Days #3 & 9: Sightseeing -- Honest!!
Days #3 & 9: Sightseeing -- Honest!
Neil and I have a sightseeing reputation with our Panama Crew, and not a very good one at that. For those of you who do not know to whom "Panama Crew" refers, it is a group of six families who bonded closely and became extended family for one another when we all were stationed with the military on the Pacific side of Panama in the early 1980's. Every other year, we have a Panama Reunion where as many of the "parents" and "kids who can make it gather together for a wonderful time of fun and fellowship . . . and some sightseeing, perhaps. Of course, the "kids" now have kids of their own, so our group flourishes and grows year by year with the addition of precious new little people (aka sightseers?).
Neil and I occasionally opt out of the sightseeing adventure, depending on the destination, the time involved, and our energy level. OK, maybe we often opt out, preferring to kick back, relax, and soak up the beauty at the home base for that particular gathering, so through the years we've gained a reputation and taken a significant amount of kidding for being the worst sightseers of the Panama Crew. Thus, if sightseeing should ever enter the realm of our reality, it is something that needs to be noted and specifically pointed out to our Panama friends.
While we were in Santa Fe, New Mexico our third day out, Neil and I wandered through the historic district and thoroughly enjoyed our time there, seeing their beautiful old buildings and especially their old churches.
Our favorite place was Loretto Chapel. Completed in 1878, Loretto has what is known as the "Mysterious Staircase." Innovative at the time, this amazing structure's design still perplexes architectural experts. Built only with wooden pegs -- no nails and no support posts or beams, this graceful staircase makes two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support as it ascends from the floor at the back of the chapel to the choir loft.
On the ninth day of our "CCR . . . and More" journey, we took time to go and see another amazing thing in honor of two good friends, Richard in SoCal and Jeff of Virginia (one of the Panama Crew), because they are both train buffs.
Wandering through Historic Cheyenne, we sought out "Big Boy." For the benefit of us non-train buffs, "Big Boy" is a gargantuan, humongous steam engine. One of a series of only 25 locomotives and listed as "the largest steam locomotive" ever, Big Boy was designed and built in 1941 for the Union Pacific Railroad to be used on the especially rugged run from Cheyenne to Ogden, UT. Although retired in 1956, Big Boy (also called the Mighty 4004) can be viewed in all his glory at Holiday Park in Cheyenne, and view it we did, as you can see by the photo below. (Note: the system is not downloading photos at the moment, so check back for the photo at another time.)
For those of you who love statistics, this locomotive weights 1,208,750 pounds and is just over 132 feet long, with a fuel capacity of 28 tons and a water capacity of 25,000 gallons. With those mind-boggling numbers, you can see why Big Boy was a marvelous and magnificent sight to behold!
Neil and I have a sightseeing reputation with our Panama Crew, and not a very good one at that. For those of you who do not know to whom "Panama Crew" refers, it is a group of six families who bonded closely and became extended family for one another when we all were stationed with the military on the Pacific side of Panama in the early 1980's. Every other year, we have a Panama Reunion where as many of the "parents" and "kids who can make it gather together for a wonderful time of fun and fellowship . . . and some sightseeing, perhaps. Of course, the "kids" now have kids of their own, so our group flourishes and grows year by year with the addition of precious new little people (aka sightseers?).
Neil and I occasionally opt out of the sightseeing adventure, depending on the destination, the time involved, and our energy level. OK, maybe we often opt out, preferring to kick back, relax, and soak up the beauty at the home base for that particular gathering, so through the years we've gained a reputation and taken a significant amount of kidding for being the worst sightseers of the Panama Crew. Thus, if sightseeing should ever enter the realm of our reality, it is something that needs to be noted and specifically pointed out to our Panama friends.
While we were in Santa Fe, New Mexico our third day out, Neil and I wandered through the historic district and thoroughly enjoyed our time there, seeing their beautiful old buildings and especially their old churches.
Our favorite place was Loretto Chapel. Completed in 1878, Loretto has what is known as the "Mysterious Staircase." Innovative at the time, this amazing structure's design still perplexes architectural experts. Built only with wooden pegs -- no nails and no support posts or beams, this graceful staircase makes two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support as it ascends from the floor at the back of the chapel to the choir loft.
On the ninth day of our "CCR . . . and More" journey, we took time to go and see another amazing thing in honor of two good friends, Richard in SoCal and Jeff of Virginia (one of the Panama Crew), because they are both train buffs.
Wandering through Historic Cheyenne, we sought out "Big Boy." For the benefit of us non-train buffs, "Big Boy" is a gargantuan, humongous steam engine. One of a series of only 25 locomotives and listed as "the largest steam locomotive" ever, Big Boy was designed and built in 1941 for the Union Pacific Railroad to be used on the especially rugged run from Cheyenne to Ogden, UT. Although retired in 1956, Big Boy (also called the Mighty 4004) can be viewed in all his glory at Holiday Park in Cheyenne, and view it we did, as you can see by the photo below. (Note: the system is not downloading photos at the moment, so check back for the photo at another time.)
For those of you who love statistics, this locomotive weights 1,208,750 pounds and is just over 132 feet long, with a fuel capacity of 28 tons and a water capacity of 25,000 gallons. With those mind-boggling numbers, you can see why Big Boy was a marvelous and magnificent sight to behold!
posted by Patty @ 8:40 AM
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