Train ride! Chapman Family reunion–Part 2

Here we are squinting in the sun at the train station, READY TO RIDE!  These train tickets were a Christmas gift from Dan’s parents.  My girls had been anticipating the train and talking about it since December (this was in June).

Meet the staff of Toltec railroad:  Billy, he’s a volunteer and has been for YEARS, he knew everything about everything about the train and the area history.  And the conductor, don’t remember his name, he was more concerned with boring things like safety and rules…

 

We settled in and had a great time, the ride took all day, we saw lots of sights and spent lots of time chatting, napping, and playing games.  I took WAY too many pictures…

 

 

 

  

 

NAP TIME

     

Notice the matching clothes on the cousins, Grandma always keeps them looking sharp.  Sophie was really interested in the train route map, spent a lot of time trying to figure it out.

 

  

There was a scare, part of the track was very steep and the train was slipping, we started spinning our wheels then rolling backwards.  It was kind of freaky.  We were just fine, I tend to over react about things like that, but it really was unnerving.  The cause?  CATERPILLARS!!  Crazy huh?  There were so many caterpillars, that they covered the tracks and the train couldn’t get traction.  I took a couple pictures of their nasty nests (they’re the black things hanging) in the trees as we passed, they were EVERYWHERE!

 

All 9 cousins, at the train station before the bus ride back to Chama.  Such cuties!  And they were seriously so good on the train, it had the potential of being really difficult with that many kids in a small space for that many hours, but they were spectacular!  Just something special about a train ride.

We stopped for dinner at a restaurant I was shaking my head at when we pulled up, it looked very questionable to me!  But, it turned out to be awesome, good call Matt.  I had a Chamaburger, and it was literally the best burger I’ve ever had. Check out this handsome wood statue they had out front.

 

Well it’s nearly 1AM, so that’s all for tonight.  I want to get caught up on the blog SO BAD, it just takes SO LONG!!  I will get there, hopefully soon.