The Royal Gorge RailroadThe RGRR is a tourist train that runs 12 miles west out of Canyon City, CO, through the Royal Gorge, beneath the famous Royal Gorge Bridge, and back to Canyon City.
Normally we like to focus on people (actors and audience members) in these galleries and ignore the backgrounds, but the Royal Gorge is so beautiful we thought we'd dedicate a page to some of our favorite views.
November, 2004: One of our first trips on the RGRR happened in a snowstorm. It's ironic, but bad weather seems to make a Gorge trip even more beautiful.
Heading up-river in the storm. The RGRR set up for night travel by installing blue string lights on the observation car and side-pointing floodlights beneath the dining car to light up the river and canyon walls.
Sheltered from the storm in a classic dining car, the guests were fed and entertained with a seance - followed by murder - in the dining car.
Meanwhile outside: as audience members solved our murder, the train hurried back to the depot through an intensifying storm.
Safe return: the storm was just ending as we pulled into the depot.
Well-stocked kitchen: RGRR's Chef Mario oversees the preparation of an excellent dinner in the galley.
Fantasy. One evening we met onboard a mother and daughter from Akron, CO, who were on vacation and feeling a little guilty that they would miss Sunday services the next day (Mom is an organist at the Methodist Church). So we made them part of the show by describing how the scenario's movie director was throwing a party and had invited a couple of "hot Methodist babes."
As they got up to de-train at the depot later they told how much they enjoyed the show and added that they "really hate to leave." We knew exactly what they meant. Sometimes we don't like to give up the fantasy either.
Good night, America, how are you? The RGRR disappears into blue mountain twilight.