VERONICA KUFFEL

JUNE 14-15

“The Trains are Gone” – Colter Wall, 2018

Also, (I guess), “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” – Big & Rich, 2004

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has transported passengers and precious metals for nearly 150 years.

It hosts one of the most popular vintage train rides in North America, hauling tourists through the San Juan National Forest. Above you, the Rocky Mountains; beneath you, the Animas River rapids.

I took my seat in the caboose about ten minutes before the ride. Most people pay for the day trip to Silverton, but I decided on the five-hour Cascade Canyon Express.

In the very last car, we rocked back and forth on the rails with nothing behind us to anchor. I didn’t care though, we were slow enough that I wasn’t motion sick. I watched little black birds fly faster than our train as we bumped along.

We passed through town before chugging into the mountains. Puffs of cotton flew through the air and fluttered in the train’s steam clouds. We watched the backs of houses and the fronts of waving hands going by.

We hauled through commercial, then residential, with a mix of old and new, mobile and solitary; out to little cottages and camper van parks as we headed toward the mountains.

It’s funny, I still don’t even know what mountains we’re going through. Maybe Cascade… cotton floated around us again and mingled with the open car passengers. I had a little poof land on my sweatshirt. I kept it there until it decided to leave.

I imagine what it’s like to be a rock along the river and rails. I would live in the sweetness of flowers and pine, with lingering notions of mountain air and the faint smoke from the engine.

I bought a flat Coke for three dollars, but it was worth it to go all the way up front. It was a rush to skip over each platform to the next car, the rapids sprayed mist through the gaps of the train.

Claiming Cascade is a town is saying a lot. The train lugged to a stop and we stepped out into a little picnic area near the river with a beautiful view of the mountains. I sat along the rapids, taking pictures and thinking (per usual), watching pinecones rush down the water.

After a while, the train blew its horn and we all got back on the coaches and gondolas. I was grateful for my decision to go to Cascade rather than Silverton. I was exhausted–I can’t imagine spending a whole day on the train.

I befriended a biker gang from Indiana, I think it was the Indiana Motorcycle Club. One of the guys nearly lost his phone by putting it on the side of the train. “Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s magnetic.”

We chugged back into the city and the river ran calmer. A group of teenagers from the beach mooned us as we passed.

I got off and walked around downtown Durango, stopping at Hermosa Coffee Shop to finish some work. After, I continued down Main Street and entered a random gift shop.

At the counter, I purchased a sticker for my troubles. The cashier commented on my shirt, which had a generic cowboy graphic.

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dramatized re-enactment

Cashier Lady: “Seems you might like cowboys.”
Me: “I do like cowboys.”
Cashier Lady: “You should check out the rodeo tonight, we’re sponsors.”
Cashier Lady slips Me a flyer for the Durango Rodeo. Me sees it’s cheap.
Me: “I think I’ll check that out.”

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Needless to say, I decided to check it out.

There’s just something about cowboy culture I love–I don’t necessarily need nor want to really live the cowboy life, I just think the concept of it is wicked cool.

I bought my entry and a big plate of nachos to supplement my meager freezer meal rations. I was just in time to watch some kids ride terrified sheep, something called “mutton busting.”

I read my brochure and watch the rodeo clown to distract myself from the tie-down roping, it’s not really my favorite and I don’t want to explain. Google it!

My favorite part has to be the barrel racing. To my knowledge, it’s mainly cowgirls who compete. One by one, they race horses around three barrels for time. To put it plainly, it’s exhilarating. I couldn’t help but hoot and holler along with the crowd.

Man, there’s just something about rodeos. And trains. Maybe I’ll take you sometime, but for now, here’s a story and some pictures.