Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Loading the coal...


This is about an adventure... Not the adventure of a lifetime, hopefully we're going to have a few more chances for that, this is an adventure of discovery.
My partner, Bob and I leave December 28th for a 3 week cross-country train trip. So many friends have expressed their desire to take such a trip that we are going to attempt to take you with us. Sharing it all...The good, the bad and the ugly. But mostly the beauty of what this country is like from the window of a train.

We leave Boston on Monday, December 28th on the Lake Shore Limited, which is the overnight train to Chicago. We'll spend a few hours in Chicago having lunch with Bob's sister, Barbara and her husband Buddy then, at 2:00pm we board the Empire Builder for a two day excursion across the mid-west and mountain states. We'll spend New Years in Seattle, then head toward San Francisco on the Coast Starlight. Three days in San Francisco with our very best friend, Dirk then we continue to Los Angeles again on the Coast Starlight. We spend a night in a hotel in LA, then board the Sunset Limited for the return trip across the Southwestern US. We'll spend a couple of nights with our friend Ron in Palm Springs then re-board the Sunset Limited for a few hours run to Tucson. In Tucson we'll get off the train, rent a car and spend 5 days exploring from Tucson to Phoenix all the way up to the Grand Canyon then back to Tucson. On January 14 we re-board the Sunset Limited for the 36 hour run to New Orleans. We'll spend two nights in New Orleans then board the Southern Crescent for the overnight run to New York City. After what promises to be a not-very-exciting night in New York, we'll board a train to Boston and return to Provincetown on Tuesday, January 19th exhausted, exhilarated but far more enlightened about the beauty of these united States.


As we go along we will share with you the detail map of the route and the PDF of the Amtrak route description. Amtrak's Empire Builder  and the Empire Builder Route Guide PDF

We hope you will join us. Yes, there will be pictures and maybe even video.

1 comment:

  1. Uncle Bobby & Gary,
    This sounds like so much fun. I (Sonia) wish I was going with you. We are looking forward to following your blog and learning about your trip and places you're going to visit.
    When you are touring San Francisco, we would recommend eating at the Stinky Rose Restaurant - everything is made with garlic and it's delicious (there is also one in LA).
    Have a blast and enjoy your new and exciting experiences. We are looking forward to some pictures, videos and good stories.
    With love,
    Sonia, Tom, Ty & Marcus

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