Durango

The entertainment Friday night at the ranch was karaoke, and the less said about that the better but here's the short version: Robert did a rendition of "Just a Gigolo" which I described as "deeply unpleasant," Emily and I (despite my intense aversion to karaoke) sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" ("I can fly higher than a... beagle..."), Emily, Kim, and I sang "I Will Survive," Kim and I sang "Brandy" (you're a fine girl...") and I tried to sing "Call Me Maybe" -- Robert would have been well within his rights to describe that as "deeply unpleasant," but he was too nice.

Emily and I left the ranch on Saturday morning, saying goodbye to our new friend Kim, and getting dropped off at the General Palmer Hotel in downtown (such as it is) Durango. We did a bit of shopping, had a stiff drink at the distillery, and went to a movie. On Sunday, we got up early and boarded a train on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for the 3.5-hour ride to the historic mining town of Silverton, Colorado. We were in a train car with a guide who played the part of Marshall Robert Dwyer, a real historical figure (1847-1920) who was the first Marshall of Durango, and who gave a running commentary on the construction of the rail line and the history of both towns. It was a pleasant if long journey (we took the bus back: ninety minutes) and the aspen trees were beginning to glow.

All in all, Colorado, a state I'd never explored past the Denver airport, was a lot of fun and really beautiful.