From Denver to Farmington, NM!

Hello!

I went to bed a little after 9 pm last night, and slept really well.  We were up around 5-ish and, having decided that Home2 Suites breakfast wasn’t exactly what we were looking for, we packed up and headed out on I-70 West, breaking off after the Eisenhower Tunnel for Leadville. 

From the freeway heading to Leadville

Love those snow capped mountains!

Off the freeway and heading to Leadville

I think I saw The Unsinkable Molly Brown somewhere around the age of 14, and ever since, I have had a soft spot for Leadville.  Not sure why – and I have been there numerous times, but it just rather appealed to me.  So, we decided to head there for breakfast.  It was nice and cool – about 60 degrees, when we left the hotel this morning – but truly, it got down to 31 degrees as we headed higher and higher!  What fun, considering how hot it has been everywhere we have stayed.  I also needed to use my jacket, which was the first time, I think, since we started the trip and went to the baseball game in Denver!

My kind of house ...

Downtown Leadville

It took us about an hour and half to get to Leadville, and we decided on the Golden Burro Café for breakfast.  Not really crowded at all.  R had an order of hash browns and an order of ham with toast.  I had their Miner’s Breakfast – two eggs (scrambled) with hash browns, 2 link sausages and toast.  Everything was great – and very filling!  Took a few photos of Leadville as it is today, and then headed south toward the New Mexican border.

We were really in a valley between two Rocky Mountain ranges, and the drive was lovely and not very crowded.  R’s plan was to take US Highway 285 south to Antonito, where we started heading west on highway 17.  This was a wonderful, winding road, with very little traffic, but lots of beautiful trees and what looked like great camping areas.  The only other traffic seemed to be campers as well.  We took highway 17 into New Mexico and picked up highway US 64 in Chama.  We also had lunch at the Box Car Café in Chama.  R had a BLT with French fries, and I had a nice green salad with Ranch dressing.  Chama is the home of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Narrow-Gauge Railroad – which comes complete with several different vintage steam engines!  R has always loved trains, and it’s too bad we didn’t really have the time to take a trip – but we have put that on our hit list for a future visit. 

From Chama, it was about a two-hour drive into Farmington and the Hotel2 Suites.  Again, lovely drive with very little traffic, and we are comfortably installed in suite 301 – plenty of room, and very comfortable bed!  (I know because I tried to take a nap, but was unsuccessful.)  We are now heading out to the St. Clair Winery & Bistro for dinner!

Now heading south toward New Mexico

Loved the red school house!

Lots to look at!

Beautiful river!

Now in New Mexico!

Neat lunch spot!

R's "Moby" Trout

My spicy meatloaf!

More later!

m

xxx

Back from a really lovely dinner!  And who knew grapes would grow in northwestern New Mexico?  Lovely room, good service and a very interesting menu.  R had the trout, (which he called Moby Trout because of its size!) which was presented on a plate on top of a melange of cranberries, wild rice, quinoa, barley and corn.  He started with a Caesar salad.  I started with a green salad with blue cheese dressing, followed by their Southwestern Meatloaf.  It was wonderful!  Thin slices of meatloaf made with hatch chilies and a chipotle glaze, served over Yukon gold smashed potatoes and thin slices of zucchini.  We both had glasses of St. Clair Sauvignon Blanc, which was excellent.  SO surprised that food of this quality could be available here, but very happy to find it!  As a postscript, there was a self-serve frozen yogurt shop in the same little strip mall … wonderful as well!

So, we are back in for the night.  Home to Tucson tomorrow!

m

xxx