This part of the trip takes us through even more spectacular scenery - I know I've said this already but it really is! Another view of the Rocky Mountains today as we first cross the San Luis plain, surrounded by mountain ranges. This area is vast with long straight highways continuing as far as the eye can see. At Del Norte we stop to visit a small museum. It is fascinating, telling the story of the people of the area from the first settlers through displays of their artefacts. The section on health care is especially interesting and includes the story of the doctor captured by the Japanese and of how on his return he was a pioneer of the use of helicopters to get a doctor to remote mountain communities and provide an emergency service to the region.
Durango is an interesting place. We have seen some quite poor communities on the journey today but this is clearly an affluent place; and so it should be, for its wealth is built upon discoveries of silver north of here and this is the home of the Durango-Silverton Railway.
It is good to have a chill out evening and after the periodic briefing meeting we have a most enjoyable BBQ with friends we have made on the tour.
It is up and away the following day as we are off by coach to Silverton - a very interesting old silver mining town and now the terminus of the Durango-Silverton steam railway. Lunch at Grumpy's to the accompaniment of honk tonk piano thane aboard to return to Durango... a catalogue of disasters follows; we set off, we stop due to brake problems, a diesel is called up but they fix the problem and we continue under steam. We stop again and uncouple the steam loco and add the diesel; a sudden braking and we stop again while a fallen tree is removed from the line... however the trip is through spectacular, even if it does take almost five hours and we don't arrive until the sun is setting!
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