When Travel Adventure Risks Are Greater Than Expected
Have you found yourself in a travel adventure and faced greater risks than you expected?
The Adventure
It was our third trip as a family. It was my then 9-month-old daughter, my two stepsons, ages 10 & 11, my husband, and I. We live in South Texas. For this trip, we flew to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and then drove to Colorado. We were en route to experience the so-called Swiss Alps of the U. S.
Via car, we traveled to Durango, Colorado. From there, we traveled aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a coal-fired steam locomotive.
This particular route and mode of transportation allowed us to experience spectacular views of canyons and the San Juan National Forest. It gave us a feel for the old west.
Did you know, a portion of this route is called “The Million Dollar Highway?” Some suspect it is because of the costs associated with its construction. Others speculate it’s either because of the incredible views or the area’s connection to silver and gold mining.
The Risk
Silverton is a beautiful Colorado town nestled in a valley between 13,000-foot mountains. On our first day there, we rented a jeep. The plan was to explore the surrounding areas on our own in an all terrain vehicle to take in the natural beauty of these new and exciting surroundings.
There were some paths up the mountain, but not all of the paths were easily accessible, or safe. The plan was to explore one of the recommended “safe” paths.
At the jeep rental agency, we were issued the car along with a map. We were cautioned with the following message, “as long as you stay out of the red areas marked on this map, you will do just fine.”
We took the map and set out on our journey.
The Danger
Not long after we ventured into the unknown, we realized that the map was not what you would have called accurate or reliable.
We were already halfway up one of the mountains adjacent to the Silverton Valley when we discovered this unfortunate fact.
The map described a very different terrain than the one in which we found ourselves. We were at a pretty high point on the mountain. Still not the end of the safe route marked on the map. It was a narrow one-way road with loose gravel on both sides of the car.
It did not seem possible to make a turn to head back. Continuing on the path forward was not an option either.
We were stuck in the open, at an uncomfortable height, with no safe alternative.
There definitely should have been more clearly defined red markings on the map. The map should have prevented us from reaching that dangerous point.
The Beauty and the Beast
Despite the danger immediately underneath our car, the scene in front of us was beautiful. We had a marvelous view of a small lake with still blue water surrounded by the waning winter ice. We had seen it from a different angle on our way up. Now we could see the whole spectacularly beautiful scene even better.
However, the atmosphere in the car was very, very tense. So much so that I couldn’t snap a photo. I glanced at the camera and contemplated picking it up for a milli-second. However, I was concerned that any movement, more than was necessary, would cause us to start rolling down the mountain.
I also knew that this would be upsetting my husband more than the situation already was. He was very nervous. I can imagine he was much more nervous than I. Grabbing the camera to snap a photo at that point would not have been a wise move.
The boys in the back were absorbing the view and were not entirely aware of the danger we were in. We tried not to make our dilemma apparent, as we didn’t want to scare them.
To top it off, my husband is afraid of heights, especially when he can not see a wall or a rail. There is something else to add to this anguishing situation. At some point during this journey, my daughter had developed a fever. She was hot to the touch.
I do not know how long we sat there, with my husband trying to figure out how to get us back down safely.
Back to Safety
Eventually, he began to maneuver the car inch by inch until he could turn around completely. Until he could drive forward on the path toward the beginning of the incline.
We were both shaken to the core through this slow process to get us back down. It wasn’t until we reached the point of safety that my husband reflected out loud on how he had just put all of our lives at risk.
From the point at the beginning of the incline, we still had some ways to get on the road back to the town. Halfway there, we came across a jeep occupied by a tour guide and several tourists heading to the mountain. Why did we not come across them when we needed them? Though, it wouldn’t have mattered. The tour guide actually stopped us to ask for directions!!??
We were grateful to have avoided a catastrophe. For sure we now ask more questions any time we seek out new travel adventures in an effort to avoid travel mishaps.