homeward bound

the trip back east was an epic one.

i left portland on monday aboard the empire builder.  

 we passed through montana,

 

 

                  north dakota,

  minnesota

  

and wisconsin.

i had a brief layover in chicago yesterday

 and then boarded the capitol limited to pittsburgh.

andy picked me up in pittsburgh this morning and we had brunch at zenith 

 

which, conveniently, is an antique gallery as well as a restaurant.

then andy and i road tripped to lancaster.  

i got home just in time to help (well, more like watch) hans pack to leave for college tomorrow.

this fun-filled month of adventure has gone so quickly, and i'm in denial about the fact that it's now time to return to real life.  thanks so much for following along!  special thanks to those of you who hosted or joined me along the way.

tune in next summer for rachel rides the train: canadian edition.

portland

thanks to rachel and her family, i've been seeing portland in style.

on saturday, rachel and i went to the portland farmers market

and had brunch at screen door.  

this is a praline bacon waffle.

 

we went to a street fair in southwest 

and to a live recording of the radio show live wire at portland center stage.

yesterday, rachel's parents scott and michelle took me to mt. hood.

we stopped at multnomah falls

 

 and

timberline.

 

 

then we visited rachel at work

and she and i went to powell's and ate ramen at biwa.

i'm quickly becoming enamored of portland and wish i could stay another few weeks.  thanks to the dunlap clan for being such amazing hosts!

from san francisco to portland

on wednesday night, julia and i celebrated her birthday with our friends kirsten and zoey at local mission eatery.

 

thursday, i went to grace cathedral,

union square,

and the contemporary jewish museum, where i saw an exhibition of maira kalman's work.

her blog inspires me.

then i boarded the northbound coast starlight and traveled through northern california

and oregon 

to reunite with the other rachel in portland.

downtown and the mission

yesterday was my obligatory san francisco tourist day.  

i climbed the coit tower and telegraph hill

and went to pier 39 for clam chowder in a sourdough bowl

and to see the sea lions.

i walked along the water 

and across the golden gate bridge.

then julia took me out on the town.






today, i started the day with pain au chocolat and cafe au lait at tartine.  

then i toured the mission dolores.





i was tempted to buy this glow-in-the dark st. christopher necklace, but i refrained.



then i walked to dolores park.

i love the street art in this town.

california revisited

i left the denver train station aboard the california zephyr.

on our way to san francisco, volunteer park rangers boarded the train and shared stories and information about the sights.

this is the gross reservoir, which provides drinking water to the denver metro area.

 

the california zephyr follows the colorado river for 268 miles. 

 

one 12-mile stretch is known as "moon river" because of the manner in which white water rafters often salute the train.

we passed through red canyon

which is lined with "slide fences" hooked to sensors that alert crews of falling rocks obstructing the tracks.

i spent most of the trip in the observation car

where i met bob and carolyn, a retired north carolina couple who acted as my surrogate grandparents for the trip (they're en route to visit their daughter in san francisco)

and conchi, who is from madrid and tolerated my rusty spanish.

i arrived in san francisco this evening and made my way to my friend julia's beautiful apartment.