10th October Arizona USA

(this will be quite short as it is close to midnight. being written on the 10th  Harv is fast asleep snoring)

 6th October Lookout Mountain Denver.

we did manage to do some shopping that Neill Had to do and i got to the Pet shop for the antu barking gadget for the doges behind us at Kleinemonde !!
we also had to pick up some cupboards that Bob needed for the renovation of what they call the mud room as they enter from the garage between that and the kitchen, so we helped load and unload for Bob.
then we di a bit of packing for the next day to drive to Durango !!

Anne had some mexican Taco's and flatbread wraps plus all the fillings that they had for Bob's 70th a few days before which they had kept for my Birthday and we had that Thursday night as we were leaving a day early to get to durango to try and shop for some boots for Angela ( Neill's daughter)

so we had a great supper, and Bob and i went to his regular Thursday train club meeting, which was great as they have a huge layout, but we were home by 9.15 and Anne and harv were waiting with a black forest cake with creaam and candles and coffee, which we then had - lovely.

7th Oct 2016 friday
packed and left at arounf 10.30 for Durango, and about an hour on the way stopped for some coffee only to find that i had left my moonbag with passports and all at bobs, when goingto the loo - so we had to drive back to fetch this, and then restart the journey to Durango.
we had gone over the fantastic Loveland pass with snow and 5 deg C which was spectacular, before we came back, and on the return took the shorter route through a long tunnel.
we eventually got to ouray an old little cowboy town where we stayed the night.

8th Oct saturday
we had our breakfast and left Ouray after having a look around then went over the fabulous Million Dollar pass up to 1500 ft above sea level, winding and sheer drops  ( Floss will remmber the pass out of Yellowstone into Wyoming with the sheer drops on the passenger side)
Neill was quite nervous as the sheer drops were high and no side barriers, with mile after mile of winding and climbing pass, and then down into Silverton the terminus of the Durango and Silverton narrow gauge steam line - and as we were leaving up another pass overlooking Silverton a train arrived from Durango looking just like a film from high up.
then on and over more passes and along the spectacular San Juan mountain range almost in to Durango.
we the looked for boots, did some lunch, and went back to the station to see 2 of the steam trains arrive back from Silverton - packed with people.
we then had a look at the museum and shop, after that we had supper at the Palace restaurant net to then station with the trains shunting to get ready for the next day - chatted to some nice people at the adjacent tables.
we then went to look for John Burkhardt's contact which we eventually found on the ice hockey field or rink, and watched for about 10 minutes till the game finished, and we gave him john's parcel.

9th Oct 2016 Sunday
up at 4,30 to get to the airport early to get luggage booked in etc Flight to Phoenix OK  - we left in the rain, but left that behind about 30 minutes out of Durango and landed in Phoenix's huge airport at 95deg C, drove up to Flagstaff via Prescott, luch at a nice restaurant part way.
on the way i looked for the Gunsite Ranch which was the shooring school i attended
for my defensive shooting traing with Col Jeff Cooper the guru of defensive shooting as e know it today,
luckily we could find it, and it was Sunday so quiet as classes start tomorrow Monday - we luckily found Walt one of the instructors and after explaining that i was there some 30 years ago as a student he gave us a tour of the hugely expanded facilty, which was fantastic. he is an ex special forces guy who is now one of the instructors at Gunsite. the facility has expanded massively since Jeff Cooper died, and was bouggt by a wealthy person who has carried on the tradition of Gunsite.
we were lucky to also see Janelle Cooper who at 96 is still active with the Jeff Cooper Foundation !! really well and fit.  Pictures to floow tomorrow hopefully
we then drove on to Flagstaff and eventually found the hotel as there are 3 of the same name, and we got it 3rd time !!
had some supper, chatted to a guy at the next table who is ex navy intelligence, and he had soem interesting stories about what the politicians do to the real intelligence facts and who they blame that the intelligence is bad when it does not suit their agenda !!
then to the room and ready for a visit to the Grand Canyon tomorrow all being well.

as I an wrting this the huge trains are thundering past the back of the hotel every 15 minutes 150 wagons long !!

 wating at Pocatello airport

 Anne's magnificent kitchen which looks out over Denvet city

 Nelson and Clayton

 the pet supermarket

 pet supermarket only collars, blankets/coats etc.

 huge supermarket

 only prepared fesh vege

 Haloween punpkins Tandy

 Bob's train club

 family pics me neil and Nelson and clayton

 as we left Bob & Anne the rocky  mountains

 snow on the loveland

 ditto

 Neill trying to mke rreal snowball which just fakk like flour ninyomdustin

all christma

 going to look overb ther drop

 breakfast at Ouray

 old buidingd and hotel

 getting readt to look over pass

fotos of the restotation of over 200 mines

 the roads

 the road

Ouray

sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

 1921 ford completem

 Silveron with train

 looking at the 2nd pass and valley after Ouart

 san  Juan Mts

San Juan views

Detail on above

 My Birthday Balloonsx

front side if ststiond

 silverton station

 train just pulled in

train arrivimg

 just a baby pitbull4 moths old

 Eating at palace restaurant next to station    Just a meal at palace restauarant

7th oct