Goodbye New Mexico, Hello Colorado

Driving through far northern New Mexico, we again ascended from desert scrubland up some lush grassland valleys among the mountains.  Our last night in New Mexico was spent in Chama on the Colorado border.  A popular train ride runs from Chama up to Antonito, Colorado through the mountains.  Because of a recent fire and then a mudslide that damaged the tracks, the train was cancelled for a few days.  We would like to return here and do the train ride in Autumn.
Moonrise in Chama


Mural in Chama

We drove northwest to Colorado and stopped for the night in a beautiful forest campground at the top of a hill just outside Durango.
Scrubland and some green grass along with some serious mountains

Beginning to look like Rocky Mountains

Taller, jagged peaks - close to Colorado!

Chimney Rock on the right, and Companion Rock on the left

These signs were all over Durango as they had just been delivered safely from a massive threatening fire.

My sister, Lin, joined us here, driving 8 hours down from her home north of Denver.  Thursday, we dropped Lin's car off at a long-term parking facility and headed north on the San Juan Skyway (aka The Million Dollar Highway).

Pine trees lined up as if they were planted!



Sisters....the best!  Our brother would have made it perfect!




Marmot attempting to cross the road

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Gorgeous mountain scenery, we stopped for lunch in Silverton, an old-time western town.  The center street is paved, but all the side streets are dirt.  Popular with tourists, lots of restaurants and shops - we decided to have lunch at Thee Pitts - great BBQ restaurant with lots of character.



Strange colored river in Silverton


Popular town of Ouray


We continued north through the mountains with multiple passes over 10,000'.

 We stopped at Ridgway State Park for the night and we celebrated my birthday at a nice restaurant in Ridgway.  Returning to the campground, Lin had a cake and Proseco accompanied by a great hula hoop that lights up.
Downtown Ridgway
Moonrise in Ridgway

The next morning, Lin and I walked a short 1 mile trail down to the reservoir before we climbed back aboard the RV and finished the scenic loop through the mountains back to Durango, but the weather did not cooperate and we drove through heavy rainstorms, some sleet and some hail!  Mountains were beautiful and dramatic, but photos were impossible.
Dead tree sculpture on our walk

Ridgway Reservoir

Saturday morning, Lin got on the road back home early and Jack and I headed west to the Four Corner Monument - where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona meet.  We managed to get a photo of Jack in all four states, pretty much doing the same thing he did in 2005 - the last time we were here.


Here are some of the pics from when we were here in 2005...



Apparently, this had been a problem?????  Multiple signs.

Four state flags plus.....
 A wonderful few days - what a treat to be able to celebrate my birthday with family.  Thanks, Lin!

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