A Wild West Adventure

July 6, 1979 to August 2, 2014, that's a long time between visits to the Cumbres & Toltec RR, the survivor of General Palmer's once far flung narrow gauge empire.

Nothing much changes in Chama.  Different light fixtures, construction materials, method for loading coal, tourist cars.  Aside from that, same-same.  Little locomotives, big landscape.  Shovel 3 tons of coal into an insatiably hungry firebox in 9 miles over 70 minutes.  Sudden thunder storms preceded by low clouds.  Cattle on the track.  It's wonderful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See what I mean?

Day One

Don't know what to say or where to go with this.  Do know the best adventure starts with one step in any direction.

Recently went to the Crazy Horse sculpture.  Only First Nation people could and would start a project that takes several generations to complete.

Do know that white-folk can make simple, word-for-word translations from one language into American.  His name is Ta Sunka Witko.  Horse that is crazy.  Crazy Horse!

Also know what white-folk do a miserable job at translating idioms and concepts, so I asked what his name really meant.

One source said, "Spirited Horse". Little bit better, but somehow unsatisfying.

Then I met a man full of years and wisdom.  A man equally comfortable in both the solid and spirit world.  A man who knows Jesus.  His name is Mr. Alvin Grassrope.  He told me the truth.

Not "Crazy Horse", but "His Horse Is An Unselfish Sacrifice For His People".   My, how that changes the context for understanding the man.  And for understanding why he deserves a mountain top as a testimony.

First Nation people know very well what the church forgot in the last 1600 years.