Colorado Trip Part two Day 6-10 2025 with the Travel Lady Tours Lawrenceburg, TN

Day 6:  Thursday, August 7, 

Breakfast at the Strater, where I ate blueberry biscuits and a strawberry yogurt. 

Have your luggage outside your door by 6:15 A.M. because we have to catch the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, Chama, New Mexico.

We traveled through several towns in Colorado into New Mexico.

We saw Hot Air Balloons in the air. 

We arrived around 9:15 A.M., walked through the depot gift shop where I bought a pair of sunglasses, and spent $16.00.

Everyone boarded the train, and we boarded coach F19.

  Engine Cumbres & Toltec RR

Ticket Collector 

Cumbres & Toltec RR

 

Everyone on the coach in front of us had to get off because the coach would not connect. They disconnected the car and replaced it with another. That one would not work, so they tried another one. We were about one hour late getting started. 

Cumbres & Toltec RR

Finally, we were off. We stopped midway to fill the steam engine with water. We saw a beautiful county along the way. 

There was a hot buffet awaiting us when we arrived in Antonito, CO.

I ordered Brisket, mac & cheese, corn, salad, roll, and peach cobbler topped with Cool Whip. 

When we finished eating, we walked to the old 1880 Historic Depot, where historic markers were telling about the history. 

The train turned around and we headed back, getting off at the Cumbras Pass where a bus was waiting for us. 

We headed to the Fairfield Inn in Almosa, Room 317.

The travel lady and Bryan bought several Domino's pizzas, sodas, cookies, and veggies for everyone for dinner.

After dinner, Hubby and I walked to the nearby Walmart for Mt. Dew, snacks, and a couple of T-shirts. We spent $27.28. 

We are staying one night and on the road again tomorrow.

927-928 Breakfast at Strater Hotel 5:15-6:01 A.M.

929-956 Travel Pagosa, CO 8:05-8:12 A.M.

959-988 Train Depot & Ride Cumbrus and Totlec RR, Chama, NM, 8:49-10:33 A.M.

990-1041 Cumbrus & Totlec RR Antonito, Co 11:40-4:416 P.M.

Big Camera 

2538-2559 Travel to Chama, NM 

2569-2687 Cumbres & Toltec RR from Chama, NM 

2688-2800 Cumbres & Toltec to Antonito, CO 

Day 7: Friday, August 8

Before breakfast, I walked around the hotel taking pictures. 

Breakfast was Greek yogurt and blueberry biscuits 

at Fairfield Inn, Alamosa, CO. Room 316

Fairfield Inn 

We loaded onto the bus around 8:00 A.M. 

We rode through several towns to Manitou Springs.

We stopped at Curerno Verda Rest Area to use the restroom and walk around, taking pictures. 

Around 11 A.M., we stopped at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, where we ate lunch.

Hubby and I shared a Mushroom Swiss Bison cheeseburger with fries, and spent $20.11

I also bought a US map of Native Americans and a Huckberry Chocolate bar, spending $16.33.

I walked outside and took pictures of hummingbirds and butterflies. 

We loaded back onto the bus and headed to the 

Garden of the Gods Museum and Visitor Center. We toured the museum & park. Several of us walked down where we saw a deer resting and took pictures. 

Standing next to Balance Rock

Hubby and Guide 

Garden of the Gods Trading Post

We loaded onto the bus, and our guide Queen joined us. She gave us information about the formations of the different rocks. We stopped so everyone could walk to the top of Balance Rock for a photo. 

We made another stop where we could hike through the rocks. Took several photos. Loaded back onto the bus, we dropped our guide.

We headed to Manitou Springs to the Cliff House, room 316, where we will stay two nights. 

Took a hot bath in the jacuzzi, then we went to dinner. 

We enjoyed a farewell dinner of a salad, steak, salmon, creamed potatoes, green beans, carrots, and cheesecake. 

    

The Jacuzzi in our room 

Salad

Steak, Carrots, greenbeans, creamed potatoes

Salmon, carrots, greenbeans, creamed potatoes

Carrot cake 

Farewall Dinner our driver Mitch and guide Bryan 

After dinner,  I walked downtown, checking out the nightlife.

Wrote in the journal and went to bed.

1042-1045 Towns of Alamosa, CO 4:17-5;28 A.M.

1053-1063 Sunrise Fairfield Inn Alamosa, CO 6:16-6:24 A.M. 

1074-1104 Travel Blanca, Fort Gains, Walsenburg, CO 8:22-10:01 A.M. 

1105-1121 Cerno Verde Rest Area Colorado City 9:48-10:01 A.M.

1123-1129 Travel Runyon Field, Pueblo, CO 10:36

1132-1164 Garden of the Gods Trading Post Manitou Springs 2"14-3:40 P.M.

1165-1208 Garden of the Gods Visitor Center & Museum 1:01-1:59 P.M.

1209-1282 Garden of the Gods 2:14-3:40 P.M.

1284-13553 Town of Manitou Springs 4:10-8:22 P.M

Big Camera

2805-2818 Travel Alamosa, CO

2827-2843 Travel Colorado Springs, CO

2855-2912 Garden of Gods Trading Post

2913-3010 Garden of the Gods and Museum 

Day 8: Saturday, August 9, 

Cliff House room # 316

Breakfast: croissant, chocolate, raspberry, blueberries & cranberry juice, yogurt, and water around 6:30

After breakfast, we rode the bus to the terminal to take the Pikes Peak Cog up the mountain at 8 A.M.

It took about an hour to travel up the mountain. 

We visited the gift shop and museum. 

Walked outside and took a few pictures. 

Pikes Peak 

Pikes Peak 

Pikes Peak

Loaded back onto the bus and rode back to the hotel. 

We ate lunch at Cliff House Bar and Grill. 

I ordered fish and chips. 

Hubby ordered a hamburger, fries, salad, and Coke.

When we finished, we walked around the town of Manitou. 

We stopped at Pikes Peak Ice cream & chocolate for a Reese's peanut butter cup waffle cone ice cream. 

There were several other members of our group there.

We stopped at Mountain Man Knife Store, bought 10 postcards, and spent $6.

I came back to the hotel and took a nap.

Ate cheese and pretzels for dinner.

Walking around downtown Manitou 

Worked on pictures and journal

Went to bed early. 

1356-1358 Breakfast at Cliff House @6:48-7:20 A.M.

1360-1381 @ 9:52-11:54 Pikes Peak gift shop and museum 

1386-1398 @12:04-12:09 traveling through Manitou 

1399 @1:07 P.M. lunch@ Cliff House Bar and Grill 

1400-1465 town of Manitou Springs @1:32-2:29  P.M.

3015-3053 Pikes Peak Colorado Springs, CO

3055-3128 Town of Manitou, Co 

DAY 9: Sunday,  August 10, 

Breakfast at Cliff House, room 316

The Cliff House where we stayed two nights

Peach yogurt with raspberries and blueberries, a chocolate croissant, and water.

We came back to the room and worked on the journal.

Set our luggage outside our door and walked downstairs. 

Hubby went outside and talked, and I walked around the downtown area taking pictures.

Our flight is at 2:05 P.M., Flight WN557, Denver to Nashville on Southwest Airlines. 

We loaded onto the bus and rode to the airport. Everyone followed our leader, who was holding the American Flag, after everyone had gone through security. We went down two sets of escalators and took the tram to our gate. Which was changed 4 times before we arrived. Gate C42

We had enough time for lunch. I ordered a mango parfait, spent $12.47, and Hubby bought a hamburger and fries at The Silver Bullet Sports Bar, paid $25.12.

We have arrived in Nashville at 5:35 P.M.

We had a bus waiting for us with a still two-hour ride home. 

We dropped off the Lawrenceburg people, and the bus took the rest of us to Florence. 

I ran inside Walmart for a few items, and it was dark when we headed home. 

1470-1560 Town of Manitou Springs 8:19-9:39

1561-1572- Travel to Airport 10:03-10:28 A.M.

1574-1590 Southwest Flight WN557 Den-BNA 2:11-5:28 P.M.

Day 1- Day 5 Trip to Colorado with Travel Lady of Lawrenceburg.

 Flight to Colorado with The Travel Lady Tours, Lawrenceburg, TN  9 DAYS FROM Saturday, August 2 to Sunday, August 10, 2025

Day 1: Saturday, Aug 2, 2025 

The bus will arrive at 7:45 A.M. at Walmart in Florence—park in rows 3 and 4 close to the store. The bus will leave at 8:00 A.M. and arrive at 8:45 A.M. at First Baptist Church, located at 2100 Springer Road, Lawrenceburg.

Depart for Colorado! 1048 Flight Southwest NASHVILLE (BNA) to (DEN)Denver Aug 2 at 1:20 P.M. 2hr 50 min arrive 3:10 P.M. flight WN1048.

We ate lunch at the Shake Shack in the Nashville Airport.

Hubby and I split a Shake Hamburger with fries, Coke, and a bottle of water, and spent $23.56 

We were greeted by our tour guide, Bryan, and driver Mitch.

We rode to the hotel on a Mercedes Arrow Stage Cruise Lines #2527 driven by Mitch.

The bus took us to the Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver Airport. We checked into room 409, followed by a Welcome Dinner. 

Dinner salad, meatballs, veggies, garlic bread, and Eclairs with pastry cream.

352-368 Nashville Airport @1:51 P.M.

369-397 Flight WN1040 to Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Missouri 2:09-3:10 P.M.

398-410 Embassy Suite Denver, CO @4:42-6:29 P.M. (dinner)

Embassy Suites Denver, CO 

Dinner

Day 2: Sunday, Aug 3, 2025

At 7:00 A.M., place your luggage outside your door. The breakfast room is open in the lobby.

Breakfast: French toast, vanilla, and Greek yogurt

Bus doors open to start loading carry-on luggage and to claim seats. 

At 8:00 A.M., Depart Embassy Suites. We are off! The bus departs for Georgetown, Colorado. 

Georgetown Loop

Georgetown Loop train ride 

We rode to Georgetown to ride the train winding up the mountain 

In an open-air car.

We stopped so the engine could turn around. 

We were in the last car, now we were in the front, going down the mountain.

We saw piles of rocks along the mountain where mines were once mined. 

We visited the old mining Georgetown. 

We bought three different cheeses at a local store for lunch. 

We visited a hydroelectric museum and bought three different cheeses at a local store. 

Hubby bought a strawberry waffle ice cream. 

We loaded back onto the bus heading to Palisade, passing through the Rocky Mountains.

We had a rest break in Glenwood Springs Canyon. We walked along the Colorado River, and some even put their feet in the water.

Glennwood Springs Canyon 

We continue our journey to Palisade, arriving at the Wine Country Inn, Room 112

We freshened up before dinner.

We enjoyed a wine tasting with our meal. 

We tried a red and white wine before the meal.

We tried three different wines with our meal.

Our first course was a salad with pear slices.

Salad with apple slices 

Baked Chicken with rice and corn on the cob 

Cheesecake with peach slices

We were served baked Chicken, rice, and corn on the cob in a savory sauce. 

After dinner, we had a church service outside near the vineyard. 

Our speaker talked about Paul's preaching about trusting the Lord and living by faith. 

Hubby went back to the room, and I went back outside to walk around the hotel. 

I met a couple of men staying at the inn.

They asked us where our group was from, and I said Florence, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

One of the gentlemen said his parents were from Tuscumbia. 

We talked about traveling. 

They both were retired and were traveling throughout the US.

I told them that in 3 weeks, we were going to the Grand Canyon and would be in Las Vegas. 

They were telling me of places to visit.

They stayed at the Venetian Hotel in Vegas and mentioned a burlesque show.

Wine Country Inn

I said goodbye and continued walking around the hotel when I met a local police officer driving around the hotel. 

He asked me where I was from and where we were going. 

He said Are you doing the wine tours I said No, we're doing the train tours.

Viburnum European Cranberry Bush

Wine grapes 

Lavender Sage 

 

I took several pictures outside.

Returning to my room, I wrote in my journal and went to bed.

414-416- Loading on the Bus, Denver, CO at 7:29 A.M.

417-421- Traveling Idaho Springs, Evergreen, CO. 8:51 A.M.

422-514 Georgetown & Train Ride 9:39-12:56 P.M.

515-530 Travel Eewards, Gleenwood Springs 2:19-3:31 P.M.

531-550 Wine Country Inn Room 112 Palisade, CO 4:40-8:19 P.M.

Big camera 

1599-1617 Travel through Denver

1620-1680 Riding Georgetown Loop & Georgetown

1681-1736 Georgetown

1737-1889 travel to Palisade

Day 3: Monday, Aug 4, 2025, Colorado National Monument 

At 6:30 A.M., Wine Country Inn. The lobby breakfast room opens.

Breakfast bread pudding, egg custard pudding, and blueberry yogurt 

At 9 A.M., we rode to Suncrest Orchard Alpaca Fiber Works, Palisades, CO, where we learned the history of making alpaca wool into thread and products. 

At their market, we bought a bottle of  Goatmilk lotion, Lavender scent, and a tube of lip balm, spending $15.80.

We stopped at Anita's Pastry and Produce, where we bought cherries and nectarines, and were given a ripe peach. Hubby bought some peaches and cherries. 

Boxed lunch from Anita's 

Suncreek Orchard Alpacas and Fiber Works 

Alpacas

Ripe Peaches 

We picked up our boxed lunch at Antia's, which consisted of a turkey sandwich, cherries, a pickle, apricots, and an Apple Crisp. 

Returned to the hotel, ate lunch, and rested.

At 1:30, we leave for the Colorado monument 

At 2:00 P.M., Arrive at Colorado National Monument

Bonnie is our local expert, who will guide us through the monument, featuring stunning red rock formations, canyons, and cliffs. The landscape is a unique blend of rock formations, wildlife, and vegetation found in a few other places in the world. Following our tour, we will enjoy an outdoor dinner, weather permitting. 

Cheesecake with Blueberries 

Brisket, veggies, fruit, salad, and roll 

Independence Monument at Colorado National Monument 

Dinner consisted of brisket, veggies, roll, salad, creamed potatoes, and cheesecake topped with blueberries.

At 7:00 P.M., we depart Colorado National Monument and return to the hotel.

551-587 Walking along canal, Sincerest Orchard, Alpace fibers works, Antia's Pantry & Lunch 7:59-12:02 P.M., including lunch 

588-640 Colorado National Monument, Saddleham Visitor Center with guide Bonnie 6:03-6:28 P.M.

Big Camera

1890-1912 Palisdae Co 

1915-2042 Colorado National Monument 

Day 4, Tuesday, August 5, 2025. Durango & Silverton Railroad 

At 6:12 A.M., I went walking around the hotel and along the canal near the peach trees and vineyards as the sun was coming up over the mountains. 

At 6:30 A.M., the Wine Country Inn lobby breakfast room opened. 

For breakfast, I ate blueberry yogurt and a muffin.

7:00 A.M. Wine Country Inn luggage placed outside your door. 

8:00 A.M. Depart Wine Country INN: Depart for the San Juan Mountains!

We were headed across the Million Dollar highway, but had to turn around along the way. The Million Dollar Highway is a winding road along the mountain cliffs. Our driver walked up the road to find a place to turn that big bus around. I told him later that if it looked like the back of the bus was going to hang off the mountain, I was going to get out and watch him turn it around. 

He did a great job. The reason we had to turn around was that a couple ran off the road, plunging 350 feet into the river below. Both were killed, but a girl sitting in the back survived. 

The highway was closed for the rest of the day so rescuers could evacuate the people from the canyon. We missed our train ride from Silverton to Durango. Instead, we visited the towns of Ouray and Telluride. We ate lunch @ the Golden Belt, where  Hubby and I shared a chicken-finger meal with fries. Spent $21.07

We stopped at a local grocery store where we bought a bowl of Cherry Garcia ice cream.

We spent the next two nights at the Strater Hotel in Durango.

6:15 P.M. Arrive at Strater Hotel. Upon arriving in Durango, your luggage will be in your room at the Strater Hotel, and Mark will hand out the room keys and point out places for your dinner on your own.

Strater Hotel Durango, CO 

Lun: ch Chicken Fingers and Fries 

Ouray, CO 

Hubby and I walked to City Market, where we bought a six-pack of Mountain Dews and some snacks. Spent $16.00

For dinner, we snacked on the cheese and crackers we bought in Ouray. 

641-650 Sunrise Palisade @6:12 -6:33 A.M. 

651-682 Town of Ouray 8:06-1:32 P.M., including lunch

683-706 Town of Telluride 2:13-3:58 P.M. 

708-711 Town of Dolores @ 5:27 P.M.

712-744 Starter Hotel Durango, Co @6:26-7:55 P.M. Room 110

Big Camera 

2041-2058 Town of Murals Delta 

2059-2139 Travel to Silverton Million Dollar Highway

2144-2200 Town of Uray & Telluride

2201-2245 Town of Telluride

2246-2356 travel to Durango 

Day 5: Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Mesa Verde 

7 A.M. The breakfast room opens. Breakfast is served in the restaurant, which is just five steps past the elevator.

For breakfast, I ate kish and drank water. 

8:00 A.M. Depart for a day of Touring 

The bus will either be located in front of or alongside the hotel. 

We stopped at the visitor center to pick up our guide, Sarah. 

9:30 A.M. Arrive at Mesa Verde National Park 

Mesa Verde is home to some of the most well-preserved cliff dwellings in North America, including the famous Cliff Palace and Balcony House. Built by the Ancestral Puebloans over 700 years ago, the Cliff dwellings provide a fascinating glimpse into the lives and culture of these ancient people.

At the visitor center museum, my husband and I ordered a classic burger, soda, and a parfait for $21.07.

Lunch: Hamburger, fries, Parfait 

Mesa Verde National Park⁩,

Mesa Verde National Park⁩ Dig Site 

Around 3:00 P.M., we returned to Durango. We walked around town visiting some of the shops, and then we visited the Roundhouse and the train museum. We watched the train, but we didn't get to ride the backup. 

At the Chocolate Factory, we bought three chocolate pretzels and
spent $10.28. 

Bought postcards, spent $6.19.

Returned to the hotel and rested.

We loaded onto the bus at 5:30 P.M. and departed for Bar D Ranch. 

Bar D Chuck Wagon is a dinner show set in an Old West-style town, featuring live western music, cowboy poetry, and comedy acts, all while guests enjoy a hearty chuckwagon-style meal. 

Chuckwagon Dinner 

Chuckwagon Show 

Warther's Tours party of 47 ordered the combo meal. 

The meal consisted of baked beans, BBQ, baked potato, apple sauce, spice cake, and water.

Returned to the hotel, took a hot bath, and went to bed. 

Another night at the Strater Hotel, room 110

8:30 P.M. Return to Hotel 

747-771 Breakfast at Strater Hotel @7:01-7:35 A.M. 

772-778 Travel Manco & Cortez, Co. @8:22-8:46 A.M. 

779-832- Mesa Verde NP @ 9:10-2:24 P.M. guide Sarah

833-906 Durango Train Museum & Durango 3:07-4:20 P.M. 

907-923 Dinner at the Bar D Ranch@6:07:01-7:35 A.M.

924-926 Strater Hotel @9:14 P.M.

big Camera

2357-2368 Town of Durango

2369-2409 Mesa Verda NP Manco,CO

2410-2537 Town of Durango