Day 11 - Golden, CO (Day 3)

This was another beautiful day.  We spent it enjoying time with Stu, exploring Golden, and making connections with neighboring campers.

Saying Goodbye:
Janice and Jack Hornbeck are Airstream campers from Norfolk, VA.  They've camped across from us for the past few days.  They are on the way to join a 55 day Wally Byam South West Adventure Caravan that departs Durango on Monday.  We wished them safe travels.

Breakfast:
Stu arrived for breakfast at 10am.  We made it a "birthday breakfast" ... his birthday is tomorrow.  The menu consisted of: mimosas, cantaloupe  scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, toast, waffles with real maple syrup and coffee.  It was fun and filling.

Exploring Golden:
We decided to skip Buffalo Bill's Grave & Museum, the American Mountaineering Museum and a Coors Brewery Tour.  Our first stop was the Colorado Railroad Museum.  

The museum includes a replica depot, library, roundhouse, water tank, rolling stock, a loop track, and displays by the Denver Garden Railway Society and the Denver HO Model Railroad Club.

Dick's son Jeff is a serious "train buff".  We hope the following adds to his knowledge in some way, though it only shows a portion of the many exhibits on display.

Telegraph office

This was a classy passenger car

Denver Garden Railway Society
G-scale exhibit

Stu was particularly interested in the RPO car.  He's a retired postal service worker.

Chicago Burlington & Quincy
Business Car No. 96 (S)

Manitou & Pikes Peak No. 1 (S)

Chicago Burlington & Quincy Caboose
No. 13862 (S)

Tahoe Excursion Car

Caboose

Is this where Airstream gets
its space saving ideas?

Colorado & Southern Rotary Snow Plow
No. 99201 (S)

Denver & Rio Grande Western
Nos. 5771 & 5762 (S)

Atcheson Topeka & Santa Fe
Observation Car Navajo (S)

Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 346 (N)

Narrow gauge motor car (N)

Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose (N)

Roundhouse

Turntable on the left

Did you know?

Train robbers

Creative Caterpillar advertising

And some behind the scenes stuff

It was a hot day to be outside looking at trains.  We opted for a cooler activity and drove to Washington Street in Old Town Golden for some refreshments (Coke, yogurt and coffee).

We spent the rest of the afternoon watching the shoppers and reminiscing, then headed back to the campground.

End of the day:
Another rain storm rolled in over the mountains at about 5pm.  There was rain and strong winds.  It wasn't as bad as yesterday.

We shared a hot dog dinner in the trailer during the rain storm and visited until it was time for Stu to head home.

This has been a wonderful few days with Stu.  We look forward to his Columbus visit in February.