My tatting/train trip to Colorado

Last weekend, I took a trip from my home in Omaha, Nebraska to Grand Junction, Colorado to visit my son (who I haven't seen since August).  I had always wanted to take the Amtrak train and decided that this was the perfect opportunity because it was winter, driving the 800 miles could be stressful.  The train (called the California Zephyr) picked us (my husband went too) up in Omaha at 11pm Saturday night, and we promptly settled down to sleep for the night.  The coach seats were very comfortable and had a large amount of leg room, plus adjustable leg supports and foot rests---100 times better than airlines.  We slept through the night and got to Denver about dawn.  From Denver on to Grand Junction, it was light out and the scenery was EXTRAORDINARY!  Coming out of Denver until the continental divide everything was covered in hoarfrost--quite the sight.

Hoarfrost scenery coming out of Denver into the mountains

This image is the best I have, and really doesn't do it justice.  Every little grass stem and thing was covered in glimmering frost. 

The trip from Denver to Grand Junction was all in daylight and I had planned ahead to spend the time tatting.  The train took us through all kinds of scenery but the most spectacular was going through canyons.  Every glance out of the train windows was beautiful in a different way.

This is me, in tatting glory in the Vista Car.

On the way there I tatted this!

Coming home, we got on the train in Grand Junction at 10:30 am and had daylight through the Rocky Mountains again all day until we got to Denver at dusk.....another full day of tatting glory.  From Denver we slept again, getting home to Omaha at 5:30am.  I had gotten enough sleep on the train that I went to work that day.

On the way home I tatted the piece on the table.  It is the same design element as the previous piece, just the motifs are joined in a different way, producing a very different appearance.  Both are destined to be in my 'Quilt-Inspired SRT Designs' book.

 

 

 

The two days that we were in Grand Junction with my son, we spent skiing and hiking.  Billy works for Powderhorn Ski Resort and got us very good rates on a day of skiing.  I didn't do any tatting that day.  I hadn't skiied for probably 10 years and was nervous about doing it, but I picked it back up quite quickly and was comfortable enough to keep up with my 20 year old son while doing blue/intermediate level ski runs.  I had a blast but was pooped out at the end of the day.

This is me on the ski lift at Powderhorn.  Quite the vista from there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second day, we went hiking to two different biomes:  1. up a ridge to a mesa  2. through a canyon.

This is Jerry and I during the Canyon Hike

The trip was an huge success.  We spent two days traveling on the train during which we were able to relax and enjoy spectacular scenery, doing what we enjoyed:  Me--tatting,  Jerry--reading, watching movies, napping.  I highly recommend train travel, especially the California Zephyr which takes you through the magnificent Colorado Rocky Moutains.  The two days not traveling was spent doing very physical activities that we have great memories of:  skiing and hiking.   I enjoyed seeing and spending time with my son in his chosen home.  I know why he loves it there...it really is a great place to live.  I miss him terribly but understand that he needs to find out where & how  he wants to live his life.  In the meantime, I have a great place to visit him in.   I will be doing this trip again....probably on the Amtrak train too.

My son, Billy, in his adopted home.