Hey ya'll! How's everyone doing? We are comin' at ya from Durango, Colorado home to some of the tallest mountain peaks in the USA, as well as some of the BEST outdoor recreation in this part of the state. This is mecca to many mountain bikers, skiers, fishermen and canoeing aficionados. And for good reason! Can we talk about the constant 75 - 85 degree weather in August? How about the temp drop that occurs as soon as the sun goes down bringing it to a comfortable 60 degrees? Perfect for outdoor camping, bonfires, or just sitting at a restaurant patio, safely socially distanced, and enjoying a glass of Chardonnay.
We are staying in the San Juan National Forest, like, literally in the thick of it. Cell coverage is at a minimum for AT&T users so if you choose this park, you'll be unplugged from the world. But oh, what a beautiful spot it is! Pine trees as tall as you can see blanket the forest and even during the warmest times of the day, the tree coverage keeps it cool and comfy for sitting outside as long as you're not in the direct sun. The park is only 12 minutes from Durango proper so you're close enough to anything that you'd need as far as supplies go.
On our first day here we had a big hike planned for early morning, and we woke up to 65 degree weather so, in true fashion blogger style, I had to don my Hiker Barbie outfit that I had packed for just such an occasion. The faux leather jacket, leggings, and Michael Kors Combat Boots are all items I picked up last year at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and they are included in this years sale as well. Click HERE to see my blog on the items that I'm eyeballing for this year.
In the afternoon we decided to do the Durango to Silverton Steam Engine Train ride. The hubs has done this trip a gazillion years ago so he was ready to do it again, and I've never done it, but have always been intrigued by the old steam engines, so we decided to go for it. Because of Covid we discovered that they had shortened the ride and instead of going all the way to Silverton, the train was going to turn around in Cascade Canyon, which makes the round trip ride about 2 1/2 hours, which is plenty of time to take in the incredible scenery.
There are no words to describe the breathtaking views so I won't even try except to say, this is a must do when in Durango.
They allow 20 patrons to each car, have a mandatory mask rule, and have hand sanitizer in all the onboard bathrooms. You can book your tickets ahead of time HERE .
Almost all the cars are open window seating, meaning there are no windows so all the better for viewing the AH-mazing scenery and for taking photos.
The route takes you along the Animas River and it is a spectacular sight to behold. I put this in my top 10 things that I've ever done file. There will be soaring cliffs, steep drop offs, amazing river views and at the beginning of the trip, a hairpin curve that, if sitting at the back of the train, you will be able to get a photo of the whole train turning through it.
(If you want to see some amazing video of our ride, check out my Insta Stories or Facebook Story.
After the train ride, we went and rescued Berkeley from the RV and headed downtown to do some shopping, sight seeing, and dinning. We were surprised at a few things that we discovered; First, although they have made room on the main avenues for outdoor dinning in front of each restaurant, many of them don't allow dogs on the outdoor patio, which was a bummer.
Second, when we did finally come across a restaurant that did allow us to have Berkeley on the patio, we were VERY pleased with the whole experience.
El Moro has a fantastic menu, some of the most tasty Aioli I've ever had, and they were wonderful about us having a dog, needing to use their WiFi, and our ever changing wine desires. The hubs had a fantastic Beet Salad and I had an equally wonderful burger.
All in all, it has been an amazing experience thus far in Durango.
We loved El Moro so much that we came back this evening to partake of their hospitality, and enjoy a bottle of Las Huertas Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tomorrow we head up to Mesa Verde National Park to see what they got going on.
Hope everyone has a fabulous and fashionable weekend!!
Cheers Lovelies! XOXO
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