ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Yes, the drive to Alamosa is a long one but when you go, you're taking a trip back in time.

The Cumbres and Toltec Narrow Gauge Railroad dates back to the 1880s when it hauled silver ore, timber and tourists through the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Today, only the tourists and the train remain. The steam engines pull 500 tons of locomotive and train, plus several hundred passengers.

Engineer Carlos Llamas likes to show visitors the working end of the train until it's time for passengers to get all aboard.

The longest stretch of the Narrow Gauge Railroad line left in the country is the 65 miles from Antonito, Colo., to Chama, N.M. By the time the train reaches the end of its run, it will have crossed the Colorado-New Mexico border 11 times, burning five tons of coal.

"It's a bit of a workout but once you get used to it, it's not that bad," said Llamas, who shovels the coals into the burner.

Bill's next stop was Alamosa's Vintage Garage, where artifacts from another era have replaced old cars in need of repairs. In the garage, people from all over the San Luis Valley have antiques for sale and the selection is mind boggling.

Lunch is served in the back of the garage where the Back in Thyme eatery has some of the best food in the San Luis Valley. Be sure to save room for dessert.

And be sure to pack some water and sunscreen for a trip you have to take to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. As a national park, the Great Sand Dunes are a little less than two years old. But the dunes themselves are much older -- about 2.5 million years old.

The quickest introduction to the park comes right outside the visitors' center, where you can take a self-guided tour. It runs about one half-mile and it shows you just about everything.

In the winter, people sand surf down the dunes. It's hard to believe that some people hike up more than 700 feet to the top of the dunes only to walk back down. It will be one of the more difficult hikes you will experience, Bill said.

Park geologist Andrew Lopez said that a hike should start with good shoes -- not sandals.

Great footwear is one thing. Water is another. It's a necessity. Make sure you take some time to enjoy the water and the view because it takes a while to get up to the top. If you tilt your head and squint, it's just like being at the beach.

The Milagros Coffee House in Alamosa was Bill's last stop after the dunes. Though they have a jolt of joe and a little latte, the Milagros is more than just a coffee shop. It's an art gallery, Internet cafe, ice cream parlor and deli with all the profits going to support the less fortunate residents of the San Luis Valley.

They are one of only a few nonprofit coffee houses in Colorado.

Is it a long drive? You bet. But Alamosa was worth the one tank.

Bill's Travel Notes

Granted, Alamosa is a long drive from Denver. But as with the other trips this summer, we chose to take a scenic route. Unfortunately, Interstate 25 doesn't change very significantly until well south of Pueblo. You'll start heading west at Walsenburg, taking U.S. 50 over La Veta Pass, with the Spanish Peaks to the South. The road's wide and well-paved, with plenty of passing lanes and easily banked turns.

About 17 miles east of Alamosa, you'll spot the turnoff for the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Trouble is, you have no idea of the magnificent nature of the Dunes this far away. And the Dunes are not a place to be appreciated in just a couple of hours.

My suggestion is to go into Alamosa, get your lodging arranged and spend the rest of the day chilling out. Or stay at the campground inside the park. There's a privately run facility just outside the park boundaries as well, but we weren't able to check them out. For a complete rundown on the Great Sand Dunes, you'll find everything you need to know at AmericanSouthwest.net.

As luck would have it, we found a great Web site -- Sangres.com -- with information on the entire region. Go to the regional map and click on Alamosa (or any other city that's shown) and you'll be connected to that community's Web site.

The other alternative is AlamosaChamber.com, which is the Web site for the Alamosa Chamber of Commerce. This site is a bit tougher to navigate, so if you want lodging, scroll down to the very bottom to get the listings.

The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad will be operating now through Oct. 16, with trips originating from the station in Antonito, 18 miles south of Alamosa. CumbresandToltec.com is the Web site that has schedules, prices and the official history of the line.

The people who run the railroad are about as user friendly as any I've seen and if you ask engineer Carlos Llamas, he'll be happy to show you what it takes to make a steam engine pull more than 800 tons of steel, iron and rolling stock plus passengers. The trip to Chama, N.M. is an all-day journey, so most folks opt to take the trip halfway, then catch the shuttle bus back to Antonito. If you decide to go all the way to Chama and spend the night, be aware that it's a small town with fairly modest lodging and restaurants to match.

Our visit to the Vintage Garage uncovered a treasure trove of antiques. Even if you're not a collector, it's worth a visit just to see some cool stuff that's on sale. The restaurant is called the Back in Thyme Eatery, and for now it's just serving lunches. But the lunches are extraordinary (and modestly priced, to boot). Be sure to save room for dessert. Later this summer we were told the Back in Thyme will begin testing out dinners. If they can maintain the same high standards that we saw at lunch, this could well be the best dinner you'll get in the San Luis Valley, unless you're going for Mom's home cooking.

And finally, the Milagros Coffee Shop in town is worth a stop. Some very cool art, the Internet access, and a relaxing atmosphere. Some visitors told us the Milagros was also pet friendly, but the real attraction is the ambience. The added plus is that all profits go to support all sorts of programs for those in need in the San Luis Valley -- everything from a battered women's shelter to a food bank. You'll be glad you visited.

This will be our last One Tank Trip for this year. All of our stories from the past four years are here at The Denver Channel, and I'd encourage you to check them out for some inspiration if you're looking for anything from a three-day weekend to a two-week trip.

Thanks to all the communities and the people who supported us on our trips. Thanks also to Best Western for again sponsoring the reports, and to Phil Long Ford for the mighty Mustang 40th Anniversary Edition convertible that made driving around this incredible state such a pleasure.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to start planning some One Tanks (and more!) for my own driving pleasure this August and September.

Best wishes,
Bill Clarke

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