Best-Laid Plans: A Vacation Detour

 

Sometimes our best-laid plans require detours. 

Randy is the vacation planner in our family. He does a great job of lining up the schedule. But an unscheduled government shutdown also shutdown his plans to get a guided cliff dwellings tour at Mesa Verde National Park. 

Photo from the museum's website

So, we pivoted. We spent more time in the Durango area before going to Mesa Verde. Our first stop was the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum in Ignacio, Colorado. 

The Cultural Center and Museum was built to preserve and share the history and culture of the Southern Ute people. Groundbreaking for the facility was in 2008, with the grand opening in May 2011. The museum houses interactive exhibits and artifacts from the Ute people's long history in the region, which began before the state of Colorado was formed.

The Bears Ears Totem Pole was gifted by the House of Tears Carvers, Douglas and Jewell James of the Lummi Nation.

 

The center was built by Southern Ute tribal members, who donated and loaned many of the artifacts displayed. Its location in Ignacio is in traditional Ute territory and near the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, which was established in 1877. 

The elders of the tribe stress this message to their descendants:

Listen ... That was the main thing that was taught to us from childhood. Don't talk back ... Listen ... You will learn as time goes on.

It's sounds like something that would benefit society today, doesn't it?

After the museum, we went back to Durango. The Durango Botanic Gardens surround the library and continue down toward a pedestrian walk/bike route along the river. While most of the plantings were past their prime for the season, we still enjoyed the path. 

The Animas River in Durango was still up from all the rain the previous weekend (that also led to our abbreviated train trip). But it was a nice fall day to walk along the river.

The walking path also gave us a different view of the train tracks used by the Durango to Silverton train that we'd ridden the day before. 

We could also walk closer to the trees and enjoy all those fall colors. 

 

We still had some time before we needed to leave for Mesa Verde. And the library was right there. So, it won't come as a surprise to anyone who knows me that we spent a little time in the library's book store and exploring other parts of the library.

A display on the wall near the circulation desk.

I left a little money behind in their used book store. It's all for a good cause, right?

This was a view from one of the library balconies. 

Randy is holding the used books I purchased from the library book store.

 

 

 

We still had time to go back to a favorite stop in Durango - the Cream Bean Berry Artisan Ice Cream store. Maybe I won't say how many times we visited. 

 

While we were enjoying our treat, a local business - April's Garden - walked by with a wagon full of  free flower bouquets. 

 

I loved the one with the aspens leaves. We shared one of our bouquets with the front-desk worker at the hotel. The tag said, "Flowers make people happy." They certainly did.

Then it was off to Mesa Verde. More on that next time.

All Aboard! Durango to Silverton Train Ride

 

A government shutdown and flooding in Colorado may have caused us to tweak our vacation plans a bit. But we made the best of things. (We are farmers: You learn to roll with the punches.) We traveled to Colorado (via a Garden City detour - more on that later) from October 13 to 20.

We knew before we left home that Randy's guided tour of the Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings would be scratched - unless there was a miraculous end to the government shutdown. There wasn't. 

However, we didn't know about the aftermath of flooding in southwest Colorado. Our hotel didn't have water the first night. However, the restaurant we visited - Steamworks Brewing Co. - did. So it could have been worse!  

Our tickets were for riding the train from Durango to Silverton. However, flooding impacted the tracks, so our trip was condensed from Durango to Cascade. And while that could have been disappointing, we realized how lucky we were: We were the first group of passengers to be able to travel on the Durango-Silverton train at all that week. Some of the passengers the previous Saturday had to be bussed back to Durango. 

Taken at the turnaround point at Cascade

The train trip ended up being our vacation highlight, despite the abbreviated route.  

 

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 of 1882, the tracks to Silverton were complete, and the train began hauling both passengers and freight.

 

From the very beginning, the railroad was promoted as a scenic route for passenger service, although the line was constructed primarily to haul mine both gold and silver from the San Juan Mountains. It is estimated that more than $300 million in precious metals has been transported over this route.

Though there was some drizzle and even rain during our trip, the railroad certainly proved its reputation as a scenic route. 

 These were some of the scenes from the windows as we made our way toward Cascade.

The sun also made an appearance, enhancing the fall colors along the roaring Animas River. 

 

The narrow gauge track out of Silverton was laid in 1887. In 1893, 10 large mines in the Silverton district were forced to close when silver prices dropped from $1.05 an ounce to 63 cents an ounce. Just three years later the Yankee Girl and Guston Mines played out. In Durango, the fire of 1889 virtually destroyed downtown. The first automobile arrived by train in 1902. By 1906, Mesa Verde was designated a National Park, increasing the potential for tourism promotions.

However, by 1947, the Silverton branch was in danger of being abandoned. Then Hollywood discovered Durango and the railroad. During the next 10 years, several movies were filmed in the area showcasing the train: Ticket to Tomahawk, Across the Wide Missouri, Denver & Rio Grande, Viva Zapata and Around the World in 80 Days.

 

These scenes could be out of a western movie, right? This was the Horseshoe Curve, but we also traveled over the High Bridge and the Animas River Gorge. We also saw workers shoring up the train tracks during our travels. 

 

 

During the latter part of the 1960s, the Durango-Silverton was registered as a National Historic Landmark. In 1969 the railroad abandoned the tracks south of Durango, isolating the line and leaving the future of the line in question. Hollywood continued its fascination with the area and the railroad with the filming of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. As the railroad prepared to celebrate its 100th birthday, Charles E. Bradshaw, Jr. purchased the Silverton branch and with the restoration process complete, engine #481 returned to service after 20 years in retirement.

The passengers ride in the restored train cars, giving a glimpse of nostalgia from years gone by.   

 

Throughout the 1980s, the railroad continued to build on the scenic tourist railroad industry. In 1985 the railroad purchased the Silverton Depot, returning it to service. By 1986 there were four trains running to Silverton with a fifth running to Cascade Canyon Wye.

Because of the flooding, our train took us to Cascade.

 

They even had a fire lit there.

At Cascade, we were able to get off the train and wander around for about an hour, before leaving to go back to Durango.

 

 

It gave us a little closer look at the swollen river and the beauty all around us. 

The train route takes passengers into the Rocky Mountains with views of the San Juan National Forest.

Today the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad continues to provide year-round train service, operating a historic train. The locomotives used to pull today’s train are either oil-fired or coal-fired steam-operated and diesel. The steam locomotives are 1923-25 vintage. 

The coaches each feature bathroom facilities and are heated during the winter months. Open gondola cars provide a panoramic view of the mountains. We were in a closed car, but were able to open the windows, if we wanted. The Durango & Silverton is owned and operated by American Heritage Railways. 

We recommend it. 
 

Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix

 

Let's face it: Pumpkin Spice can be a bit overdone. You have to admit that Pumpkin Spice toilet paper is just plain weird. In 2020, Kraft produced a limited run of pumpkin spice mac and cheese, mostly sold in Canada. In 2019, Pumpkin Spice Spam was a limited edition canned meat product offered online from Hormel. They suggested using the Spam - with a blend of cinnamon, clove, allspice, and nutmeg - in fall-themed recipes, such as adding it to savory breakfast dishes like waffles and cornbread, or using it in hashes and grilled cheeses. Well ... OK ... I guess?

Those just scratch the surface of weird pumpkin spice products. 

But, when the list went around to sign up for foods to bring to a museum reception at the Vernon Filley Art Museum, I jumped on the pumpkin spice bandwagon. My assignment: a pumpkin spice snack mix. 

I am known for making multiple varieties of snack mixes at Christmas time. So it was definitely in my repertoire. But I didn't have a pumpkin spice mix in my tried-and-true arsenal. So, like every modern woman, I Googled it until I found one I wanted to try.

This version was found on the blog, Chelsea's Messy Apron. Of course, I had to make a trial run - just to make sure it was good, you know! Randy and I - as well as my Mom and Dad - gave it a good review. 

It reminded me of the Churro Snack Mix that's a favorite. Cinnamon is the only "fall" spice in that snack mix. It's one of the snack mixes I typically make at Christmas and give as a gift from the kitchen. It was also one I used for Brent and Susan's wedding welcome bags. 

The snack mix got good reviews last week at the museum event. So, if you're looking for a tasty treat for a Halloween gathering or a fall tailgate, here's a pumpkin spice recipe to try. It beats Pumpkin Spice Spam, right?  

   Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix

Adapted from Chelsea's Messy Apron

 

4 cups Cinnamon Chex cereal

4 cups Honey Nut cereal

1 cup pretzels (I used Butter Snap) 

1 cup fancy mixed nuts, salted

1/2 cup butter (cut into 1 tablespoon pieces)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2-3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 cup add-ins (like Reece's pieces, candy corn, M&Ms of any variety, etc)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 X 21-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Grease generously with cooking spray.

 

In a large bowl, combine both Chex cereals, pretzels and mixed nuts. 

 

In a medium pot, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium to medium-high heat and stir constantly until butter is melted. Continue to stir until mixture comes to a rapid boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add baking soda and salt. Stir to combine. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Pour over cereal mixture, working quickly to coat dry mixture. Pour coated cereal mixture into prepared pan and spread out. 

 

In a small bowl, combine pumpkin pie spice and granulated sugar. (Use 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for stronger flavor.) Sprinkle evenly over the cereal mix. Don't mix the spice sugar into the cereal.

 

Bake for 5 minutes, remove from oven and toss using a metal spatula. Spread mixture again to an even layer. Return to oven and bake for 4 more minutes. Remove from oven and toss again. Spread in one even layer and let cool for 5 minutes. Add mix-ins and toss to combine before spreading out into an even layer. Let stand at room temperatures for 30 minutes to 1 hour to fully harden and set up. 

 

Notes:

• The Butter Snap pretzels catch the spice sugar mixture in the crevices of the pretzels, but any pretzel can be used.
• The original recipe called for leaving the pretzels out of the sweet syrup mixture, instead, adding with the add-ins. I went ahead and coated all the dry ingredients with the syrup mixture. 
• If you especially like sweet and salty, you could add additional pretzels, Bugles or mixed nuts to the sweet mixture after baking. That would lessen the sweetness level.