Up, Up, and Away!

I’m leaving in about an hour on a three week trip that includes (1) a brief visit with my daughter and her family in the San Diego area, (2) the semi-annual meeting of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) in Washington, DC, (3) and a three-game series between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland A’s at Fenway Park in Boston.
Once I get to the mainland, it will be Amtrak all the way: from Los Angeles to San Diego and back to L.A. on the Pacific Surfliner; then the Southwest Chief from L.A. to Chicago, connecting there to the Capitol Limited to Washington.  At the conclusion of the NARP meetings, I’m taking an Acela to Boston, stopping en route in New London, Connecticut for a dinner with old friends.
From Boston, I’m taking the Lake Shore Limited back to Chicago and the California Zephyr from there to Davis, California, with a 24-hour stop in Galesburg, Ilinois, for a visit with my younger brother and his wife.
I’ve made the stop in Davis several times. The Zephyr arrives there in the late afternoon, and I spend the night in a nice hotel literally 100 yards from the station. The southbound Coast Starlight arrives at about 7:00 the next morning. It’s perfect: I board, stash my gear in my roomette and head straight for the Pacific Parlour Car where I order a Bloody Mary and sink back into one of those plush chairs enjoying life for a half hour or so. Then I got into the dining car and have a nice breakfast. What is not to like about that?
At any rate, I will try to keep up with postings during these coming days. Some will probably take more of a travelogue form, but I’ll also try to report on some of the interesting things that will be happening during the NARP meetings. One will no doubt have to do with a reception I’ll be attending in a beautifully restored private rail car. There will be some “blackout” periods when I’m on the overnight trains, but I’ll do my best to keep current.

So stay tuned . . .