DURANGO to MONTROSE

FRIDAY, 27th MAY.

It has been a day of stark contrasts today.  When we left Durango this morning, there was blue sky and sunshine, though there was a chill in the air and grey sky ahead.  After a few miles of flat road, we began to climb the winding road into the mountains and before long came upon snow fields which are still quite thick in some areas.  We started off in shorts and t-shirts but on our first photo stop, the fleeces were donned as the temperature had dropped considerably.  Making several stops to admire views and take photos, we arrived in Silverton at around noon in bright sunshine and treated ourselves to lunch in a small cafe/diner before strolling around the fabulous old gold mining town.  In its heyday, the town housed 32 saloons and bawdy houses, many of the old buildings still exist though they have different uses today.  Early Silvertonians suffered through more than their share of wild shootings, knife fights, barroom brawls, mining disasters, deadly avalanches and the threat of Indian attack....a true wild west town with a fascinating history.  We watched the Durango/Silverton steam train leave on its 3-1/2 hour return journey to Durango, then left for the drive to Montrose.  Shortly after we left the valley and started climbing again, it started to snow!  A light snow fall to begin with but it became a little heavier as we went along and visibility was low for a little while.  The road was narrow and winding with sheer drops at some points, then the snow stopped to be replaced by rain.  We stopped at Bear Creek Falls in light rain to take a photo or two then continued on to Box Canyon Falls, by which time the sun was shining again.  We paid $3 each (seniors' rate) to view the falls which are spectacular, and sat and watched chipmunks and brightly coloured birds, then drove through Ouray, out of the mountains and through farming country to Montrose, a large town which we have not yet explored but we will be here for a few days, intending to visit nearby attractions on day trips.  It will be good to stay put for a while, we've clocked up a lot of miles in the two weeks we've been in the U.S. of A..