The train may be early, but the blog is late!

My God, what a fine way to travel! The Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Seattle is the closest thing to long-haul first class service Amtrak has to offer. If you are in a sleeping compartment for the overnight trip up the coast and through Oregon and Washington, you are afforded the unique option of the Pacific Parlour Car, a rebuilt Santa Fe hi-level diner/lounge that ran on the old El Capitan service from Chicago to Los Angeles in the 1950s and 60s. Our hostess in the parlor was Michelle, who wore several hats. Her primary goal was to man the bar and serve meals to those of us who chose to dine from her menu, which was unique from the main dining car's bill of fare. She also led us through our two wine tastings and in her free time proved to be a great conversationalist and trip guide. I snapped several shots of the Pacific Parlour Car, but they do not do it justice.

The scenery along this route, of course, is its main drawing card. Beginning north of L-A in Simi Valley, you very quickly transition to California's vast agricultural resources -- fields of all sorts of fruits and vegetables, many of which we take for granted everyday when we add that "side salad" to our lunch or dinner. Once you hit the coastline, though, the journey gives way to those vistas everyone picks a lefthand seat to see. Surfboards and campers and RVs line the highway that parallels the track, but it is the blue of the Pacific that makes your mind begin to chew on the thought that "I could live here, maybe, in one of these RVs for the summer..."

As the train begins it journey inland, the sun is beginning to set and before you realize it you are on your way to Oregon. I like to sleep in the upper berth, so the next morning I can climb out and plop in my roomette seat and figure out just where the train is. South of Klamath Falls was the answer, which meant we were still on time! My window view was not much more than Oregon forests, but the Willamette River valley and the Cascade Mountains lay ahead, so day two would be almost as fun as day one.

This Starlight is not at capacity but there is still a great cross-section of your typical passengers. The veterans, like me, usually know all the ins-and-outs of rail travel. All the minutiae related to the equipment, how it works, where it came from, the schedules, the protocols, etc., even the history of Amtrak or VIA Rail. Then there are families taking the children for a "train ride." I would prefer a separate car for that bunch, something that has no access to the rest of the train. With bars on the windows, if necessary. Happy Meals could be loaded on board at the appropriate times. And then at the other end of the spectrum is the senior set, the same people that shuffle through airports completely bewildered by the real world. Now, they are simply shuffling through a train car, being knocked senseless as the cars sway back and forth at speed. These folks essentially span that age group I am trailing, so I will limit my humor. I'll know I am there, however, when I look in the mirror and the perfectly starched, very blue blue jeans hiked up to my belly button look quite normal!

There was one gentleman I will never forget. By the time the train arrived in Simi Valley he was already into a Sunday morning wine binge in the Parlour Car. As the train rocked along, he would lapse in and out of consciousness. I thought he'd fall out of his seat if the car swayed hard enough. The last I spotted him he was staggering off the train in Santa Barbara, but the best or possibly the worst part -- he had WET HIS PANTS! The huge damp spot made it obvious!

Seattle will be nothing more than a quick night's rest at the Best Western before an early departure for Vancouver, BC. That is when the real fun will begin!

(Note: Once I begin a post, the date is established at that moment. However, until I complete my thoughts and find Internet service, the entry remains in limbo. Hence, the disparity between what you are reading and the actual day or two I wrote it.)