Weekend Round-Up: Ride the Rails

I had a lovely time on the train! I boarded the Coast Starlight first thing Friday morning and rode down to San Luis Obispo. I did wear tweed 😉 Just a mini skirt with black tights, though. I enjoyed a coffee along with a cheese plate in the observation car:

It was so nice to be able to just read and relax on the trip. Trains are so quiet! None of that loud buzzing you get on planes or chitchat on buses. Just solitude and scenery. The train passed through the back roads of Salinas and then over a series of tunnels from Paso Robles to arrive 10 minutes early at 3:30.

My parents picked me up at the station and we ran some errands. We selected an assortment of deli salads from a fancy market to have for my mother’s birthday dinner. Visited with a cute black lab puppy down the street. Had a quiet evening at home.

The next morning, I ran through the Saturday routine with my parents: farmer’s market, breakfast at Budget Cafe and Scolari’s Market. Back at home in time to change for my friend’s baby shower and drive to Grover Beach. It was great to see old friends and the shower hostess provided us with delicious food.

Back at home in the afternoon, a light dinner with my parents and then to the movies downtown. We saw Up – very sad, funny and good. Frozen yogurt and back home.

The next morning, I lounged about reading the Sunday Times until driving to town for brunch with friends at Big Sky. We had a leisurely time munching on the cafe’s famous sweet potato fries and beignets.

Before I knew it, it was time to catch the train home. One small hitch: I didn’t realize that the kiosk had printed both my tickets when I boarded and threw the return ticket away over the course of the weekend (I thought it was like an airplane where you check in each way). They wouldn’t replace it, so I had to dash to buy a new ticket and run down the tracks to make the train. Fortunately, the ticket is only $28. But, still frustrating.

On this train, I had practically the whole coach car to myself and Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father to keep me occupied.

A cold beer in the observation car outside of King City. A cup of soup in Salinas. Fog in the marshes and then sunset as we passed the salt ponds outside of San Jose.

Rob picked me up from the station at 9:30. We caught up on each other’s weekends while airing out the apartment after a hot day in the city. To bed at 10:30.