The Ride Home

1/31-2/2/10 Leaving Glacier National Park and entering the prairies of Montana

Smoke break and time to stretch at Shelby, MT

Outside of trying to buy a stamp for a postcard and pounding on the train door to let me back aboard in Havre, Montana, the return trip was as pleasant as the rest of our experience on Amtrak. We can't say enough about the wonderful, cheerful service we got from Amtrak employees. The food was good, cabins and washrooms clean. Passengers are eager to talk and meet others. The trains were usually ahead of schedule, although other passengers did experience delays. But delays for train travelers seem to be taken in the same laid back way as the train makes it way across the vastness of this country. Yes, the train takes longer, but the journey is savored more.

Portland, OR

1/30/10
One of the nice things about Peace Corps is being able to visit others with whom you have shared a Samoan adventure. Here we are with Renee Moog and Paul Sylvestor at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Downtown Portland.

Mary at the entrance to the "Scholar's Courtyard". Inscriptions above the circular moongate entrance are to remind us to "Read the Painting" and "Listen to the Fragrance". Heavy stuff indeed.

Eugene, OR

1/26-29/10

One of the many beautiful mountain streams. This is Sweet Creek.

Mary, my sister Christine, and her dog on the beach at Florence, OR.

Mary's first experience inside a COSTCO store. For residents of Washington and Oregon, shopping at COSTCO seems to make up for lack of sunshine.

Vineyards abound in the Pacific Northwest. They are replacing Starbucks and other coffee kiosks in popularity. Everyone seems to have one, is starting one, or is near one. As part of our research, we compared a $2.99 bottle of Pinot Grigio/Gris to a $3.99 bottle. The more expensive bottle won. We drank both, and many more.

My sister microwaves spaghetti squash without first puncturing holes in it.

Vancouver, BC

1/25/10

Glass High Rise Apartment Buildings dominate the city. Each seemed to be different. This is a walkway which runs along the harbor.

Seaplanes take off from the downtown area.

Some cities have a wonderful feel. Vancouver, BC is one of them. Not because it is Canadian, but because of its relationship to its surroundings and inhabitants. Maybe it is the way the city protrudes into the sea, the numerous high-rise glass apartment and office buildings, the surrounding mountains, the cold rainy weather, the mass transit system, or the desire of people to actually live in the city.

Seattle, WA

1/24/10

Seattle's New Central Library

Upon requesting information about the building at the library, we were told that Seattle has regained the title of "America's Most Literate City" from Minneapolis. The library seems to have everything except books. It even has accommodations for Seattle's homeless.

Experience Music Project

This is a Frank Geahry designed building donated by Microsoft's Paul Allen. The inside is a museum, Hall of Fame, and a place for "Experimental Music".

There are numerous sights to see in Seattle, but visiting some old friends is the best way to enjoy the place. Here is our host Kevin McCarthy holding a sign about the University of Iowa's victory over Georgia Tech in the 2010 Orange Bowl. Hawkeye fans are everywhere.

Empire Builder: West Bound

1/24/10

Mary and I really enjoyed our train ride to Seattle from Minneapolis/St. Paul. The two day trip included two nights in a "Roomette", which can best be described as sleeping in a pup tent. Once you got used to dressing laying down and the rocking motion with a few jolts of the train, the minor inconveniences were replaced with the helpful staff and the lugubrious fellow passengers. Indeed it was the socializing and the events during the train's leisurely pace which made the miles fly by.

Some of the events included:

An Amtrak wine and cheese tasting party.

A wildcat fight between two women passengers.

Wonderful meals prepared on the train with fresh flowers on table.

Dinner seating "Community Style" which put a new table partner across from you at each meal.
Hearing many life stories from young and old; some warm, others tragic.

The train running ahead of schedule.

Life on the train:

Dining Car

Our Roomette, Seat with a View

Cozy Sleeper

North Dakota Scenic View

Montana Scenic View

Approaching Seattle, Olympic Range with Puget Sound

Seattle, End of the Line

Next Adventure- Amtrak

1/18/10



This Wednesday night, Mary and I head off to the Pacific Northwest via Amtrak's Empire Builder. Stopovers along the way include Seattle, Vancouver, BC, Portland, and Eugene.


I have always wondered what a long distance train trip would be like. Why not? It is part of my readjustment therapy.


If you want to follow along, this is the Amtrak web site and our schedule:


http://www.amtrak.com/


Lv: Wed
1/20/2010
Empire Bldr 7
St Paul 11:15 pm

Arr: Fri
1/22/2010
Seattle 10:25 am

Lv: Sun
1/24/2010
Cascade 510
Seattle 7:40 am
Arr: Vancouver 11:40 am


Lv:Tues
1/26/2010
Cascade 513
Vancouver 6:40 am
Arr: Portland 2:55pm


Lv:Tues
1/26/2010
Cascade 507
Portland 6:15pm
Arr: Eugene 8:50pm

Lv: Sat
1/30/2010
Coast Starlight 14
Eugene 12;44pm
Arr: Portland 3:40pm

Lv:Sun
1/31/2010
Empire Bldr 28
Portland 4:45pm

Arr:Tues
2/2/2010
Minneapolis 7:05 am