February 2012
30 posts
“Please do not walk on the carousels. Thank you.”
– PDX worker
I am exhausted (and barely able to write well)
When I arrived in Savannah after nine hours of plane travel, I was “travel-worn.” I hadn’t shaved since LA (it wasn’t a very close), all my clothes were dirty, and I hadn’t had a shower longer than 90 seconds since I left. Worst of all, on the flight to the east coast, I got sick. It is nothing too serious - either a cold or allergies.
I grabbed a cab from the...
“There’s a bird in here!”
– A woman at SAN in response to a bird inside the airport
7 AM Wake-Up Call
The fire alarm went off at 7 AM this morning inside my hostel at San Diego. Even worse, the alarm is about three feet from my ears where I sleep. The worst part, the alarm didn’t last more than 15 seconds, which seems like an eternity when you’re trying to sleep.
My elementary school training did some good I suppose, because I quickly got out of bed and headed out the door. I was even...
Should've gone to Santa Cruz
“… they kinda nomadic people. Move all up and down the west corridor. Real nice people, but the hippie, organic food, holding hands kinda people.”
“Oh yeah. There are a lot of people like that in Portland.”
“Exactly. Well the love to nest in Santa Cruz.”
Southbound Pacific Surfliner from Van Nuys to San...
San Jose to Los Angeles
I’ve logged almost 20 hours of train time on my trip so far. By the time I get to LA it will be 30. Though a fourth of my trip has been on a train, I haven’t gotten tired of it. Trains are more comfortable and friendly than flying and allow you to get up, walk around and enjoy the view (not to mention great leg room for us 6’4” travelers).
On this 10 hour leg, I am...
Walking tour of Dieter Rams in SFMOMA.
8:00 AM Caltrain to San Francisco from Sunnyvale
Watch
Talk of the financial district.
Running water, birds chirping, and no horns. Very...
Banjo Lessons
I just passed a little house built in a marsh on the way to SF. It’s all alone with a boat tied up on the back porch. On the back porch there is also a big plywood sign with “Banjo Lessons Here” spray painted in black. In a place like that, you know they can really shred.
Coffee shop as I wait for the 12:10 to San...
“Pull up your pants! I can tell you to pull up your pants! Why?! This is my...”
– Amtrak official to a man with saggy pants who wanted to smoke something that’s not allowed.
January 2012
20 posts
Sacramento Suggestions
My train got in early. It was supposed to get in a 6:15 AM, which is early enough, but today it got in a 5:15 AM. I stayed on the train until about six, because the train wasn’t leaving station until 6:20. It was hard to fall back asleep. I walked to my hostel.
I got in just fine, got a room, and did some work. I couldn’t check into my bunk dorm until 2. I locked up my bag and decided...
Kids at the art museum.
At the Crocker Art Museum
I watched a little of the documentary “Press, Pause, Play” last night. In the documentary they make a point not to always think yourself the artist but sometimes it is important to know you’re the audience. Can’t stop thinking about that know.
Joanie
The hostess of the car, Joanie, sat in my room and talked with me for a while. She is very sweet and appears to love her job. Or so I can tell by her movie impersonation she does over the PA system. She just met her bother for the first time today. She has to be around 30. I wanted to learn more about her relationship with her brother (or lack of), but she had to go back to work. I have to get...
The Man Across The Hall
The man in the room across from me is from Anaheim. He is the father of two, single, and retired. He has owned motorcycles his whole life and currently owns a sweet ride that he is very proud of. Right now he is traveling home after visiting his son in Portland. His life goal is to travel the four corners of the US by motorcycle. The only corner he has left is Maine, which he plans to visit next...
“Klamath Fall coming right up”
Dinner with strangers
When you eat dinner on Amtrak they sit you four to a table and always four to a table. Traveling alone, I ate with three others traveling alone as well. It was a gold mine if I was going to write a profile for a newspaper.
It’s was a little quiet at first until I decided to strike up conversation with the woman across from me in our four person booth. She just wrapped up a four day...
“There’s snow out outside!”
It doesn’t matter if it’s a boat,...
“You didn’t go to the wine tasting? Oh. Well, do you want another bottle of...”
– Joanie (the most amazing Amtrak hostess ever)
The smooth sound of the rails.
