September 27, Paonia, Colorado. The aspen were at their peak of blazing color, the sky was as blue as it could be, and it was our wedding day. We could not have asked for a better day. Friends had come from near and far to celebrate with us. Locomotive whistles were blown at the appointed hour in Georgetown, Antonito and Chama all at the same time by friends who were unable to attend. The day went amazingly well and before we knew it we were off to Silverton for the first night of our married life.
We had reserved the honeymoon suite of the Grand Imperial Hotel. The height of luxury with a large main room, a dressing room and a private washroom. There were lovely fresh flowers and a bottle of sparkling wine to greet us. It was wonderful.
The next morning we were off to Chama, New Mexico. Mike had to return to work on the railroad to finish the season and our first living arrangement was to be the bunkhouse (built 1881) at the Chama railroad yard. Quite a stark change from our accommodations at the Grand Imperial Hotel. A bare three rooms with a coal stove and a water cooler. The bunk rooms had two single metal bunks with very thin mattresses. We dressed these up as best we could, as we would be staying for another week. Our friend Russ Fischer occupied the bunkroom on the other end of the little building. The sound of the coal tower would wake us early in the morning. The coal stove would always have some glowing embers left, so it was not hard to get the little bunkhouse warm in the very chilly mornings of late September, early October.
The morning and evening trips to the outhouse could be perilous since a family of skunks had made their home under the bunkhouse with a direct route from there to the outhouse and beyond. We met every day and they had the right of way.
Mike would fill and replace our water cooler every day at the Cumbres water tank with fresh spring water (Chama water was not an option). I would walk over to the coal tower and fill up a five gallon bucket with stray lumps of coal for the stove. The washroom arrangements however were not as simple a matter to deal with. There was only one locker room where the men would shower and change after their long (dirty and greasy, I might add) days on the railroad. I would not dare attempt to use it during the day as men who worked around the yard and in the shop were in and out all the time. I would wait for Mike to get back and have him stand guard for me after all the men had finished. This arrangement went well until one evening someone stopped at the door to talk to Mike and they were soon very deep in a mechanical type discussion. Needless to say Mike forgot his main purpose for standing at the door and I soon heard voices and shuffling feet. The track crew was coming in to get cleaned up. I never dressed so fast in all my life. Mike did not realize his oversight until I came running out with wet clothes and hair. A lot of apologizing followed and the incident was (thankfully) never repeated. It was discussed a lot over the years, however.
October 4th was Mike’s last day in Chama. Everyone got together and wished us well and we were off for a month long honeymoon trip. It would be an adventure, but not as much as an adventure as our honeymoon at the bunkhouse in Chama, New Mexico.
