Woke today with what I think is altitude sickness .. headache so sharp and interesting that it was almost fun… moved a little slowly through the day but popped advil and drank water.. The pain is still there like a smoldering fuse.. but I can think over it.. let’s see what tomorrow holds

ice pick in the brain aside, today was another wonderful day in paradise.. we did something different today…. we turned right… Left out of the driveway takes us the 30 miles down to durango and civilization .. Today we took a right up the mountain and the 19mile roller coaster to silverton… another gorgeoues day.. here’s the view a mile from our house..

Diane drove the tricky 19 miles up over the pass… the road got pretty crazy over 10,000 feet.. sheer drops on one side and mountain on the other.. slow but beautiful going.

we pulled in to Silverton to find it was a bit of an amusement park.. it had made itself into  a nice caricature of the mining town it once was. .. buildings with painted fascades all holding trendy jewlery stores and bars.. We were very happy to find our way tot he really excellent silverton museum. It was a real treacure.. a great mix of history of the place..

most of the stuff related to mining in one for or another..

but there were soem other cool things thrown in like these antique science teaching devices like this wimshurst generator

and these ladies who used to run the towns telephones from this console.

and these scenes from the jail.. icluding the jailer’s family’s apartment

We then wandered around Silverton looing at the stores.. and checking out the people..   a little honytonk.. but sweet..

 

 

 

We then remounted an headed 23 miles further notrh to Ourey.. what an amazing drive.. it was white knuckles the whole way (diane drive).. sheer drops that made the the drive to silverton look like Kansas.. it was spectacular and terrifying .

Ourey suited us much better than Silverton.. it was a real (albeit  touristed ) town.. with the most spectacular setting you could imagine for a town..

 

 

 

 

 

A nice guy in one of the shops showed us how to get to cascade falls.. just near town..  Max and gabe climbed way up and piut a samstone in the plume of the falls..   just as they dd, the wond picked up the water and splashed them playfully.. .. sam ????

I even went in.

 

then cam the long twisty drive home.. also scary, also beutiful. we were glad to see our driveway.. only 30 miles.. but about 2 hours of driving !

Our freindly cows were waiting  for us in our driveway when we returned..

 

we just finished a nice dinner.. I’m heading to the hot tub.. then sleep..

more tomorrow.. hopefully free of altitude sickness. wish me luck !

nite all nite sam

-me