Two in the Far North by Margaret E. Murie
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This weekend we all went to Black Canyon and then camped near Durango and rode the train. Ben did some dutch oven cooking while Ryan moved rock and Michael kept the chair warm.
We actually didn't make it to Black Canyon to camp with them - M and I both worked late on Friday and didn't get there until 11:30pm, so we parked in a field outside the park and boondocked. Which was just as well, since Ben, Leslie and Ryan sat through several hours of torrential downpour at the bottom of the canyon before subsequent mudslides eventually closed the canyon road. They were no worse for the wear and the road was cleared in the morning so they weren't trapped at the bottom.
When we camped at the bottom of Black Canyon as kids, I remember my mom saying (maybe she was joking) that if it started raining in the middle of the night, we were packing up and leaving. Maybe back then they didn't have the dams under control, and I think there were some stories about the campground flooding and the river carrying people's tents away. Well, not anymore... a park ranger at the bottom told Ben they didn't have anything to worry about despite the mudslides and several inches of rain.
The next day we all headed to Durango for less adventurous camping and found a sweet spot on a lake.

Black Canyon and the Gunnison River
Lemon Reservoir

Ryan said his favorite part of the train ride was watching the train fill up with water. His second favorite part of the train ride was watching the train fill up with water the other time. Getting ice cream in Silverton was a distant third.

The train filling up with water at Needleton Station
Comments
Great photos! Can't wait to see the rest of them. Ben is very relieved to NOT see his picture on your blog. We had a great time but glad to be home.
Posted by: Leslie | July 31, 2007 05:41 PM
I have just discovered your blog and I love it.
Posted by: p.t. | August 1, 2007 03:31 AM
The train looks fun! Hubby Hank is obsessed with trains!!! He's like a little kid when he sees them.
Glad y'all had a good time!
Sometime in the future you ought to go to South Pittsburg, TN where they make the Lodge Cast Iron cookware. Each spring (I think) the city (with the help of the Lodge folks)hosts a huge "Cornbread Festival"
It's kinda tooky, but fun! :-D)
Posted by: Lois Grebowski | August 1, 2007 07:11 AM
I can't believe I just found your blog today! I am in Durango and have a company that customizes vintage trailers. What a pathetic plug (Retro Ramblers). I hope you enjoyed our little burg and come back. Maybe we can form a rally here some time. Next time you are in town check out the Airstream taqueria (Zia Taqueria) at Durango Harley Davidson.
Posted by: Retro Rambler | August 1, 2007 11:05 AM
Leslie - I am editing photos and will send you a CD, it took willpower to keep a very cute picture of Ben and Ryan off the blog!
Lois - Ben and Ryan love trains just like your hubby! I am sure Ben would also get a kick out of the Lodge factory/festival. It is the only kind of cast iron cookware he will use.
P.T. - Thanks, glad you found the blog. Do you ever see Airstreams in Australia? :)
R.R. - too bad, we had some stuff you could have fixed for us while we were in town! We love Durango and it's on our short list of places we'd move to if work wasn't keeping us on the Front Range, but it is a long ways away! I am always surprised how long it takes to get there even though I should know better.
Posted by: Lynn | August 1, 2007 04:10 PM
It is a long way but you can't beat being 2 1/2 hours from Moab! Safe travels...
Posted by: Retro Rambler | August 1, 2007 04:23 PM
Here thought you might like to see some work of mine.
Posted by: Retrorambler | September 5, 2007 09:45 AM