Episode #907
June 20, 2025
Amtrak Vacation – part 1 of 5
This is the first of five blog episodes recalling Ricki and Paula’s Amtrak train vacation. Enjoy.
The Beginning
Our dear friend and neighbor picked Paula and me up at our house.
The ride to Riverside train station was clogged with oblivious commuters, unbeknownst that we were on an escape.
Near the train station, we found a hole-in-the-wall deli with outstanding pastrami.
At Riverside train station, we waited for an ironic AMTRAK bus to take us to Fullerton train station.
With two hours to kill, we drank margaritas at Kalaveras Cantina.
The coach seat train window to Union Station, Los Angeles, showed the backs of buildings.
Uber to the Doubletree Hotel was an effortless, seamless service on an easy-to-use app.
The front desk gave us chocolate chip cookies.
The Hotel gastropub, Justice Urban Tavern, fed us dinner and introduced Los Angeles with impressionistic artwork on the wall.
In the room, we glanced sideways out our window at the LA skyline, and then slept.
Breakfast at the gastropub was hotel fare.
The car that took us from the hotel back to the train station drove itself, the Invisible Man at the wheel.
Bizarre to see an empty seat turning the steering wheel and navigating traffic.
Union Station is a vast maze, which, fortunately, is manned by Amtrak red hats who drove us to our platform.
Train Number 14, car 1431 housed our bedroom #D.
There was a bathroom, shower, sink, closet, bunk beds, table, and chairs in our little room.
Next stop, Emeryville, near Oakland.
On the way were more backs of buildings, transportation and distribution centers, then industry, then slums, then houses far too close to the tracks.
Then old movie sets, dark, long tunnels, civilization becoming scarce, then towns popping into the train windows at stops.
Lunch and dinner on the train were tasty, and conversation with tablemates made the meal.
The Observation car was the best way to see the world stream by.
In the rolling Amber Hills, spotted with Live Oaks, were tunnel after tunnel after darkness after tunnel.
Rolling hills gave way to farmland and ancient Live Oak Forests.
Van Nuys, Simi Valley, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Salinas, San José, Oakland, Emeryville.
The train was late to Emeryville, but the Amtrak bus waited to take us to San Francisco at the base of the Salesforce building.
A five-minute Uber delivered us to the Kimpton Alton Hotel on the waterfront.
It is almost midnight, as the front desk ushered us to sleep.
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