I wake up at 6:30, but back to sleep until 7:00 then up to 64 degrees and cloudy skies. Some coffee, cookies and journaling at the picnic table until KK gets up about 7:30. Have a discussion of the day's activities, & Geoff spin-trimming our lawn while Wayne mows..thanks guys! Will Egg work the OSU Football games? Only if he is NOT on a gate..good luck. Ok, let's have breakie- down at the KOA Caboose..pancakes for me, an omelet for KK. Then we load up the bikes and our clothes to change into after we ride. We have a bus to catch at 11:00 for a trip up to Silverton & a train ride back. We ride for a little while & check the paths out..pretty nice & lots of people riding, jogging, kayaking & rafting on the river. There's also a parade in town and a Fiesta all day. I ride about 8 miles & find KK with a flat as she headed back toward the car. I get her pump and air it up so she can ride on back. OK, we made it...change clothes and head to train depot parking lot--$7 for the day & lock those bikes up! On the bus and head out of town at 11:00, and our driver is a teacher & bus driver & loves it! She has a mic and tells us a few stories & some local history on the way up over 3 different mountain passes-one at 10,800' & some scary turns I might add...KK is freakin' out! It's a 1 1/2 hour trip by bus up to Silverton & she made the time pass real fast, noting her dream home on the drive. We get into Silverton at 12:30 and it's time for lunch. A short walk to Mother Clucker's where KK gets a burger, with fries & I get the broasted chicken sandwich with coleslaw...and a couple of Alaskan Ambers. Off to do some serious shoppin'. About half way thru, it comes a downpour. One local gal says it will last until 4:30, so it's on with the jackets & ducking in & out of the stores. We make a few purchases, helping the local economy as best we can, and I finally buy a T-shirt..first one of the trip. Our train departs at 3:30, but we have assigned seats so no hurry. A couple of last minute deals & on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge RR for our return trip. It's a slow train and some high cliffs on the way back, so sit back and relax. The views are unbelievable, with mountains on both sides, the river constantly in view, but no animals to be seen. It's still raining most of the way down & pretty chilly, as I move to an open-sided car so I can see better & take a few pics. My long pants and sweatshirt feel good! You can buy hot chocolate & coffee, but we opt out..enough of the economy. And get this, the guy behind us was born in Calvin, Okla! A Mr White..what a small world! The mountains are shrouded in clouds and mist & you can't even see the ski slopes at Purgatory. There's massive drop-offs, valleys of avalanche areas & raging rapids on the Animas below. Then we're out of this mountain area and it's pretty boring the last hour, but lots of beautiful homes. Finally, into the Durango depot & head to the car. I change clothes..again..at MacD's , as I am going to ride back to camp. It's just after 7:00, but dry, so off I go about 8 miles back & a 500' climb. KK turns right and goes to a DQ..she needs it! She also goes to a market, so with all of that, I beat her back to the KOA..17 miles for the day for me. It's "spin-night" at the KOA store, so we buy a few things & get 15% off-now the economy is really boomin'!(thanks to our bank a/c.) Sandwiches for supper, then start a couple of loads of clothes, before hitting the showers. let's listen to some jazz & blog a little..to Mesa Verde tomorrow? maybe...
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