The home stretch

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Our final day on this journey began with a wait for the train in Sacramento. According to the conductor who boarded in Sacramento, this train always runs about an hour late, and it was again today. We climbed aboard about 1:15 am, when it was very dark. They couldn't seat us together on the upper level, so put us in the front row of the four on the last level. (This level is usually reserved for handicapped or those more elderly than us.) The attendant said she'd find us seats together in the upper level in the morning after they had unloaded some.
I'll admit to being quite displeased because other attendants would awaken those using two seats for the price of one so couples could be together. The attendant on the Zephyr even warned people that would happen because the train was going to get full.
Well, it was night time, and we would be trying to sleep anyway, so we did our best to sleep, but weren't as successful as we hoped.
After Klamath Falls, about 10:00 am, we asked her about seats upstairs again and she found us a pair which are very nice for the rest of our ride. Major improvement. The ride is smoother and quieter, and we have tray tables again. They are useful for charging our devices, eating when we get snacks from the snack bar instead of the diner, and they make a fine typing platform.
This ride continues north up the east side of the Casades most of the way to Bend, OR, then crosses the Cascades to Eugene, then continues north along the I-5 corridor. It really is another beautiful route and an interesting contrast with the Appalachian routes we drove just a week ago. The hills are far more rugged, the undergrowth much more dense, the lakes and streams more clear from our vantage points, and the colors of everything are very different. We even spent a moment considering the question whether there are more trees or more grains of sand. There are a whole lot of trees. And it is all awesome to behold.
Now, as our train approaches Portland with just a few hours left until we return home, it's time to wrap up our little narrative. The weather seems to agree - it's getting better and wetter, the closer we get to home - sort of as if it's telling us "welcome home."
Natalie and I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience. We've learned a whole lot about this wonderful land we were so fortunate to have been born in, met some really neat and interesting people, seen more of the beauty around us than we could ever have imagined, and we've done it all together. What a wonderful way to celebrate 50 years together.
Thank you all for your interest in our little story, your thoughts, and your prayers. We are truly grateful to have you along with us.

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Photos

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Across the Columbia, into Washington