Train Trip in April

Of course, I always forget these are going to be backwards. Oh well. There was a guy coming through serenading everyone. He stopped and sang, "Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys for us."

Kim and Haven trying to get out of the wind on the open air car.

Of the kids, only Eric loved the wind and noise of the open air platform. Surprise, surprise.

The boys showing us the open air platform right behind the engine.

Here's the dome car we rode in. We're stopped at LaVeta for about an hour. We got ice cream at the old fashioned soda fountain at Charlie's.

Everyone looking out. Love this.

Here we are.

4-2-2011 About to board the train.

Hi all,

Still trying to make my way through pictures. Mike has to go to Denver in August this year so we couldn't go in June like we were planning. So we went with him over Spring Break instead the 1st week of April. We headed out on a Thursday night right after school and stayed in N. Platte. Then we drove to Alamosa, CO on Friday with a detour at Focus on the Family's Whit's End in CO Springs. Love that place! Spent Friday and Saturday night in Alamosa with an awesome all day train trip to LaVeta via the LaVeta pass on Saturday. We'd been planning this for years and were waiting for a good age for everyone since it is definitely not inexpensive. It was great! The boys loved it. We reserved seats in the dome car which had an awesome, awesome view. Plus we'd reserved this huge booth the train crew called the banana seat. It seated all 6 of us plus 2 tables. The kids could kneel and look out as much as they wanted. Awesome time! It was a doubledecker car with the seats above and a dining car with a really nice bathroom (for a train) below.

My Niece, Kim, was along again this year to help nanny since Mike works so much during the week. We wouldn't have made it this time without her. We saw Mike for about 5 minutes Monday, Tuesday, and didn't see him for much more on Wednesday. Plus we had to stay out of our 2 bedroom suite in the evenings for noise control so he could work. Kim was a lifesaver. Love her.

Shae