84.44 Miles | 11:11 Travel Time | 0:00 Riding Time

Today is Friday, May 10, 2024, and it’s Day 30 of my cross country motorcycle trip.

How did I travel 84 miles today without riding? I took the train, of course! The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad made for a great day. I booked a first-class ticket, which included a ride in the “Red Mountain” car, which was staffed with a knowledgable attendant/guide, and I got souvenir mug, tote bag, pastry and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages throughout the trip.

The guide was great—the right balance of history, trivia and letting us know what was coming up and where to look to get our cameras ready. She clearly loved doing what she does. The ride follows the Animas river, and takes about 3 hours to get to Silverton. We could walk around Silverton for a couple hours. Then, board the train for the ride back.

The train starts off at 9am from Durango, and it draws a crowd as is goes through town. There must have been a hundred or so people along the first part of the route waving and wishing us well. There was also one person who had their unique way of saying hello—we got mooned. Apparently, that’s also quite common. As our guide said, “if you see something shiny across the river, it’s not gold.” No, I did not get a picture.

At one point, the route passes through the Soaring Tree Top Adventures andTall Timbers Resort, which is the largest zipline course in the US, owned by the family of a high school friend. They have a great relationship with the railroad, and run train—zipline adventures during the summer.

The views were spectacular, and the fact that it had snowed a few inches overnight meant that everything was clean and white on the ground. Silverton is a touristy town—gift, jewelry and souvenir shopping. And, a dozen or so restaurants that cater to a lunch crowd. I had a Ruben at The Pickle Barrel, which is the thing to have there, I’m told At 2:45 the trains heads back down to Durango.

Dinner at the Himalayan Kitchen on Main Avenue was amazing. I had Kathmandu Sekuwa—Chicken breast marinated overnight with mint, cilantro sauce and tandoor roasted to perfection. Served on fresh onions on a sizzling platter.

Watching the weather, because I really would like to ride the Million Dollar Highway tomorrow, but it’s not looking good.

The Route