A long weekend, and it happened to be …..
We spent a long weekend in Durango, CO. We like Durango a lot, so driving up to the New Mexican/Colorado border was a pleasure. It is a beautiful scenic drive, passing Abiquiu with the Ghost Ranch, Chama, and then arriving in Durango.
HOTEL STRATER
We stayed at the Historic Hotel Strater. It is a real jewel and puts you back in time when horses were outside, saloon women swirled around, and rugged cowboys entered the bar. It is also where John F. Kennedy and many more celebrities stayed.
1887-1893: When Durango’s future still hung in the balance – would it remain a mining camp or become a metropolis – a Cleveland pharmacist named Henry Strater had the vision and faith that Durango would prosper. With its prosperity, it would need a grand hotel. Construction was quite a challenge, but Henry’s dream was realized with the help of his brothers Fred and Frank, his father Antone, and a lot of enthusiasm. The Strater Hotel opened after an expenditure of $70,000 and the placement of 376,000 native red bricks and hand-carved sandstone cornices and sills, which began the Strater Hotel’s history.
DURANGO AND SILVERTON RAILROAD
Durango was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1880. The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881, and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. By July 1882, the tracks to Silverton were completed, and the train began hauling passengers and freight.
PURGATORY (Fegefeuer) Ski area.
Thirty minutes away from Durango is the Purgatory Ski area. It is great skiing, more on the relaxing side. It is less demanding than Taos Ski Valley or even Ski Santa Fe. It is wide open with a beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains.
MESA VERDE
On Saturday, we explored Mesa Verde. Mesa Verde is a place where you can experience the heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people. About 550 CE, long before Europeans explored North America, ancestral people moved onto the Mesa Verde. For over 700 years, these people and their descendants flourished here, building stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of canyon walls. It is a spectacular reminder of this ancient culture. Archeologists have called these people Anasazi, from a Navajo word. If you want to learn more about the Anasazi, the “House of Rain” by Craig Childs is a great book.
Oh, I forgot to mention … and all this happened over my special birthday. I love celebrating my birthdays quietly with Cindy, with fine breakfasts and dinners in a remote area.
February 26, 2023: THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY SLIDESHOW. After 4 pictures it gets stuck. I am trying to solve the problem.
[caption id="attachment_4385" align="alignnone" width="600"] On our way North to Durango, just outside of Chama[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4391" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Cumbres & Toltec railroad in Chama in deep snow[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4392" align="alignnone" width="600"] Approaching Durango[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4366" align="alignnone" width="600"] The historic Strater Hotel in Durango[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4376" align="alignnone" width="400"] The train is ready to leave the station in Durango[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4393" align="alignnone" width="600"] Purgatory Ski area[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4394" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Strater Hotel at night.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4371" align="alignnone" width="600"] “When the night comes falling from the sky” (Bob Dylan song.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4367" align="alignnone" width="600"] Adam Swanson in his element [/caption]
[video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.rolandpabst.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG_1340-2.mp4"][/video]
[caption id="attachment_4358" align="alignnone" width="600"] A freshly roasted coffee is a great start into a new day.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4356" align="alignnone" width="600"] When the Hermosa Café crew found out it was my “special” birthday, they spoiled me.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4348" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mesa Verde with the Cliff Palace.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4395" align="alignnone" width="600"] In the far distant mountains in Utah[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4352" align="alignnone" width="600"] We are in the Four Corners area with New Mexico, Colorado, Utah & Arizona[/caption]
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