Fun in the snow!

[Nighthawk]

Yesterday, I spent the day at the Colorado Railroad Museum and the rebuilt historical Fort Lupton. Thought I would show off a few pictures!

They fired up a steam engine for the Santa Train! And as you can see, we had a lovely fresh blanket of snow on the ground. The sky had just cleared and the snow had just lifted, making the lighting beautiful!







The model railroad had one miserable night!





Our first ride, we sat in the open-air car. The crew thought we were nuts...



My dad.



Jackie and I:



For our second ride, we rode in one of the coaches. The crew thought we had regained our senses...





More to follow!

[Nighthawk]

I would draw your attention to the lovely lamp overhead. The museum went to a lot (and I mean a lot) of time and expense to recreate those. They are beautiful!



These cars also have functional coal stoves, so it was nice and warm in there.

We ran across the museum mascot, Spike:





And of course, Santa Clause!



Onto the Fort!

[Nighthawk]

The party at the Fort was a fur trapper era events, meaning 1840's. I don't have any period-appropriate clothing that is warm- all my 1800's period clothing is PV, and it was really cold- so I went psuedo-historical. I wasn't accurate, but I was warm! And I was a big hit.

These pictures were taken in the lookout tower.



The Fort grounds, as seen from the tower, which by the way is now complete. I haven't seen it since they finished it!



The courtyard, with wreaths on all the doors!





The Christmas tree:


Another feature of the Fort that I haven't gotten to see completed and in use before is the fire place. It was a welcomed thing, I'll tell you!





Mom and Dad sitting on Santa's lap:



Wonder what mischief Dad is stirring up... Come to think of it, I don't want to know...

One fat man sitting on the lap of another...



This is the third time this year I've seen Santa. Wonder if he thinks I'm kissing up!

[Nighthawk]

Family picture with Santa!



My mom joined in with the carolers:







The lady wearing the green jacket always hunts me down in order to sing that song about the drunken Scotsman when I'm there with my reenactment group. Luckily she opted to not sing it last night...

So- it was a spectacular way to kick off my Christmas season. Hope you're all having some fun, as well!

[mookien]

Nice wintry pictures. Thanks for posting them. They made me shiver, but then again we have a few inches of new snow outside, too. That fireplace looks great, and warm.

I've taken rides on the Chama to Antonito and the Durango to Silverton steam trains in warmer weather, but never to Ft. Lupton.

Love the steam coming off the boiler. Your dad looks like a natural railroad man. I also like the ones of you and your dad with Spike, and your family with Santa. Merry Christmas to you all!

[Nighthawk]

Nice wintry pictures. Thanks for posting them. They made me shiver, but then again we have a few inches of new snow outside, too. That fireplace looks great, and warm.

I've taken rides on the Chama to Antonito and the Durango to Silverton steam trains in warmer weather, but never to Ft. Lupton.

Love the steam coming off the boiler. Your dad looks like a natural railroad man. I also like the ones of you and your dad with Spike, and your family with Santa. Merry Christmas to you all!

My dad helped to restore the Cumbres & Toltec back in the 60's and 70's. I was born in Las Alamos and lived in Chama for a long time. We used to have winter specials. I remember riding the C&TS when it was cold and snowy. Watching those rotary's throwing snow (what looked to me like) hundreds of feet in the air is a memory I'll never forget! And my dad will never forget firing the things... He seemed to think he was going to get himself killed if he did it very often.

[mookien]

My dad helped to restore the Cumbres & Toltec back in the 60's and 70's. I was born in Las Alamos and lived in Chama for a long time. We used to have winter specials. I remember riding the C&TS when it was cold and snowy. Watching those rotary's throwing snow (what looked to me like) hundreds of feet in the air is a memory I'll never forget! And my dad will never forget firing the things... He seemed to think he was going to get himself killed if he did it very often.

Nighthawk: You're a real Los Alamos native! I was probably here beavering away at the lab when you were born. How long did you live in Lost Almost? How long in Chama? We probably have common acquaintances. Did you go to school here? My wife taught math in Cumbres Middle School on North Mesa (it's old name is Horse Mesa).

Your dad helped restore the Cumbres and Toltec Line and was a fireman on the railroad? Be sure to tell him "Congratulations!" and thank him for me. What a wonderful legacy he left behind for everyone to enjoy.

We have ridden on the train several times. As you know, it goes all the way to Antonito, but in recent years there is also a ride up to Cumbres Pass, where the passengers eat lunch, and then return to Chama. I have been in the Observation Car in the summer time and shivered in the cold. You must have anti-freeze in your veins.

If your dad hasn't heard, tell him that the Lobato trestle burned down the summer before last (2010), but they now have a new one in its place.

Cheers!

mookien

[Nighthawk]

Nighthawk: You're a real Los Alamos native! I was probably here beavering away at the lab when you were born. How long did you live in Lost Almost? How long in Chama? We probably have common acquaintances. Did you go to school here? My wife taught math in Cumbres Middle School on North Mesa (it's old name is Horse Mesa).

Your dad helped restore the Cumbres and Toltec Line and was a fireman on the railroad? Be sure to tell him "Congratulations!" and thank him for me. What a wonderful legacy he left behind for everyone to enjoy.

We have ridden on the train several times. As you know, it goes all the way to Antonito, but in recent years there is also a ride up to Cumbres Pass, where the passengers eat lunch, and then return to Chama. I have been in the Observation Car in the summer time and shivered in the cold. You must have anti-freeze in your veins.

If your dad hasn't heard, tell him that the Lobato trestle burned down the summer before last (2010), but they now have a new one in its place.

Cheers!

mookien

Actually, Mookien, I was only born in Las Alamos. It was at the time the only decent hospital in the area. My mom was a music teacher in Chama's middle/high school, which was our source of income when the train wasn't running.

So- the ride to Ozier and back is nothing particularly new. I have taken that ride (and my own lunch because the food used to be bad!) on many occasions. My mom ran the original snack/souvenier (or however you spell it!!) car on the train. I literally learned to walk riding the thing. On the Lobato trestle thing, we've been following the reconstruction for the last 18 or so months. My dad has plenty of friends who are still involved. I actually had tried to get a tartan designed and woven as a fundraiser, but couldn't afford to get it done. I wanted to make ties and waistcoats. I simply called it Chama, and based the colors off the fall colors of the mountains.

It's funny that you mention the antifreeze in my veins thing! My best friend is an Arapaho. During the winter, he bundles up in layers and parka and as much clothing as he can, looks at me in my kilt and wool sweater, and curses me for an insane Viking (I once threatened to infect his blanket with malaria, which his mom thought was hysterically funny.) Of course, during the summer, when he turns brown as I'm turning red, I curse him while he calls me Lobster Boy...

So with all that having been said, check out my dad's YouTube channel!

http://www.youtube.com/user/gothpapa...eo-mustangbase

You'll find all kinds of fun stuff there.

[mookien]

Nighthawk: Great website! I bookmarked it. I like the current video, though it too made me feel cold. I caught a glimpse of a rotary plow (though not in action), and saw you and Jackie waving at the passengers. Nice kilt! Was your dad filming that? He's pretty good with a camera. Mine are always shaky.

I liked that short biography of your mom and dad.

Wow! You had a long ride home from the hospital, after you were born, though you probably don't remember much about it.

No wonder you're cold blooded living on that 8000' plain and in even higher mountains. Tell your Arapaho friend that his ancestors lived on the relatively balmy Great Plains, so that's why he can't take the cold.

Do you have a picture of your Chama tartan design? I would like to see it sometime.

mookien

[Oddern]

Great pics! In the part of Norway where I live we have no snow at all. That is quite unusual.
Skål!