We Stay

At least for a week, we will remain where we are here in Farmington. The meeting today lasted about 45 mins. and the outcome? That job won't start for another two weeks but the second job will start Monday so we will stay here for it and then, hopefully, the second job will follow shortly.

Yesterday we drove to Durango and as the elevation climbed the temperatures headed in the other direction. From Durango we drove through another pass to get to Silverton. At the summit of that pass the temperature dropped to 60 degrees. During our exploring Silverton a breeze was blowing and my skin had chill bumps. The tourists were wearing hoodies with their shorts.

Silverton, Colorado, August 6, 2010

Silverton, Colo.Aug6,2010

Silverton, Colorado

I mentioned to some one that we were going to Durango and they said "there isn't much to do there". Obviously they weren't into outdoor activities.

Most of these little Colorado towns cater strickly to

the tourist industry so all the shops are a bit kitchy. T-shirts, other souvenirs and lots of restaurants fill these little towns. The old weathered shops are now painted and frilled out to appeal to those with a taste for "quaintness".

 Things to do? In both Silverton and Durango they have rafts to rent, 4 wheel drive jeeps for off roading, dirt bikes, trail rides and glider planes. Hikers and bike riders could be seen on the mountain trails.  There is also a train that leaves Durango early in the morning and travels to Silverton through the mountain. It's an all day trip with lunch in Silverton and the turn around back to Durango.

My fear of heights has either escalated in these years past or I was just used to driving through these passes and seeing the earth sheer away from the side of the road to over 7000ft down to the canyon bottom. Now it takes my breath away and my anxiety level zooms. I have lived in flat land too long.

How long have they been fencing the roads to prevent deer from crossing them? The mountain sides that drop boulders onto unsuspecting motorists now have a heavy metal net-like covering to catch those boulders before they hit the road. Lots of changes since last I lived here.

 Silverton is an old silver mining town. The main street is the only paved street in town. You don't see many vehicles that aren't muddy. That's what happens when you take a right or a left off of Main after a summer shower of rain.

 It is surrounded by mountains and to get to it, you will have to maneuver through a pass in those mountains. Nice enough in the summer but I would dread the winter driving here and question the number of days those roads would be open in the winter.

I'm hanging out in the lobby; just me, coffee and the laptop. I'll head for the gym before I go back upstairs. It's only 0730 and I'm sure the husband is still  asleep.

I just keep chanting:
"The gym, it's good for me"