Silverton,CO

 

Drove to Silverton Monday…50 miles away. It’s a pretty drive…up over a mountain on “millionaire highway”. Apparently when the highway was built back in the 40’s it cost a million dollars. After having traveled it, I can see why.

I think there was 500 ft of guard rails the whole way there….they were virtually non-existent ! I really was hoping that I had a pair of blinders with me so I couldn’t see off the sides of the road. So far down in some spots….

We stopped at Molas Pass….elevation of 10,899 feet. The sign at the rest area says that some of the freshest “air” in the United States is in that area! From the San Juan Mountains you can see up to 170 miles. It sure was gorgeous up there. Air was fresh but also thin….we could feel ourselves having a tough time breathing and Linda got a little nauseous later in the day.

Silverton is a cute little town, nestled in the valley. The Durango-Silverton narrow gauge train makes a stop in Silverton…This was a mining town for Gold in its heyday.  The train track ends on a side street and the conductor has to back the train up about a 1/2 mile to turn around. Close to the train are several former bordellos. See the ladies in the upstairs windows ! Natalia’s is now a restaurant and had a cute sign hanging in their window….

 

 

 

 

It was a tough decision to decide where to have lunch…so many places that had wonderful smells coming from them. There was a BBQ place that had been on Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives and had a poster of Guy Fieri in the front window that was enticing but we ultimately were drawn in by the wonderful ragtime piano playing at Grumpy’s. Lacey, the piano player, has been playing full-time, at Grumpy’s since 2000. Look at the sign hanging on the left side of her piano. She knows over 500 songs by heart and takes requests from the lunch crowd. She was awesome ! Not only was the music great but the food was too. All of the fixtures in the place were old and ornate. The bar was huge, with mahogany or walnut wood and big columns.Tin ceiling, wooden floors, bison and moose heads hanging from the walls. When the train comes in and drops off a load of people, the place fills up. Neat place..great food !

Better trip on the way home. We were on the right side of the road (next to the mountain) so I didn’t have to see over the edge so much. Could finally unclench my toes, hands and stomach !