CW: Durango and Transit to Las Vegas

Our final day of this Country Walkers trip began with an optional pre-breakfast sunrise hike above the Red Cliffs Lodge. The beginning was almost as dark as this photo implies, but the sky brightened quickly.

We continued up a trail, gaining height and a view. Every few steps the air would fluctuate between overnight chill and morning warmth.

Near our turn-around point a herd of mule deer, so named for their large ears, ran by.

This photo shows how deeply the Colorado River has cut its canyon, and the narrow strip of greenery it supports.

After breakfast we quickly loaded the vans and set off for Durango, where we had started only five days before. On the way we detoured to Newspaper Rock,

where petroglyphs have been chipped into the desert varnish that gradually accumulates on the rock.

Here is an overview of the rock, whose dark color comes from manganese oxide.

This photo was taken as a "close up." The symbols are likely a mixture of event depictions, migratory routes, spiritual themes, and notions we haven't though of yet.

Our journey paused in Cortez, New Mexico for a hearty lunch at The Farm Bistro. Once we reached Durango, those of us who would fly out tomorrow (Saturday) disembarked and checked into the Double Tree Hilton, and the rest continued to the airport.

Many of those staying overnight went to Mutu's Italian Kitchen for a group dinner, and our guide Tim Smith arrived in time to dine with us. He took a group photo with each the various cameras passed up to him.

For dessert I ordered a tiramisu. It's an Italian restaurant, after all!

The next morning Joan and I explored a section of the Animas River; a paved riverside path ran just behind our hotel. This river was the victim of a mining waste spill earlier in the year. To the casual observer it now looks fine.

Periodically observation points leaned towards the river. In this photo, there's a street crossing upstream that we'll take to head back into town.

Moseying on, we strolled through an open air market and then took a good look at the exterior of the Strater Hotel, dating from 1887.

Next we went to the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum. No photos were allowed inside, but this link will reveal museum exhibits of life-size train cars and a locomotive, a recreation of the first airplane to fly in Durango (1913), and much more.

Joan and I stepped out of the museum just as the D&SNG was about to pull out of town.

Folks were gathering just beyond the museum. Today was the "motorless parade" of the annual Durango Cowboy Gathering! These ladies were in costume, waiting for their spot in the procession.

Joan and I took up our position at the corner where the queued paraders would turn right to make their way down the main street. First, or almost first, was the Grand Marshall.

That horse knew it was elegantly decked out.

There were several dozen groups in the parade. Here's a stagecoach. The fine print under the driver says "Durango and Silverton Mail and Express." (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

Equestrian finery was in abundance.

Miniatures made several appearances.

Local organizations were participants.

We had lunch downtown, collected our luggage, and took the hotel shuttle to the airport. The flight from Durango to Phoenix was flawless, but after we boarded the flight to Las Vegas, where we would join the next trip, one of those dreaded announcements was made. During pre-flight inspection the captain had noticed a small hole in the sound deadening material of one engine. An epoxy fix (OK according to Airbus documentation) was being applied, but we would have to wait for it to cure, and we all got off the plane. After a while the gate agent informed us that we would have a plane swap instead. Fortunately, American Airlines had an equivalent Airbus handy. It's interesting that our two small-plane regional flights, into and out of Durango, were uneventful, but the two larger-plane flights, into Dallas and out of Phoenix, were both delayed by maintenance issues, whether paperwork or needed repairs.

On arrival in Las Vegas Joan and I walked through the terminal, passing by innumerable noisy electronic gambling machines. From our 'D' gate we needed an underground train ride to reach baggage claim in terminal 1.

The baggage claim area was a shock. There were multiple huge screens advertising various casinos and their shows, blaring at maximum volume. Cellphone users were forced to seek a sound shadow, a corner somewhere were the audio assault diminished enough to allow them to hear and be heard on the phone. I hope I never need to visit baggage claim in Las Vegas again.

The hotel shuttle driver expounded on Las Vegas' extravagant use of water, the falling water table, and the inevitable doom that would strike the city as water became harder and harder to find.

Then we checked into the hotel. Tomorrow morning we'll meet our new guides and fellow travelers for another week's adventure in Bryce and Zion Canyons.