I’ll start off immediately with a photo of the mission church near Taos, New Mexico. EL SANTUARIO DE CHIMAYO SHRINE is a National Historic Landmark known for its healing soil and as a destination pilgrimage for 300,000 visitors per year.
While spending three days in Taos, Patti and I drove to Chimayo to see and experience the beauty and story of this 1816 Catholic Pilgrimage Center. We were asked to not take photos inside the church or the small room with the healing soil. After a prayerful moment, we placed a small amount of soil in a bag to bring home and then attended Mass in this humble yet starkly beautiful sanctuary.
Though we did not do a pilgrimage on foot, we both now share a special spiritual and physical connection with those who walked before plus the thousands who have been touched or healed in some miraculous way.
NEXT STOP … DURANGO, COLORADO
We’ve not been to this growing Southwestern tourist destination in a number of years. Over the years we’ve done the Silverton train, I’ve hiked the trails with my buddies … this time, we came to enjoy the city and the area. Fortunately we discovered ANTLERS ON THE CREEK BED AND BREAKFAST … owner, Karen and Manager/Chef, Brittany, made us feel at home immediately in this beautiful luxury property. The setting is out of a country estate magazine. The interior details and appointments are impeccable. Breakfast and happy hours rival the best we have experienced. Unless you wish to stay downtown, this is the perfect spot.
This year, our plan was to spend at least three nights in each city … a good decision. In each case, it was sufficient to rest a bit, explore a little and leave wishing we had another day.
Downtown Durango is hopping and was an enjoyable place to stroll, get parking tickets (another story) and partake of local flavors and homemade pasta at Primi Pasta and Wine Bar.
OFF TO OURAY
I should make this LITTLE SWITZERLAND a stand alone blog post because it is so unique, so beautiful and so friendly. Ouray is surrounded by snowcapped mountains on three and one half sides. For the life of me, I’m still trying to find that one half without a mountain.
The drive in from Durango thru Silverton on THE MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY is one of the most magnificent scenic highways in the USA.
Our Ouray three days was immensely enhanced by Arkansas connections, Tonya and Ralph McCormick who have homes in Ouray and Russellville, Arkansas. Tonya manages the hotel where we stayed and she knocked our socks off with the reserved parking cones at our front door. Now, that’s a true Ouray welcome.
Their hospitality didn’t end there. Ralph drove me around to see things I might have missed. He was an angel as well when Patti was down with altitude sickness, bringing her a full tank of oxygen so she could rest. He and Tonya took me to hike the Box Canyon falls. We were overwhelmed with their warmth, genuineness and attention. THANK YOU TO OUR NEW FRIENDS, TONYA AND RALPH.
Ouray is a majestic spot. Here are a couple more photos of the natural beauty.
Last stop… three days in a favorite city of ours … BUENA VISTA, COLORADO … ON THE ROARING ARKANSAS RIVER
We love this small city in the Arkansas River Valley with the river, the 14,000 foot mountains and its growing outdoor recreation tourism. It has become a destination for more and more due to a hometown feel with a positive energy toward the future. I see even bigger and grander things for Buena Vista. All that said, we took a step back in history and spent three delightful nights in a small log cabin at VISTA COURT CABINS AND LODGE.
I could cover so much more …. But it’s 9:00 and my bed time. Suffice to say, this was one of our best “out west trips”. Patti and I are glad to be home but ready to return.
Jim Dailey 