A daughter's decision and a busy week...

Mike was kind enough to ask if everything was all-right because the posting was lite last week.  It was just hectic with many things happening perhaps the best of which is our daughter's belief that she should go into hospice nursing.  What an extraordinary individual she is and, how happy and proud we are to be her parents.    

We were scheduled for a overnight stay at Pere Marquette on Friday night but that didn't work out.  Old Blue went in for a new windshield on Tuesday and when the old windshield was removed rust was found in the channel along the joint with the roof in which the windshield mounts.  About 24" of surface rust was removed, a latex primer sprayed into the windshield channel and then the channel and top of the cab were repainted.  Late Friday afternoon the new windshield was installed.  By then it was too late to gear-up for an overnight trip.

Siloam Springs State Park - Tent Camping

Saturday we drove Old Blue up to Siloam Springs State Park north of Pittsfield.  It took about 90 minutes to drive there.  It is a beautiful place with a couple hundred, or more, camping sites for tents as well as RV's and many, many travel trailers all within the dense forests of the Park.  Lots of families with children laughing and playing in the surrounding forest.  It was very reminiscent of my youth in Pennsylvania.  The smell of wood smoke permeated the air as several folks had camp fires in the fire rings at their camping spot.

Camping is primitive with electric at some sites but no water or sewer.  No showers and toilet facilities are the outhouse variety.  G and I decided we could spend a couple days there just walking, talking and enjoying time with each other.

Sunday we finished the repairs on the water heater which went unfinished last weekend.  We made the bed and started the process of putting in a bit of additional wiring to support clocks, lamps and such next to the Murphy bed.  Afterward we shut everything down and will make a "dry run" next weekend to run-up every system and get the check list together.  Even Curt had to refer to the multiple owner's manuals to get all the systems up and running.  These things require precise things to be done in a particular order and then we find out the entire propane system is set-up for altitudes below 4,500'.  Will have to call the RV place to see about that as it may require different settings for the very high altitude 7,860' at Chama and another for everywhere else - we shall see. 

I heard it so I wrote it. A funny story....

This post has little or nothing to do with the Cumbres and Toltec but I like it so I wrote it.

Perhaps the most extreme section of railroad built in the United States was the climb to the 11,660’ saddle at Rollins Pass on the Denver Northwestern & Pacific Railroad, “The Moffat Road”.   The 23 mile passage of Rollins pass was one of the highest adhesion railroads in the world.  Brilliantly utilizing long proven Civil Engineering techniques it employed a series of reverse curves on a 2% grade at the beginning of the assault, in Toland Colorado, to form a series of steps called “The Giant’s Ladder” sprawling across the mountain side.   A much reduced version, Whiplash Curves, is still in use at Mile Post 295.5 on the Cumbres and Toltec. 

Beyond the “Ladder” a brief interlude with two reverse curves within a wooded area and around a small lake set the stage for an impressive final assault on the pass using an unheard of, for standard gauge, 4% grade through a narrow granite spine, "Needle’s Eye Tunnel", which exited a breathtaking 2,000’ feet above South Boulder Creek Canyon.  The traverse to the Pass from this point employed two consecutive trestles let into scree and hard rock of a near wall at a place named “Devil's Slide”.  Though now closed, G and I drove this road many times in the early years of our marriage.

Devil's Slide - Current

Devil's Slide 40 years ago

An extensive network of rails and service structures, including a Hotel, were all housed within a massive snowshed.  This arrangement was to be temporary until a tunnel under the mountain could be bored; the “temporary” arrangement lasted nearly 30 years until the completion of the Moffat Tunnel.

Fighting snow on Rollins (Corona) Pass

Fighting snow was the undoing of the railroad and in time it entered bankruptcy but, with the completion of the tunnel the property became a prime target of its chief competitor the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.  The D&RGW acquired the DNW&P, which was then called The Denver & Salt Lake Railroad, shortly after completion of the tunnel.  With the storied D&RGW now long absorbed into the Union Pacific the roadbed and tunnel of the “Moffat Road” continue in use to this day by both the Union Pacific and BNSF railroads.  Undoubtedly the most beautiful journey on the AMTRAK is the California Zephyr which traverses the Moffat Road twice daily.

Inside Corona Snowshed

In the early days railroading was a tough and dangerous business.  At the end of a winter shift train crews would gather round a warm stove drinking coffee and telling stories.  Sometimes serious and often funny the one that follows when told resulted in raucous laughter – I don’t know the names so all I can relate is the framework. 

First a little background: the setting for the story is winter within the snow sheds on Corona (Rollins Pass) at 11,600'+.  They were notorious for filling with smoke, steam, noxious gasses and ash because the sheds had few vents in the roof. Now the story:

An eastbound freight stopped in the shed with the caboose well within the confines.  The conductor was comfortable with a warm fire in his stove and a cup of coffee to drink.

In the darkness a second eastbound freight slowly drifted into the smoke filled shed and coupled into the caboose housing the conductor.  Because of the dense smoke the engineer of the second locomotive could not see the lead train, thus he continued to ease the train forward which slowly folded the caboose like an accordion. 

The conductor in a panic realized the rear platform of the caboose was collapsing and rushed to the front of the caboose only to find the way out blocked on both sides.  The only alternative was to slide between to the collapsing cars to a space between the rails as the slowly collapsing caboose and the freight car directly ahead also started to fold-up. 

So it went with the conductor recumbent between the rails as the locomotive of train #2 continued to crush cars until the engineer finally realized what was happening and cut off the steam.  The firebox of the locomotive was then directly above the unfortunate conductor.

As the conductor breathed a sigh of relief at not being squashed a hot coal fell out of the locomotive firebox and landed on his chest.  It burned through his jacket, coveralls and shirt and then into his chest where his blood extinguished the coal.

End of story and everyone laughed riotously at how funny it was. 

FUNNY – WERE THEY MAD? 

To those early day trainmen this was a funny story because the conductor, who was the object of derision and was likely sharing a cup of coffee during the joke, survived; a tough life indeed.

Wilderness...

Cruces Basin Wilderness

Wilderness area designation grew out of conservation efforts early in the last century.  Through a long struggle to preserve at least a part of rapidly disappearing public lands and overuse of the National Park system a movement developed to preserve parts of the remaining wild county in pristine condition for future generations.  As with the National Parks it is a way to provide a continuing reminder of the heritage everyone was granted.

In 1880, just 8 years after the designation of our first National Park – Yellowstone, a brash golden age transportation boom a railroad was thrust through pristine forests and glades in remote southern Colorado.  The mountains in this area are lower and gentler than those immediately north but they still presented a unique civil engineering challenge for a railroad builder.  Using every technique available for railroad builders, except one, a 64 mile section of railroad was pushed across the Tusas Range of the Rockies.  Construction through this empty and wild area was accomplished through the toil and effort of the local Hispanic population using hand tools, blasting powder and simple steam machinery.   Over a 9 month period from March 31, 1880 to December 31, 1880 the rails pushed from Antonito, Colorado over Cumbres Pass and on the Chama, New Mexico.

On the entire 1,300 mile Rio Grande narrow gauge system there were only four tunnels and two, which are the only remaining in service, are on the San Juan Extension, today’s Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.   Each is unique to the specific situation in which it exists.

Tunnel 1 - "Mud Tunnel"

Thirty one miles west of Antonito (Mile post 311.30) Tunnel 1, “Mud Tunnel”, cuts through 342’ of volcanic ash and breccia – Breccia is a combination of volcanic ash, pumice and small sharp rock.  The overburden becomes greasy when it is engaged with moisture thus; the prominence which the tunnel is bored through cannot support a deep cut.  Hence a tunnel is the only alternative and then it must be fully lined with timber to keep the slippery geological media in place.  That lining caught fire in the early years of the last century which required the construction of a “shoefly” to bypass the tunnel as it was re-lined.  Early in the “Cumbres and Toltec era” the tunnel footings were strengthened and the tunnel continues in service to this day. 

Tunnel 2 - "Rock Tunnel"

 

The second tunnel, “Tunnel 2 – Rock Tunnel”, is 4 miles further on (Mile post 315.20), and it cuts through 366’ of hard igneous and metamorphic rock.  Igneous and Metamorphic rocks are very hard and often infused with quartzite material created through direct contact or immersion in hot volcanic material.    Rock Tunnel is 600’ above the Los Pinos River and 800’ from the South Rim of Toltec Canyon.  A brief view into the bottom of the Canyon is possible right at the west portal of the tunnel. 

View into Toltec Canyon of Rio Los Pinos

The approaches at either end of Rock Tunnel were originally wooden trestles let into the side of the canyon wall.   This section of the railroad was nicknamed “Aerial Railroading” in the few years the trestles existed.  As part of the continual upgrading of the line those trestles were replaced early-on with cut stone retaining walls filled-in with material quarried and brought in by rail from outside the San Juan Extension.    

Looking across the chasm one is thrilled by the view below but looking up one sees a rough ridge some 800’ beyond.  That ridgeline is the northern border of the 18,000 acre Cruces Basin Wilderness.  It has been described as a “Small Gem” of open meadows and gentle slopes.  The high point is above 9,000 feet and it is bordered by steep bluffs on two sides.  Access is difficult and there are no marked trails or camp sites as in other well-traveled Wilderness areas. 

Northern New Mexico is indeed a land of contrast from mountains to ancestral homelands of the indigenous Pueblo, Apache, Navajo and Utes peoples.  Remote quiet and slow paced, just the place for someone, “Born too late”.

Chama Cabin and other things....

Hardin Presbyterian Church

It has been a very nice day.  Paul gave a meaningful sermon and Deb gave her usual wonderful scripture reading this week of the Pentacost.

After church G and I finished the clean-up and organization of the Chama Cabin.  All went well until Curt went to fill the hot water heater.  Seems we stored the “anode” in such a way that it caused some corrosion and not it won’t thread back in.  He is doing a little research and we have hopes the threads are not damaged.  If they are they will have to be tapped and that is not successful – well a new hot water heater is a pricey proposition – we should know in a couple day.  In the meantime I am sending along a bunch of pictures, you have seen the outside so these are of the inside:

Right rear with slide-out open

 I will describe it like as they do when going on-and-on about tiny homes on HGTV.  It is open concept with a three piece en-suite.  It's small but perfect for the two of us.  It has a tv/radio/dvd with speakers inside and out.  Air conditioning and a whopping 6 gallon hot water heater.  A propane grill with work space attaches outside under the power awning, which has LED lighting.  It is Fiberglass and very light weight at 3,800 pounds dry and has tandem axles which makes it stable when towing.  The slide-out table converts to sleeping space if one or the other of snores too much.  Plenty of storage inside and out if you take the time to organize:

Left rear - a compact cooking space

The front has a sofa

Which is a Queen Size Murphy Bed

We added a little moveable table from IKEA for counter space.

  

Jitters

A busy week this, and the weeks that follow will be hectic as well.  Here is this weeks list:

1.  Old Blue had a 500 mile oil change and I turned it over to Curt to put the on next 1,000 by Monday May 23rd.   

2.  Made a reservation for an overnight trial run at Pere Marquette.  The sites are near primitive as there is only power and no water or sanitary set-up. 

Pere Marquett State Park Camping

Rio Chama RV Park Entrance

This is different than our journey and stay in Chama.  We have

Camping at Rio Chama RV Park

full hook-ups along the entire route at Good Sam campgrounds.  This run to Pere Marquette lets us prove-up all the systems in the Chama Cabin. 

A long time friend in Denver couldn't understand my anticipation as he was savvy in towing a boat very long distances and found it pretty straight forward.  In our case the last time we towed anything was over 25 years ago and then it was a pontoon boat.  We purchased the Chama Cabin new last year.  It is a 21' Flagstaff Ultra Lite with a 3,800 pound dry weight, tandem axles and a single slider.  It has a full bath, but small, and a queen size bed.  It has a remarkable amount of interior space because it has a Murphy Bed that is very easy to set-up, G can handle it by herself if necessary.  This whole travel camper thing is totally new for us and it starts with a 2,000 mile round trip to Chama.  
We will stay at the Rio Chama RV Park which was totally booked for this years season by November, 2015.  I am told, over half the sites are taken by volunteers on the Cumbres and Toltec.

More of the past week:

3.  Curt decided to have the windshield on Old Blue replaced before we hit the road.  It was sprayed with gravel from a passing truck and it did a great job of trashing the windshield.  No problem but, a small bead of rust bubbling along the front edge of the windshield was found by the fellow that takes care of her body work.  That will have to be repaired before the windshield goes in.  Not a tough job but it really cramps our schedule to get in three practice runs before we take the plunge west.

4.  The weekend after Memorial Day we are scheduling an overnight at one of two RV parks that have full hookups. 

5.  Pulled a travel schedule for the run to Chama and we will be stopping the first night in St. Joseph, MO, Second night in Lamar, Co and then on into Chama.  150 mile jumps to stop for fuel and a stretch.  The longest day looks like a little over 9 hours - it's the run from St. Joseph to Limon.

6.  Spent today organizing things and went over to Wally World to buy plastic boxes for storage.  Got back and everything fell right into place.  Tomorrow we take the Chama Cabin out of winterization.

It's all coming together but as G says, "We are going to breath a sigh of relief when we turn off Old Blue's motor in Chama", on the afternoon of July 9th.  She is treating me to supper at the "High Country" later that day as a 75th birthday present.    

Early this evening as we were finishing the organization and cleaning of Chama Cabing I said, "We must be nuts to do something like this in our mid 70's."  Maybe so but that's what the past 50+ years together have been like.  What a great time together.
    

Defying gravity

“All this is nice but we need a real wild-west look, let’s build a square water tank and depot.”  Certainly someone uttered those words and in 1971 Gregory Peck got his hands dirty trying to put lipstick on a pig called, “Shoot Out.”  When it was over someone on the film production crew certainly said, “What the hell, it looked great!”

“Wouldn’t an explosion be great?”  Somewhere along the line someone had to utter those words and so an explosion was set-off.  In return Willie Nelson in 1998 gave us one of the worst western movies ever made, “Where the Hell's That Gold.”  Unfortunately, a 100 year historic artifact was destroyed in process but, “What the hell, it looked great!” 

Later on a film crew surveyed the Railroad for and found what had to be historic ruins, “IT'S PERFECT! A square water tank and the ruins of a depot.  We will have young Indi swing from a wire tied to the remains of that water tank onto the top of a passing Circus Train, it’ll be GREAT!”  So production began in 1998 on “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”and it included a gaudily painted train passing by a derelict square water tower with young Indi swinging wildly onto the roof of an overdecorated railroad coach.  On looking at the daily rushes the director must have exclaimed, “What the hell it looked great!”    

In 2013 a film crew was working in the reaches of northern New Mexico producing “A Million Ways to Die in the West.”  On a geographically odd tract of land ran a railroad track with a tangent bending  into a curve, and there a chase scene was filmed.  The land was arid and covered with low growing sage.  Strangely, determining whether the track was going uphill or down was near impossible.  Going up the hill appeared to be going down the hill and going down the hill appeared to be going up. 

Filming on this unusual piece of land involved a chase on horseback down slightly sloping land to the track with the horse and rider leaping across in front of an oncoming locomotive.  The other side of the track was land slightly sloping upward.  This time nothing was destroyed, nothing was built and no railroad equipment was painted gaudy colors.  This time the historic fabric of the railroad was protected and the final result certainly, “Looked Great!”

Lava Tank - Train Upgrade

Ferguson Trestle

This strange tract of land is just beyond Ferguson Trestle on a geological oddity called “Gravity Hill”.  Gravity hill is the beginning of the 300' ascent from the floor of the San Luis Valley to Lava Tank. It runs up a gentle cleft between a long sloping plateau on the north and a gentle ridge on the south.  The land is essentially clear of trees and obstructions yet the horizon is obscured due to the slopes on either side.  The grade is also modest at 1.42% which is a rise of just over 75’ per mile.  The locomotive works steadily but does not labor.  When in motion up the grade  your senses tell you it is downhill but, you know it should be uphill not downhill.

RGS Galloping goose on Whiplash Curve

Beyond Lava Tank the line enters a new life zone and then ascends Whiplash Curve, but that is another story.

What is this paradox? Wikipedia describes it this way:

“A gravity hill, also known as a magnetic hill, mystery hill, mystery spot or gravity road, is a place where the layout of the surrounding land produces an optical illusion, making a slight downhill slope appear to be an uphill slope. Thus, a car left out of gear will appear to be rolling uphill against gravity. 
The slope of gravity hills is an optical illusion, although sites are often accompanied by claims that magnetic or even supernatural forces are at work. The most important factor contributing to the illusion is a completely or mostly obstructed horizon: without a horizon, judging the slope of a surface is difficult as a reliable reference is missing. Objects one would normally assume to be more or less perpendicular to the ground (such as trees) may actually be leaning, offsetting the visual reference.
The illusion is similar to the Ames room, in which balls can also appear to roll against gravity.
The opposite phenomenon—an uphill road that appears flat—is known in bicycle racing as a ‘false flat’. “

So, let’s all take a ride downhill – uphill on Gravity Hill whist riding the Cumbres and Toltec.