State-cation Day 6: Kayaking in Durango

An early start for a morning of kayaking the Animas River in Durango with Mountain Waters Rafting-Durango Rafting Adventures today. 

We left the hotel at 8 am and only had to drive about five minutes to the storefront next to Albertsons. With the helmet and personal flotation device and mask, it was shaping up to be a day for looking stylish! 

We put into the water after being transported about fifteen minutes. Our group had four rafts (each raft carried five people) and four kayakers along with our guide Marcos. With the water as low as it was, kayaking was the preferred mode of running the river. It was a rather docile trip for all of the rafters. I might have wished I was in the rafts just a teensy little bit. 

Chris booked a half-day trip on the river. 

The city of Durango had created a “water feature” with a class three section and then smaller rapids. We hit those about two and a half hours into our excursion. Chris and our guide ran the class three sections a bunch of times. Pulling out of the river shortly after the rapids gave everyone a chance to rest, have a snack, and swim the rapids (for any of those brave enough to try). 

The guides were great about having fun with the guests. Emma, the only female raft guide, even got in the water with a young girl and went down the rapids with her. I was impressed. 

We set off again for about 45 more minutes. Thus far I had managed to stay upright in my kayak, but with twenty minutes to go, I got stuck on a rock and it just dumped me over despite my best attempts to lean in. 

Our guide helped me climb back onto my kayak, and...I was pretty much done. 

Chris had a short work meeting in the afternoon; it was a good chance for me to rest for a bit before our next adventure.

Prolotherapy, Again

My second round of Prolotherapy for my foot. I’m not exactly sure what else Dr. Mazzola did, but something on either side of my calf to release the nerve. He hit a blood vessel on the inside of my calf and had to start again; the bruise has persisted for over two weeks now. Even more so after seeing the physical therapist who massaged the area for me. 

Lucky me. Look at that bruise. It migrated down to my ankle!

State-cation Day 5: Durango

Chris was looking forward to mountain biking today. 

I am happy that he enjoys it so much. Bounding face first down a mountain is not my gig. 

Though we traveled all over Southern Colorado with Chris' bike rack, it turned out he didn't really need to do any bike transporting as the trail was only a short distance from the bike shop, Pedal the Peaks. He chose one of the premium bike options for $65 for a half day and rode until 1 pm on the Twin Butte Trails. (We had a train ride scheduled in the afternoon, or he might have been tempted to ride even longer.)

I stayed at the hotel and did laundry and blogging. Woohoo for me.

Chris returned to the hotel bringing some lunch with him. We had a train ride scheduled for 3:30 on the Durango to Silverton train, so after lunch and a quick shower for Chris, we took the scenic route to Rockwell Station and drove first to Purgatory ski resort. There were a number of restaurants at Purgatory, but I believe only one was open during the summer. 

On to the train ride. We arrived a little early and watched as the steam train full of passengers left at 3:15 pm. Our diesel train left at 3:30 pm. The trip along the rails to Cascade Canyon lasted for about one hour before the train turned around and returned to the Rockwell Station. If your train car is full, just know that whatever scenery you don’t see on the way up, you’ll see on the return trip. 

For the first part of the trip, the views were on the right side of the train for the first twenty minutes. The train crossed over a trestle bridge and the scenery switched mostly to the left side of the train. Our train car wasn't that full so all of the passengers switched from one side to the other throughout the trip. 

Don’t forget your sunscreen and sunglasses. 

As we started our drive back to Durango, we spied cars driving into the parking lot of James Ranch Market and Grill on the left side of the highway. We had no idea that we had just happened on to one of the top five things to do in Durango. Since we had passed by, we drove a little further and turned around using  the  Honeyville Factory parking lot (on the right). 

I took a quick peak around the market after ordering our farm to table dinner. Chris found a table in the shade of the deck overlooking the farm, the happy cows grazing in the field, and many socially distanced tables.

State-cation Day 4: Chimney Rock and Vallecito Trail

If you are in the Pagosa Springs area, I highly recommend taking a tour of Chimney Rock National Monument in the San Juan National Forest.

Discover the ancestral homelands of the Pueblo people, an archaeological site that suggests that the Puebloans were sky watchers and lived by sky wisdom. They relied on the sun, stars, and moon for their living, growing seasons, and festivals. 

Every 18.6 years, the moon reaches a point in its orbit where it rises between the two pinnacles. Apparently, the next big event will begin in 2022.

Relying on the Alltrails app for hike suggestions, Chris drove to the Weminuche Wilderness for our next hike.

If you are into tent camping, trailer camping, staying in a tiny homes, this area of Colorado looks as though it would be a great place to explore. Chris and I saw an abundance of RV parks everywhere we went. 

Chris and I found the Vallecito Creek Trail parking lot and got set for another day of hiking. 

The distance of this trail was 12 miles total. We’d just have to see how the weather held up. We walked a half mile skirting the campground, stopped for a quick lunch at an empty site with a picnic table, and FaceTimed with our girls. Gotta check in on them. 

The Vallecito Creek Trail hike involved a lot of up and down hiking along pretty rocky paths. We had to key a close eye on the path to avoid twisted ankles. 

Chris and I got rained on and hailed on. I just pulled out my umbrella so that I could keep me and my camera dry. Chris didn’t care so much about the first sprinkles. 

Then, thunder clapped and the rain just started to pour. Fortunately, the rain didn’t last too long before blue sky was peaking through again. The scenery was beautiful as we skirted the river—sometimes we were right next to it and other times we were a couple hundred feet above it. We forded a small stream before reaching the first bridge. 

Three and a half miles in and the entire sky was dark and rumbly. We had reached the second bridge and decided it was time to turn around and cut some miles off our hike. Seven miles wasn't too shabby though.

The drive from the campground to Durango followed the backroads and it was incredibly picturesque. I much prefer meandering along the back roads while listening to a good audio book. 

Daniel Silva seems to be our go-to author. Though I am sure we have missed a few in the Gabriel Allon series, it still engages us for hours as we travel. This trip, “The New Girl” was our listen. 

We tried to eat at Steamworks Brewing Co. in Durango once we arrived. The wait was an hour and a half! Finding many of the restaurants equally busy, we settled on a 25-minute wait at Tequila’s, a Mexican chain.

State-cation Day 3: Alberta Peak Hike

Chris used the recently purchased Alltrails app to find most of our hikes for this trip. 

The Alberta Peak: Continental Divide National Scenic Trail started at Wolf Creek Pass at an elevation of 10,857 feet. Pretty much explains why I couldn’t seem to catch a full breath. That and the quick elevation gain over the first few miles. 

Chris said it was only for two miles and then it would level out mostly. Only two miles... 

We were hiking on the opposite side of the Calamity Jane ski resort. Chris had checked the weather and knew that rain and thunder would be coming our way later in the afternoon, so we wanted to make it to the top and be hiking back down the mountain to avoid the weather. 

If you are headed for Alberta Peak and come to a fork in the road with a sign on a tree that says Treasure Mountain Trail 565, don’t go to the right. It takes you down the mountain and away from your goal.

 

Fortunately, Chris chatted with a Forest Service guy who was working with a group to build up a mountain hiking trail. He pointed us back up the hill in the right direction. Take the left path of the fork. Whew. I really didn’t want to go down and have to hike up again. 

Continuing on to the peak. 

Follow a narrow path along the edge of the mountain. The weather cools a bit at the top with fewer wind breaks. You might want to bring something warm to wear. There is the final scramble to the top of the peak. It was a little more precarious. Be careful if you go. 

We watched as the weather began to change, the temperature dropped, and dark clouds gathered. 

Alberta Peak

Time to start the three-mile hike down. Even so, we passed people still climbing up. Our hike took about two hours up and a little over one hour on the descent. 

We had to pull out our rain jackets at one point, but about a quarter mile from our car, the rain had stopped and we found a log to sit on for a lovely lunch in the forest. Can’t beat that. 

We drove around the mountain to the ski resort and followed a short road toward Alberta Reservoir State Wildlife Area. Chris is pointing to Alberta Peak.

It was still early in the day, so we drove back up the pass toward South Fork. 

Chris decided on a jaunt to Creede and it turned out to be a good choice. Creede was your typical small western town. Cute. We followed a sign to drive Bachelor Loop, and it was a treasure. 

Literally, for the miners who settled here many years ago. Look at those mine shafts and cabins. We just hadn’t expected that surprise. 

Chris started up a fairly steep road, and I got a little nervous. We turned back and he researched where the trail went and if it was passable. He really wanted to discover it, so I hung on to the door handle and arm rest as he slowly made his way up, up, up the hill. I breathed a sigh of relief and unclenched my hands as we reached the top. 

Silver. Them hills were full of it. Or at least they had been. It was a beautiful loop. The name "Bachelor Loop" harkened back to a time when an encampment of 2800 men had lived and worked on the mountain. 

Today, the site was a beautiful open meadow. 

After our search for a place to eat last night, we already knew a few of the options in Pagosa Springs. We stopped at Riff Raff in downtown proper of Pagosa Springs and ordered burgers for takeaway. 

While waiting for dinner, we walked along the river and across from The Springs Resort and Spa. The sulphur smell was abundant in the air but many guests were enjoying the hot springs and other vacationers were tubing in the river. How awesome to float along in your tube and come across hot pockets of water.

State-cation Day 2: Sand Dunes NP and Zapata Falls

The reason we chose to stay in the happening town of Alamosa was it’s vicinity to Zapata Falls and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. So after breakfast at the hotel, we were happy to pack up and be on our way. 

Let’s just say that if you want to drive your small car or sedan up the road to the Zapata Falls parking lot, you are doing so at your own risk. 

We drove our Honda Pilot, and even then I hoped it would make it through some of the ruts and and pot holes and around or over the big rocks in the road. 

All occupants of the vehicle really ought to wear a sports bra, the jarring is just that significant. We finally made it to the crowded parking lot and found a spot in the overflow parking. The trail to the falls, was almost as crazy and bumpy as the road itself.

We hiked in to the Zapata Falls, which was not a very far hike at all. There were lots of families with young children making the hike as well. You would want to wear water shoes as you have to walk upstream through the river to get to the falls. I saw so many people not equipped as they walked in flip flops, bare feet, or soaking their tennis shoes. Be safe. 

The falls were gorgeous. I thought I was seeing all of the falls, and then as people moved out of the way and it was Chris’ and my turn to move forward, I walked a little further upstream and looked up.

Awesome. It was totally worth the effort. And I am not a get your feet wet in freezing cold water kind of girl. Our water shoes were great for the rocks in the river, just know that if you happen to stand on a wet log, the water shoes may not work quite as well. Just saying.

 

We returned to our car and prepared for the bumpy descent back to the main road. I could not believe that people were hiking up from the parking spot off the main road. It was at least a two and a half mile climb and hot. Maybe they knew the limitations of their vehicle.

It was a rather short distance from Zapata Falls to Great Sand Dunes National Park. The dunes were impressive even from a distance. 

We had to wait in a line of cars at the entrance to get into the park, but since we had a park pass, we moved right on through when it was our turn. We found a shaded picnic table for lunch and then on to the dunes. 

Chris wore his water shoes, and that was not a good choice. The sand can be as hot as 150 degrees and he had hot sand in his shoes nonstop. Wearing socks with his water shoes would have helped a ton. And a "ton" seemed like the amount of sand collecting in my shoes. I told Chris there was so much sand in my shoes there wasn’t enough room for my feet anymore! 

We climbed part way up the dunes, watching many young people and families sand sledding on the dunes and then pulling out the wax to add another layer to their board for another trip down. Sledding was a commitment. You had to be willing to hike back up to the the top of the dunes once sledding down. 

I watched one girl with a board hiking back up. She would dig her board into the sand in front of her, take a step, dig in a little higher up, take another step. It was a workout for sure. Walking up the dunes and through the sand was tiresome but fun. Apparently, there is a river that runs in May and June and makes the experience so much more enjoyable. 

On to Pagosa Springs. As you drive to the Springs, the road takes you through an amazing mountain pass and past the beautiful town of South Fork. As we continued on, Chris and I both commented on the road signs announcing two hair pin curves on our way down the mountain. 

Prior to reaching the first hair pin curve, road signs alerted us to a scenic overlook. But if you weren’t paying attention, you would miss it. Chris decided at the last possible moment to stop. 

And the scenery did not disappoint. The valley below reminded me of stories I read as a young girl. 

Just after the next hairpin, we pulled over to hike the Treasure Falls Trail. I would imagine that this Fall is even more impressive in the Spring with the run off, but still it was beautiful and not too strenuous of a hike either.

We drove through the cute downtown of Pagosa Springs past the hot springs and on to an area of town with all kinds of vacation rentals. It was beautiful with a small lake, lots of greenery, and mountains surrounding the town. We checked in to our “home” for the next two nights and went in search of dinner. 

Using Yelp to assist with the choice, we decided on Italian with Gustoso Ristorante Italiano. It was okay, but the wait took a long while and they forgot our dessert. Chris didn’t trust them to deliver the food to us and popped on over to pick up our too-small piece of cheesecake. We figured with all of the mixups and long wait, they would have comped us something or added an extra piece of cheesecake, but no.

State-cation Day 1: Alamosa

Our first stop of the day took us to Denver International Airport to drop Kristen off for a trip to visit her cousins. She was looking forward to a break in the monotony of quarantine. We weren’t allowed to go to the gate with her; it is a good thing she is so familiar with the airport. She texted with us as she got through security, made it to the gate, and boarded. 

Chris and I were off on a weeklong vacation. Kind of taking the place of a Mediterranean cruise that Chris has earned through work...but not really. 

We drove to Alamosa and were immediately underwhelmed. We tried to find something to see or do, but I don’t think it was much of a destination. 

We ordered fish tacos at Locavores and then watched movies for the rest of the evening.

Kristen Got Her Driver's Permit

Kristen passed her test for her drivers permit. 

Hooray. 

She originally had an appointment at the end of August, but checked everyday for something sooner. 

So glad we arrived when we did. Even with an appointment, we still had to wait. And as soon as Kristen finished and passed her test, the computers went down. They could see that she passed, but couldn’t do anything more. We went out to our car to wait for them to input her information manually. After about twenty minutes, they called us back in so she could get her picture taken and a temporary license. 

I was grateful we were not part of the long line of people still waiting for their appointment.

I let Kristen drive from King Soopers grocery store to home. 

It was a whole lot freaky for both of us. I don’t love having to teach someone to drive.