The One in Colorado

 Monday - April 14

Taos, New Mexico - Durango, Colorado

Song - Durango Romance by Bob Dylan

(The one in Mexico)

Enjoyed a great breakfast at our lunch place from yesterday, The Bent Street Grille, then hopped in our car and began our days drive. Lots of dry desert, sagebrush, the Rio Grande and a few hairy parts (ie cliffs)!

Drove through Coyote and almost to Cuba while Nina Simone was belting out “I put a spell on you” on our car radio.

We crossed back over the Continental Divide.

Our bartender, Clint from Taos does the drive from Taos to Gallup often and he recommended the southern route as it was less “hairy” than the northern route and it had some Native American ruins to be seen in Aztec, NM.  They are called the Aztec Ruins but have nothing to do with the Aztec people from Central America. As the ranger explained to us that the Spaniards who conquered the Aztec culture and then headed north, thought these ruins looked like the Aztec’s so let’s call them that…and the name stuck. 

The Aztec Ruins were actually constructed by the Pueblo Indians in the 12th & 13th century. 

The ruins were fascinating and we were glad we got to see them. As we headed into Colorado we saw the San Juan Mountains in the distance and everything around us turned from dust to green.

Mr. B had heard that Durango was a fascinating Western town with mining & lumber heritage and they had trains!

After checking into our hotel, The General Palmer we walked down the street for dinner at the Mahogany Grille located in the Strater Hotel. Delicious!

Mr. B had Elk and I had Herbert (their nickname for filet mignon). Then we ordered Bananas Foster which was prepared and flamed table side!

Afterward we headed straight home and rested up for our drive back south tomorrow.