Mesa Verde trip, June 13, 2013

Today, at breakfast, we had the company of a lot of interesting people: a couple from Cincinnati; a gentleman from the Netherlands via Germany, and two sisters who had been brought up in South Carolina but who were of Asian extraction--one of whom is studying to become a pulmonologist. The conversation was varied and interesting, and everyone seemed keen to talk about their travels. Harris gave us another one of his stellar breakfasts, including a potato pancake, a poached egg, toast, and the usual fruit. We left reluctantly at 9:00 a.m., as we had had a great time in the area. Drove from Mancos to Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Montrose, Gunnison, Poncha Springs, Buena Vista, to Leadville, which included five passes. In Ouray we stopped at a restaurant called the Goldbelt Bar and Grill, where we had catfish, sweet potato fries and a salad on the terrace and facing into the mountains. A few hours later we were in Gunnison and had a chai latte as well as a biscotti before traveling on. In Leadville, of course, temperatures were cooler than they had been all day elsewhere. We got there in time to pick up Chase and Zoe, Ann's dog as well as her friend Marge's dog, both of whom were being cared for by a third party until Ann returned. The dogs were so glad to see Ann, as was Jazzy the cat when we returned to Ann's house. We took the dogs for a walk, then had soup and a Mike's hard lemonade before unpacking and settling in for the evening. It is lovely and cool here this evening, which is wonderful after the heat we have experienced further south. Good night!