Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
The Denver and Rio Grande Railway founded Durango, Colorado in 1880 and track was soon laid to haul gold and silver ore to Silverton. Eventually, the mines played out, a fire destroyed much of Silverton and later the Spanish Flu killed 10% of the town’s population. But the trains continued hauling passengers through the scenic mountains and Hollywood later discovered the railroad and used it in several movies including Around the World in 80 Days, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and others. Today, the railroad is called the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway and is a popular destination for railfans of all ages.
Today the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad continues to provide year-round train service, operating a historical train with rolling stock indigenous to the line. The locomotives used to pull today’s train remain 100% coal-fired, steam-operated. The locomotives are 1923-25 vintage and are maintained in original condition. The coaches each feature bathroom facilities and are heated during the winter months for passenger comfort. Open gondola cars provide a panoramic view of the mountains. Concessions are available on every train.
D&SNGRR
Silver City, Idaho
Around the turn of the last century, Silver City, Idaho was the county seat of Owyhee County with 75 businesses, a population of 2,500 people and 300 homes. Although most similar mining towns of the era either grew up or burned down, for whatever reason Silver City remains the same; a true ghost town, high up in the Owyhee Mountains. Some of the remaining buildings include a church, hotel, schoolhouse and over 70 other structures. There are also four burial areas with some fascinating gravestones.
As run down as it is, there’s a museum in the schoolhouse, some of the houses are available to rent as cabins and hot food is available in the hotel/bar. The town itself is about 65 miles from Boise, near the Idaho/Oregon border.
Today people come to see the abandoned buildings, go horseback riding, collect rocks and arrowheads or otherwise enjoy the surrounding mountains. Outfitters and guides are available to help you find your way around. Note, although you’re welcome to walk around and see the sights, much of the area is still private property so treat the area with respect. Believe it or not, some people still live there.
Allosaurus Skeleton
The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is located near Cleveland, Utah and holds the highest concentration of Jurassic dinosaur bone fossils ever found. To date, more than 15,000 bones have been uncovered although the bones are widely scattered so finding complete skeletons is difficult. Most of the bones excavated to date are in the Utah Museum of Natural History but many of the bones are scattered around the world in other museums.
Scientists believe the area was covered with a sticky mud at one point and created a sort of dinosaur trap. They also believe the high ratio of predator to prey skeletons means the Allosaurus in particular probably hunted in packs (there are bones from at least 44 Allosaurus in the area). Other bones are from Torvosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Stegasaurus and many more.
A visitor center has a skeleton of an Allosaurus on display along with other bones. If you run across any dinosaur bones while visiting, they should be reported to the Bureau of Land Management, who operates the visitor center.
Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble greating the guests at Bedrock City
Right out of the funny papers and into the middle of nowhere South Dakota, Bedrock City is one part Flintstones and two parts 1960’s kitsch. The “theme park” is near Custer, South Dakota and is actually pretty close to a lot of big-ticket attractions like Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse.
But this bizarre little theme park is a fascinating attraction in its own right with fiberglass Fred and Barney statues, “stone” houses and various prehistoric things to do like the Water Buffalo Lodge and a train that circles the whole place. The theme park itself isn’t much to brag about but it’s fascinating to go and see it for what it is: a vintage tourist trap. But, if you have to pull your motor home in someplace to park anyway, you might as well make this the place to stop. Plus, at least at the time of this writing, a one-day pass is the same price as an annual pass!
If South Dakota isn’t your style, there’s another one in Williams Arizona, near the Grand Canyon. Yabba, Dabba, Doo!
Bedrock City, South Dakota
Bedrock City, Arizona
Related reading:
Ice sculpture from the International Ice Sculpting Competition in Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks Alaska is above the artic circle so in the winter it’s cold and dark. What to do? Have the International Ice Sculpting Competition, of course, and invite all the world’s best ice sculptors to compete for first prize. The sculptures are beautiful, particularly at night (which is basically all day in winter) when they’re lit up by colored lamps.
Is Fairbanks too cold for you in the winter? No problem! Fairbanks is also home of the Ice Museum, where you can go see ice sculpting and sculptures even in the summer! Although the room housing the 25 or so ice sculptures is kept at a chilly 20 degrees Fahrenheit, the viewing area is kept warm and you can view the ice sculptures in complete comfort.
Fairbanks Ice Museum
The Astoria Column, Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon
The Astoria Column is one of 12 historic markers created by Ralph Budd, in part to create a destination for his Great Northern Railroad. Budd hired Electus Litchfield to be the chief architect on the project and they agreed that Coxcomb Hill, Oregon would be the perfect location due to its wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean, Mount Rainier, the Columbia River and downtown Astoria.
The column was built in 1926 and is decorated with a series of illustrations telling the history of Oregon from the early wildlife, native people, the arrival of Capt Robert Gray, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Pioneers and the arrival of the railroad (of course). The column is made of concrete and is patterned after Trajan’s Column in Rome. It’s 125 feet high but after climbing the 164 steps to the top you’ll find a commanding view over 600 feet above the ocean. Italian artist Attilo Pusterla used a technique called sgraffito to make the “cartoons” surrounding the column.
The column fell into disrepair due to the harsh Pacific Northwest weather, the Great Depression and World War II. Restoration started in the 1980s and today the monument is a rather fascinating look at Oregon’s history.
The Astoria Column has served for over 80 years as a beacon on the Pacific Northwest Coast. It sits in a wooded area 600 feet above sea level on Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon’s highest point. Majestic views of the countryside surrounding Astoria are the great Pacific Ocean to the west and the mighty Columbia River to the north. Snow-capped volcano, Mt. Rainier in the Cascade Range rises to the east and Saddle Mountain reaches to the sky on the southern horizon.
Astoria Column
The Hacienda Horse and Rider is part of the outdoor walking tour associated with the Neon Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada
Where but Las Vegas would one find a museum dedicated to neon? If the strip has become too touristy for you and you long for the days when Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack ruled the casinos, then a trip to the Neon Museum is a must-do the next time you’re in town. There you can wander around a scrap heap of old signs that lit up now defunct casinos and other establishments in a surrealistic but interesting journey back through time.
Some of the signs have been restored and are in full working order while others sit out in the desert sun, rotting away. One of the most spectacular signs that has been restored back to its former glory is the Hacienda horse and rider that graces the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Hacienda Street, adjacent to the Freemont Experience in the downtown area. Similarly the magic lantern from the Aladdin now once again shines in its former glory, also part of the outdoor walking tour near the Freemont Experience.
Although tacky in the extreme, there’s still something magical about all the neon in Las Vegas. The next time you’re in Nevada, working on striking it rich at the slot machines, take a look around at what your money has built. It’s pretty interesting and amazing on so many levels.
The Neon Museum
The Fremont Troll, under the Aurora bridge in Fremont, Washington
The Fremont Troll lives under the Aurora bridge in Fremont, Washington (more properly known by locals as the Artists’ Republic of Fremont), an artsy suburb of Seattle. The troll was sculpted in 1990 by four local artists: Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead. Climbing the troll is encouraged!
Comments (0) 
Themocracy