24 Hours, 2 trains, LAX and computer registration systems suck

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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. The desert extends all the way to the beach. We saw some California coastline and lots of farmland. They were growing acres and acres of lettuces and cabbage. From at least San Jose down, it was just one town after another spread out in the desert where the hills weren't.

We got into LA on time around 9. That train station is freakin' huge! But we didn't see much of it. We had a 10:10 connection to make, I had been told it would be a bus. We strolled to the ticket counter where the man said it wasn't a bus, it was a train that was leaving now. Yikes! When I told Tammy House in the Supt's Office what our plans were, she said it sounded like the "Amazing Race" to her. Actually, up until this point, it had been anything but. Everything was very smooth. But, suddenly they were calling the damn train over the speaker and we were all but running through the tunnel training to find the right track, which was upstairs. I had the heaviest suitcase and it was a struggle to get up to the tracks. Brian went ahead to make sure they didn't leave without me. Thankfully we made it as they were closing the doors with one red cap telling us to stow our bags here and another telling us to take them upstairs and find a seat. The one who wanted them upstairs was more insistant, so we hauled em up and found a seat. It was a 2.5 hour ride to put us in San Diego at midnight.

I had called the hotel on the train and told them we'd be in between midnight and 1am. I insisted they put a note on my reservation -- that I made April 20 -- that we'd be late. I called again from the very pretty train station and was told there was no room at the inn. Fabulous. I complained nicely, but alot, and it took two phone calls but finally Thomas told us we could have "the absolute last room." So we took a cab over. It was an intersting ride from the pretty train station through the "adult" section of town. They did give us a room. The TV and the wireless didn't work when I tried them this morning, but they came this afternoon and fixed both. To say the Brian was pissed off about the whole reservation thing would also be an understatement.

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Photos

House near the shore
We went by 100 miles of coastline on the train and there weren't alot of houses on it. There were some cows near this house.

Beach
There were some state parks and camping areas along the way. But most weren't on open beaches like this. One was just off a paved road that was between the tracks and the ocean. It wasn't a through way road and RVs were parked back to back with their spot only having the little section in front of them and the road behind them to camp in.

Flower stripes
Along with the cabbages and lettuces, we saw a field of flowers.

Little Boxes
Kelsie and I watch a show on Showtime called "Weeds." It's about a southern California soccer mom who sells pot. The theme song goes something like "Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
We saw alot of developments just like this one.

Trailing train
Very dry looking out there.