Travel Treats

We just returned from my first trip to California.  I know, at age 65, that must sound like I’ve led a very dull and untraveled existence, but we have lived in Oklahoma, Texas, Montana, and Colorado and seen all of that corridor of the US map. My sister and I did the Washington D.C. area at Halloween time several years ago where I saw my first hardwoods in fall color. Glorious! Our family visited Florida a couple times and we’ve driven through the southern coastal states.

Our vacations, however, have usually been influenced by agriculture. In the summers if we find time to get off the farm, we want to escape the Oklahoma heat in the Colorado or New Mexico mountains.  Occasionally we’ve gone to Arizona or South Texas in the winter, but beyond there to the west has been unknown territory to us.

 

The Southwest Chief arriving at Raton





Husband Bob and our Texas friends, the Fore's

So last week we met  friends at Raton, New Mexico and boarded the Southwest Chief traveling  to Los Angeles. 

Somewhere in New Mexico

We arrived in Los Angeles and the next day our seats on the Coastal Starlight train gave us a spectacular view along the Pacific Ocean up to San Francisco where we spent several days doing most of the touristy things.

Then we  caught the California Zephyr to Denver. Aren’t those great names for trains?

The trip was a feast for the eyes; so much grand and varied scenery, architecture, agriculture, and incredible vistas…and  now I can add California, Nevada, and Utah to my been-there-done-that list. 

Bob contemplating the vista from the observation car

Food is, of course, a big part of the traveling experience and we enjoyed some unique meals. But dining on the train is in a class by itself. The food and service is quite good and they practice open seating at the tables for four. This means that unless you are in a party of four, you are automatically seated with others so you get to meet lots of different people at each meal.  I imagine this could result in some strange and uncomfortable situations sometimes, but our experience has been good.

Because of this venue we got acquainted with a retired California man in construction who built homes for Cher and other movie stars.   When they learned we were farmers and ranchers, they had some interesting questions too.  At one point as we passed some grazing cattle, she asked how many barns we needed to put up our 400 cows every night?  Evidently there is still a need for ag education!

One night on the tracks across Nevada we dined with a first generation American from Italy named Primo.  He had risen in the ranks of the Caterpillar company from errand boy to mechanic to foreman.  His wife was from Switzerland and they were certainly a testimony to our land of opportunity.



Some cute younger diners across the aisle

Another time we shared steaks with a Presbyterian minister of 50 years and his delightful southern belle wife as we wound through the majestic Gore Canyon of Colorado.  Another lady we met was en route to visit her daughter who was a grip in Hollywood.  Once when the daughter was working on the Seinfeld show set, the mother was given a minor role in the episode. She told us some funny things Kramer did to stay limber on the sidelines between their scenes! Interesting conversations abound.

We also enjoyed cream puffs and cheesecake desserts with a school teacher and her retired printer husband while we were being mooned by rude rafters on the river below! This couple were on a month long vacation before school starts in Ohio and it wasn’t their first train trip. They had journeyed on nearly every Amtrak route in the USA and Canada!

                                       A few of the 300 shots I took from the train window. 
                                                            (Can you tell I like the Rockies?)

If open dining seems too risky or you or you just want more privacy, meals can be delivered to your coach seat or sleeper room, or you can buy something in the lounge car, but I recommend you try the dining car at least once.

                                           Julie relaxing in their roomette with her book

 
With the high cost of gasoline now, train travel has become a fairly economical alternative.  I had anticipated most of the other joys of riding Amtrak:  the Santa Fe depots (my favorite style!) the relaxed viewing vantage point (with no white knuckle driving on mountain precipices!) the desert sunsets, the coast and ocean, seeing the vineyards, orchards, and truck farms, as well as going through wild country accessible only by train or hiking.   But the dining car experience was an unexpected added bonus.

It is a real taste of America, I’m glad we savored! All aboard?