Train ride

Thursday I drove with Cris down to Ojai, a little resort town in the mountains near Santa Barbara. Friday I came home, leaving her there with the car, by means of a taxi to Ventura, one train from Ventura to Santa Barbara, Amtrak's main line Coast Starlight to Oakland, the Amtrak bus from the remote Oakland train station to San Francisco's Ferry Building, and a short walk to a final taxi ride home. Total time in transit, about 14 hours. But it was a sparkling clear day and a beautiful ride, at least until the sun set. Then the slow poking through the South Bay and up to Oakland got a little interminable. I can imagine how much nicer it would have been in a sleeper car "suite," which is probably about the size of a handicap stall of a restroom but would have allowed some privacy from people's incessant cell phone calls. Even the seat-to-seat conversation got to be a little much. But on the plus side, you do see some gorgeous seaside views and then some absolutely beautiful coastal hills around San Luis Obispo when the train cuts inland. (See Google map and notice the twisty railroad.)

Today, instead of going to my office to write, I'll stay at home to write, because Cris isn't here to distract me, I'm going out this evening, and it's just easier.

technorati: Amtrak, train