UMTravels

Summertime, and the living is easy…and SLO. San Luis Obispo by AmTrak that is.

Several years ago they restored King Street Station in Seattle. High gloss white wouldn’t have been my choice, but considering the amount of money they spent restoring the plasterwork, I can understand.

AmTrak has adopted the cruise line model of, bid for a bigger/better room. Fare on the way down (Seattle-San Luis Obispo) was $571.00 – and I bid the minimum of $225 on the upgrade to a bedroom. Mind you, this is one way – but it is a long way:

And, the bedroom is nicer (and twice the size) of the roomette:

And there were menus onboard for the first time in memory:

Food is included with any sleeper car reservation. And a free cocktail/wine/beer with the evening meal.

Speaking of drinks – in the sleepers, you can bring your own!

And yes, I bring my own glassware (and bloody marys) but apparently not glare features that make me look like a one-eyed pirate.

And seasonally, you will find National Park Rangers onboard to stamp your passport. I’ve learned that it’s NOT a good idea to have them stamp your ACTUAL passport from the US Government – think more of the Parks Department version. Sadly, I only had an information sheet with me for them to stamp:

Scenery heading south…had to magnify to actually find the mountain in the shot!

First stop for getting off the train is Portland – also, another beautiful station:

I jumped off to grab a postcard or two to send to a friend.

Slowly south we go – grabbed this great shot of a what looks like a 40’s Trolley Car in Albany, Oregon, and there are a couple of trolley car museums in the area:

Next up, various food pictures, all lumped together. Sleeper passengers get breakfast, lunch, and dinner included – don’t forget to tip even though it’s free!

And the cabin when it’s turned into a bed…

 

And the toilet/shower combination:

The views coming into the San Luis Obispo are amazing as the train snakes through hills and horseshoe bends…

Only got into SLO 30 minutes late or so, and by Amtrak, that is on time! Jameson came and grabbed me from the station and off to familyland we went:

And nothing like giving a two-year-old a milled aircraft aluminum skateboard – good Uncle Markie!

Dinner at home that night, the next we were out at the San Luis Obispo airport for a restaurant with a security gate to the FBO (Fixed Base Operations):

And guess how wife and child are getting back to her dad’s house where they are staying while I’m in town…by plane!

Dad currently doesn’t have his medical clearance to fly but that doesn’t prevent him from taxiing across the airport for dinner with family!

Next night it was dinner at his house – after a tour and a pool party. Two out of the three cars…

And the daredevil on the diving board ready to jump (which he did):

There shouldn’t be any problems with handling a skateboard.

Time to say goodbye to SLO – with the family to see me off:

Last shot (Salinas Valley) was made possible because I was in the last car of the train, in the second to last room – out the back window.

Six hours later or so I was in Emeryville for my usual northbound “hug stop” from the boys:

The choices are 8:30am on the Southbound or 9:30pm on the Northbound. 8:30 is too early for me to have clothes on.

And a final Southern Oregon scenery shot to close out the post.

That’s all for this holiday – next up, Whistler, British Columbia.

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