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North America by Train Sarah McCabe
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Day 18
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 12:17 PM
☀️ 68 °F
Altitude: 62 ft
United States Drano Lake 45.71, -121.64545°42’36” N 121°38’42” W
Weds Oct 19, 12:00 pm: Columbia River
October 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
Shortly after we left Pasco, we crossed the Columbia River. We then followed the path of this river all the way to Portland. This was easily the most scenic stretch of this leg, so I was very pleased that my room was on the correct side to see the view.Read more
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North America by Train Sarah McCabe
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Day 18
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 1:53 PM
☀️ 68 °F
Altitude: 36 ft
United States Doane Point 45.578333, -122.74545°34’42” N 122°44’42” W
Weds Oct 19, 2:00 pm: Portland
October 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
The last time I took a train through Portland, our incoming train ran about an hour late. Since I only had an hour layover, that meant I had no time to pop into the station and take photos. I was sorely disappointed in that because the station is supposed to be quite picturesque.

This time, I had an over three hour layover, so I expected no issues. Except we were running about 2.5 hours late all day, and not making up any time. Oh, well, that still should be enough time for a quick peek, right? Well maybe it would have been until the gods of transportation intervened and decided that the last bridge we needed to cross to get into Portland, which was a drawbridge, had to be raised so that not one but two large ships could pass.

Oh well, next time, maybe.Read more
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North America by Train Sarah McCabe
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Day 18
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 2:15 PM
☀️ 70 °F
Altitude: 33 ft
United States Union Station 45.528333, -122.67666745°31’42” N 122°40’36” W
Weds Oct 19: 2:15 pm: Coast Starlight
October 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Leg 11: Portland -> San Luis Obispo

I find that I have ceased thinking about these train legs in terms of hours, but rather, I think of them in terms of how many meals I will be served. This is a four meal leg, because even though we didn't board until after 2 pm, they saved space for us in the dining car.

Lunch was nice. I tried this salad for the first time and it was pretty filling, with bacon added to it.

My roomette this time is in the oldest version of this type of car. It was probably built in the 1970s. Instead of a tiny closet, there is a little space against the wall you can hang things and narrow open bin you store other loose items. You can even see where the arm rests originally had ashtrays, although those have been sealed up.

Most of the times I have ridden in the train cars that date to the 1990s. They are supposedly rolling out new versions this year, but I haven't seen one yet. Fingers crossed for the next trip!Read more
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North America by Train Sarah McCabe
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Day 18
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 5:00 PM
☀️ 70 °F
Altitude: 427 ft
United States Skinner Butte City Park 44.055, -123.09166744°3’18” N 123°5’30” W
Weds Oct 19, 5:00pm: Oregon
October 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
We left Portland on time, and didn't have any delays before bedtime.

As we climbed into the mountains, I was thinking that we were in fog, until I sniffed some more and realized that the smoke was pretty dense here. They did announce that the fires were actually hundreds of miles away, but they were turning off the air system until we got high enough to avoid the smoke. That didn't happen until well after dark, when I was ready for bed.

When I went into the dining car, I realized that I had forgotten to bring my wallet to tip, which I really regretted, until I had the worst service I've had on an Amtrak train. Then I didn't feel so bad. Just to mention one thing, that glass of wine in the picture was supposed to be red. Once she had poured it out, I didn't want to want to make her waste it, so I just accepted it. But no tip for her!Read more
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North America by Train Sarah McCabe
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7:00 AM
🌙 55 °F
Altitude: 36 ft
United States Pierce 38.131667, -122.138°7’54” N 122°6’0” W
Thu Oct 20, 7:00 am: Delta sunrise
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 55 °F
The night went pretty well. We didn't fall behind the schedule at all overnight, which may have been a first for me on a train.

I don't know if the cupholders in this old style room are slightly different, or if the tracks were bumpier or what, but I did manage to spill my drink both right before I went to bed and again in the morning. The night drink was whisky and water, all over the width of the bed, but I managed to sop it up and use towels to make a dry spot to sleep in. The coffee in the morning was a smaller spill and happened right before I was going to have the bed put up, so that was no big deal since nobody will sleep in those sheets again.

When I woke up, it was dark and we were in Sacramento. I was on the west side of the train, so I didn't see the sunrise, but I did get to watch the light gradually change as we rolled through the Sacramento River delta.Read more
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 8:04 AM
☀️ 55 °F
Altitude: 112 ft
United States Glen Cove 38.066667, -122.20166738°4’0” N 122°12’6” W
Thu Oct 20, 8:00 am: Bay breakfast
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
Just before breakfast, we crossed the Carquinez Strait. So I ate breakfast as we sped along the San Francisco Bay. When Amtrak is on, it is really on! That is a view no restaurant can rival.
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 9:00 AM
⛅ 59 °F
Altitude: 56 ft
United States Jack London Square 37.793333, -122.27166737°47’36” N 122°16’18” W
Thu Oct 20, 9:00 am: Oakland, CA
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
The Oakland train station is right in the middle of town, in Jack London Square. It's a beautiful building, but I must say the Oakland graffiti doesn't hold back. "You mod ugly my guy"???

There was a statue to a man who helped found the Pullman Porters union. I do not know why people leave books on this statue, but I did think it was cool.Read more
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North America by Train Sarah McCabe
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 10:00 AM
☀️ 68 °F
Altitude: 33 ft
United States Agnew 37.398333, -121.96166737°23’54” N 121°57’42” W
Thu Oct 20, 10:00 am: Waving to Russell
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
As you can see by the screen shot, I passed within just a hair under six miles from Russell. That's the closest we have been in days!

I tried to wave, but there were a bunch of houses in the way.

Shortly after that, we pulled into San Jose station, which is where I would normally catch this train to take it to San Luis Obispo.Read more
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 11:30 AM
⛅ 72 °F
Altitude: 33 ft
United States Kirby Park 36.841667, -121.74536°50’30” N 121°44’42” W
Thu Oct 20, 11:30 am: Elkhorn Slough
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F
The last few times I've taken this train, I've been sitting on the other side, so I didn't know we went right by the Elkhorn Slough. Or that it was so pretty.
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 12:00 PM
⛅ 75 °F
Altitude: 52 ft
United States Bataan Park 36.68, -121.65666736°40’48” N 121°39’24” W
Thu Oct 20, 12:00 pm: Salinas
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F
Salinas was a long stop, but I was distracted, so I didn't get off the train right away. And then I wandered around a bit before I found this amazingly cool museum in a building that turned out to be the original train station.

I want to make time to see it properly, so I will make a point to get off early the next time I am headed through Salinas!Read more
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 1:00 PM
⛅ 88 °F
Altitude: 220 ft
United States Elsa 36.253333, -121.1436°15’12” N 121°8’24” W
Thu Oct 20, 1:00 pm: Lunch
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F
Since this is my last meal on the train, at least for this trip, I decided to try some new items. They were good, but the burger is still my favorite.

And I felt bad for the waitress, so I did end up tipping her, but I said she should split it with the other waitress who maybe only served me for one meal, but she did a really good job.Read more
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North America by Train Sarah McCabe
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Day 19
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 3:30 PM
☀️ 81 °F
Altitude: 259 ft
United States Triangle Park 35.275, -120.65535°16’30” N 120°39’18” W
Thu Oct 20, 3:30 pm: End point
October 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
After 17 days, including seven nights spent on the train, finally reached San Luis Obispo. And while this may not be the very last stop on my trip, because I'm not exactly home yet, I'm calling this the end of the big circle train trip, since this is where the train portion of this trip started, oh so many days ago.

Thank you all for following along. Your comments made me feel like I am not traveling alone.Read more
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Trip end
October 20, 2022