We awoke on the train in Sacramento. On the Coast Starlight they had a Parlour Car in addition to a Dining Car. The Parlour Car had a more interesting menu so we took our meals in there. It wasn't as busy, so we weren't seated with anyone else during meals. The waitress would have lasted at crossroads half a day tops. To say the train ride was uneventful would be overstating it. I missed the geography lesson on California. I guess I didn't realize the southern part of it is all desert. Or at least it looks like desert to me. [View Full Entry]

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We were up early at the Rouge River Inn and had breakfast at the hotel with lots of Amish people from Ohio. Once out the door, we headed toward Crater Lake. It was a lovely ride through some more redwoods and alot of National Park land. As we entered the Crater Lake area and stopped at the guard station to pay, up ahead, a deer walked across the road with two little ons trailing behind her. We didn't see any other large wildlife in the park. We climbed for a long time toward Crater Lake. It is right up in the [View Full Entry]

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Tonight we interupt this blog for a Wildlife Report for Steve Wight. We often interupt selectmen's meetings for discussion of recent wildlife sightings and I don't want Steve to miss out. Wildlife sighted so far on this trip include: White tail deer in Illinois; Jackrabbit in a Colorado train station, Parie dogs in Denver (a little village between the tracks and the road): mule deer in Colorado; a tortoise in Nevada; fox kits in Nebraska; black tail deer in Utah; more cows, horses and goats than you could count; Magpies all over; pelicans; various ducks in several states; and Elk today [View Full Entry]

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Day 5 After breakfast, Brian kicked my ass at Gin for awhile. It was a continuation of him kicking my ass at Cribbage. I thought sure I couuld beat him at my favorite game, but no luck. I'm into him for like 12.70 now (10 cents a point). Bob said if we gambled on the train, we had to give him half. But, we gave him a nice tip instead. You couldn't have asked for a better car attendent. He'd been a railroad man for 35 years. When Clinton did his train tour, Bob was on the car with the Clintons. [View Full Entry]

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Day 1 We left for Portland around 6am. Kelsie drove down with us to take the car back. A quck stop at Tim Horton's on the Maine Mall road enabled us to meet what had to be Tim Horton's newest employee. Two atempts at a hazelnut with just cream, no sugar, and she produced a regular coffee for Brian the third time we asked for it. We'd already paid for it, and it was on the screen, but she was still having trouble. We got to the bus station right as the bus was boarding. A pleasant ride to Boston [View Full Entry]

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(No Steve we haven't left yet) Here's the ambitious trip schedule. It's mostly road trip. Leave Boston the 12 at noon. Arrive in Sacramento the 15th in the evening. Pick up car and leave for Eureka the morning of the 16th. See the Redwoods, head towards Crater Lake, need to be in Klamouth Falls at 10pm on the 18th to catch the train to San Diego. Arrive in San Diego 1am-ish on the 20. Spend 20th and 21st in San Diego. Zoo/Sea World, some fine dining! 22nd is travel day to Merced via train and bus (bus from LA to Bakersfield, [View Full Entry]

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I have now bought all the train tickets I need. Today I order San Diego to Merced, and Fort Worth to Boston. We'll be getting into Boston at 9pm. I probably won't be able to find a kid willing to come get me at 11 or midnight, so we may spend the night in Boston or Portland and ask for a pickup in the morning. I have one hotel reservation left to make, in Merced. Brian found something, but I didn't have time to double check the info. Last chore will be to reserve a car in Sacramento and Merced. I [View Full Entry]

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I've bought more train tickets. This time down the California Coast. We're spending three days in San Diego. Sea World and the zoo are on tap. Maybe a trip to Mexico. Maybe Kelsie will join us. We're probably taking the train home as well. I haven't bought those tickets yet. I did get a hotel room in Sacramento. The 13 mile taxi ride from the train station is going to be expensive, but the hotel is right near the car rental place. I talked to my Uncle last night and he'll take us to the train station if we come home [View Full Entry]

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Wow, I wanted a travelblog for my upcoming summer adventure, but I am not doing anything half as exciting as the folks on this place are doing. But, since this isn't high school, I'm sure nobody will mind and it's only for the family and friends anyway. The Amtrak tickets have arrived -- BOS to SAC (Boston, MA to Sacramento, CA). The luggage is here and I bought a new camera to document the trip. Post is a fabulous picture of mud season in Maine. I still need to reserve a rental car and try to do a calendar. I hope [View Full Entry]

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