Bighorn Sheep Canyon Rafting on the Arkansas River

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To wrap up the adventure activities on our birthday weekend, Heather and I went whitewater rafting with Echo Canyon River Expeditions on Bighorn Sheep Canyon.  We originally had been scheduled to do the Royal Gorge but due to high water, the gorge was closed for commercial rafting.

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Getting into our gear.

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At the put-in point unloading the rafts.

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There was a big troop of boy scouts from Georgia on our trip.

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Excited for some white water!




Here are some of the best clips of the rapids.


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All loaded up and ready to go back to base.


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The tour leader debriefing after a good run.

Royal Gorge Route Railroad Dinner Train

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In honor of our birthdays, we took a trip on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.

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A little narrow gauge steam engine they have on display at the station in Cañon City.

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It is a geared locomotive.

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Creepy mannequin in the cab.

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Train backing into the station after a run up the gorge.


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Neat open air cars.  They just cut the top off of some old passenger cars and took the seats out.


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Train being hooked up to the extra cars used on the dinner run.


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Heading down to our car.

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Auxiliary power unit to run the kitchens.

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Looking downriver as we head up into the Royal Gorge.



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Starting to get into the narrow part of the route.

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Old pipeline made out of wood that used to feed Cañon City with water.


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Tiny champagne bottle.  For some reason, they couldn’t give us glasses with our tiny bottles.


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The Royal Gorge Bridge in sight!


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Moon rising behind the train.


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Pulling past the bridge far above us onto the A-frame railroad bridge through the absolute narrowest part of the canyon.

IMG_5252Our two adorable little bottles.


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This is a very unique railroad bridge.  It suspends the railroad between the two cliff faces and over the river.


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The moon and two extraordinary bridges.

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Heading further up the canyon.

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Out onto the plains above Royal Gorge.


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Dinner in the dome car.