&R guys and give them directions.  Not having been able to reach her husband, Mom had crawled 3/4ths of a mile back towards her car before they found her.  One tough woman!

Max and Moakie

Meanwhile, even tho Bob is greatly appreciative of my cooking skills, I still find the need to share my bounty with others.  Made a lovely peach pie one day and shared it with neighbors all around us.  Lots of great feedback, which pathetically, I seem to need.

Peach pie on right side of tiny counter

On Wednesday the 14th we decided to take a drive up to Silverton--we had heard that the scenery along the way up there was beautiful.  So, off we went.  Our first stop was in Honeyville--where I made friends with a honeybear.

Honeyville is a family-owned specialty honey business that was started in 1918 with just a couple of hobby beehives.  Some of the hives are still located in their original locations.  They have a glass beehive (I could not find the queen), a viewing window to watch honey being bottled, and free samples of all their honeys, honey wines, and even chocolate honey (yuck).  In the store they have for sell a fabulous variety of whipped honeys, honey enhanced jellies, jams, and sauces.  Needless to say, we found several items without which we could not live!  This store also made me think about what the Brier Creek Apiary in Thomson, GA, could become some day (owned and operated by my nephews and my brother).  You can get a free catalogue by calling:  800-676-7690.

From Honeyville we made our way on up the road to James Ranch Market--where you can buy fresh eggs, morning-harvested vegetables, and watch cheese being made by their on-site artisan cheese maker  But, best of all, they make the most delicious hamburgers on the face of the earth--bar none--they even beat (by a long shot) my favorite--In-and-Out Burgers!  Now that's saying something.

The Market

One of the egg makers having a bad hair day

Finally back on the road to Silverton.   Along the way we crossed over Coal Bank Pass at 10, 300 feet in altitude.  When we got to Silverton, we were surprised to find out that there was SO MUCH MORE TO SEE than we realized when we went by train a week or so ago.  Because of the stern warning by the train people that they would leave stragglers behind, we limited our sight-seeing that day to a very small area.  We missed the best part of town.  After cruising around a bit (and seeing some very interesting things, including somebody's homemade ski truck,

we headed on up the road to the Old Hundred Gold Mine. 

My friend and neighbor, Mary Grimsley, had highly recommended that we take the mine tour there.  The property is no longer mined but is open for tours.  The tour took us on a vintage electric powered narrow gauge mine train 1/3rd of a mile into the heart of the 1300 foot Galena mountain,  We were able (with our great guide) to see real mining equipment (air-powered drills, slusher, and mucking machines dating as far back as the 1930's) in action!  LOUD!  And, I also almost froze to death!  Outside, pouring rain was falling.  Inside, water was dripping on our heads!  But, despite the discomfort (would be wonderful to do this tour along about mid-July), we were very glad we did it!

A couple of days later we decided to go to the Mesa Verde National Park, located only a few miles up the road from Durango.  Raise your hand if you have already visited this place.  Yep, like I thought--most of you have seen it.  Well, the following is for those who have not yet had the pleasure.  We stopped in Mancos, CO, on the way and had a wonderful breakfast at the Absolute Bakery and Cafe.  Located in a 100-year old building, this cafe is chock full of books (on shelves right next to your table), art and a great wait staff.  Needless to say, our breakfast was delicious.  Another sight along the way was a banner just off the highway that read:  "Massive Petroleum Spill and Toxic Site" with skull and crossbone logos!  Seems that a Sinclair gas station was once located here.  Apparently the land owner sued a contractor (hired by the former operator of the gas station to clean up a spill) and put up signs to draw attention to the dispute, which went to federal court.  The landowner got a $1 settlement and now refuses to allow access for cleanup, despite the concerns highlighted on the signage.  Needless to say, we did not stop there--not even for a quick photo!

Finally we reach Mesa Verde--just magnificent!

After a quick stop at the visitor center at the entrance to the park, we set off on our driving tour.  A little history:  Around AD 550, the Anasazi people (now called Ancestral Pueblo people to reflect their modern descendants) moved onto the Mesa Verde.  For over 700 years these people and their descendants lived and flourished here, eventually building elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of canyon walls.  In the late 1200's in the span of a generation or two, they left their homes and moved away.  These cliff dwellings were first reported by local ranchers in the 1880's.   (NOTE:  I am not this smart--quoting the brochure that we were given at the park entrance.)  Our car tour took us down the Chapin Mesa road where the best sights (from the car) were along the Mesa Top Loop and the Cliff Palace Loop.  Sadly, another sight along the way were huge areas where three different fires in recent years have left hundreds of dead trees in their path.

Cliff Palace

We might have been tempted to get out of the car and hike to some of the accessible sites had I not developed altitude sickness partway through our drive.  I was surprised by this as the altitude at the highest point is only around 7700 feet.  But, if altitude sickness equals nauseated, sweaty, and headachy, that was what I had.  As we headed back down the mesa, those symptoms disappeared.  I was so happy!

One more thing we saw along the way:

Located on Hwy 160, near Mancos, at the Mud Creek Hogan Gift Shop.  Telephone poles have been fitted with giant arrowheads and stuck into the ground at 45 degree angles  No idea why.

And, finally, my dedicated readers (I like to think positively), I will describe what will probably be our last adventure in this location before we head east this coming Wednesday.  Yesterday we decided to take a little Sunday drive.  Our drive took us down into New Mexico.  Our destination was the Harvest Wine Festival just outside of Blanco, NM, near Farmington.  The festival is held on beautiful grounds near the San Juan River, surrounded by towering cottonwood trees, glowing sandstone cliffs, and curious tail-less peacocks (molting).  Lots of craft and food booths, wine tasting, and live music.  We shopped, we ate, we listened. And, a wonderful time was had by all!

Our favorite craft booth was this wonderful Indian potter whose creations were beautiful! 

So, almost done here.  But wait!  Two Friday nights ago we went to a local football game--the Durango Demons v. the Farmington somebodies.  Durango high school has a fabulous new stadium with faux turf.  We cheered for the home team (while watching all the teenage fans who were there to be seen--not to watch the game.  I was freezing to death and the kids were dressed in sleeveless outfits with no jackets in sight.  BTW--the Demons won!

Me and Oz at the ballgame! (His first-ever selfie)

So, one last thing (I promise).  For the past week or so, Bob has been chasing a medical issue.  Back in August or so he started having pain in his neck that eventually migrated down into his shoulder.  After suffering with the pain for a while, he decided to see if he could find a doctor to identify the source and recommend a fix.  Two MRI's, a CT scan, and a cancer scare later, he is back to square one.  First doc thought his shoulder pain was related to a torn rotator cuff--MRI showed a perfect rotator cuff.  Second MRI (of his neck) revealed a suspicious lymph node, which resulted in him getting a CT scan..  After Bob found and showed the doctor a report from 2005 of a suspicious lymph node in his neck that, after a needle biopsy, was determined to be benign, she concluded that the current suspicious lymph node was one in the same and gave him a clean bill of health re lymph node.  Now we need to find a spine doc who can read the neck MRI and CT scan and figure out what is causing the neck/shoulder pain.  Dr. Nancy (me) suspects the cause is stenosis of various disks in the spine.  Those were mentioned in the radiology report.  But, we will try to find a real doctor, perhaps when we get to Georgia, to make a diagnosis and recommendation or a fix.  Meanwhile, he keeps the pain at a manageable level with ibuprofen.  

Glamgirl closing for now.