Leg 10 - Pacific Grove

Oh it was great to be "home!"  Of course I love my new life in Portland but PG will always tug at my heart. I split my time between two houses - with across-the-street neighbors Robin (who did all the work to sell my house in May) and Greg and kitty-corner neighbors, Sharon and Warren. I was a bit nervous as we drove up to Robin's house, passing the home I recently sold. Would it be painted shocking pink with all the trees chopped down? No, not at all. It looked exactly the same. Phew.

I have had almost perfect weather on this trip - one day of rain, the rest sun. What I wanted now was the typical PG thing - a nice damp, drizzly morning with wisps of fog caught in the trees. And, sure enough, when I looked out the window of Robin's guest room Monday morning, there it was in all its glory. It soon wore away but, while it lasted, I took a lovely stroll around my old neighborhood.

In earlier segments of this trip I visited with just one couple per stop. Not this time. I saw as many friends as time would allow. Members of all three of my bookclubs (I do love to read), colleagues from Carmel High School, neighbors, dog-walking friends (and their dogs), shop and gallery owners, MSQLP clients - if I knew 'em, I saw 'em. And loved each conversation. Ah, that is something shared with earlier portions of this trip - we talked and talked and talked. Oh it was good to catch up.

In addition I was driven all over the place. Besides thoroughly enjoying the Peninsula, ocean and Monterey Bay views, I also loved noting the progress of local crops. I have missed watching artichokes, strawberries, lettuce and brussel sprouts grow - and they are all doing quite well. This reminds me of a wish I have - based on many glimpses from train windows - wouldn't it be nice if farmers put up signs that identify crops? I figured out most of them but some stumped me. I know - totally impractical - but it would be nice.

And that reminds me of another wish. If anyone reading this has not travelled on the Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Salinas I urge you to find time to do it. It was the most spectacular of my six train rides and that is saying a lot because I really enjoyed each one. It was the diversity of the California environments that was so amazing. Soon after we left urban LA, we entered "cowboy territory" - they must have filmed those old Westerns here. I expected Dale and Roy to come galloping around rocky hilltops. I could see Sky King searching for landing space.

We veered out to the coast as we neared Santa Barbara and then hugged the coast north of it. I watched surfers and kayakers in the water. South of San Luis Obio we travelled through farmlands, cattle ranches and vineyards. But what I thought was most stunning was the first twenty minutes north of the town. We moved to the east, away from the roads, to travel through gorgeous oak studded hillsides. The long 180 degree horseshoe turn was the icing on the cake. Utterly spectacular. My only regret was that the sun set 90 minutes before we pulled into Salinas. Although I have driven this stretch many times, I wanted to see it from the train's elevation. All those crops and hillsides. Next time.

But now onwards to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Leg 9 - LA (or Whittier to be exact)

I have been staying with my cousin Bonnie and her wonderful husband Joe for almost a week. First I cannot believe how much I have slept. You would think I have had an exhausting month traveling along the Eastern seaboard instead of sleeping really well at each stop along the way. But, sleep I did and it was rejuvenating.

Joe and Bonnie live in a house perched at the edge of a canyon that lets out onto the football field of Whittier College (where Joe is a professor). When you stand by their swimming pool you can look across at the hills that line the canyon or turn to the right and look down at the football field (where the players look like ants) and then beyond to the LA basin stretched out as far as you can see. The view is breathtaking and, although I have visited many times, I never tire of it.

The view of the hills that line the canyon

Incredibly bad sunset photo of the field and the view beyond.
I KNOW, it is an absolutely horrible shot,
but try to imagine it as it is - the view goes forever.

The weather has been spectacular - in the 80s. Last night, as I looked up at the almost full moon, I thought about the last full moon I saw - looking out from my upstairs window at the  woods around Stu and Jayne's cabin in the Berkshires.  So very much has happened since then.

It is wonderful, as always, to be back in my home state and LA has sparkled. We have had so much fun. As usual, we indulged in long talks over lovely slow meals. It has been several years since I have visited so I had to catch up on changes in their lives, in their home and in their hillside garden. Is there anything more lovely than slowly walking through a garden whose evolution you have witnessed?

Just like at the start of my trip, when I sat in on Lynne's writing class at Wellseley, Joe invited me to sit in on the Freshman writing class he teaches. The students discussed a play they had seen the night before, Angels in America, (performed at the College). And again, just as at Wellesley, the students discussed an era as historical that I had lived through. These students were equally delightful and, I must admit, I experienced the tiniest twinge of regret that I am no longer teaching. Then I reminded myself that, if I were still teaching, I would be in the classroom instead of out seeing the nation. No, I am glad I am right where I am.

As far as touring LA - I have been here so many times that there isn't a lot I haven't already seen - with one exception. Those of you who are architecture fans may know of the work of Greene and Greene, associated with the Arts and Crafts movement of early 1900s California. The Gamble House in Pasadena is a classic example of that style and I have wanted to tour it for probably 30 years. I have driven by it and even visited the gift shop - but each time the actual home was closed.  Not so yesterday.

The exterior of the Gamble House

It was perfection. The weather was gorgeous, we had a perfect guide and we were the only two who showed up for the 2:00 tour. It surpassed my expectations - and they were sky-high. The architectural details were stunning, the furniture was beautiful - I especially loved the lighting fixtures. By the time
we left,  I was so overwhelmed by it all that I begged off going to the next museum on our list - I just had to process what I had seen.

I can't believe the week is almost over. As always I hate to leave. I have loved every minute with Bonnie and Joe, enjoyed meeting their friends, luxuriated in their hospitality (as has been the case with each visit on this trip) but I also can't wait for my next stop - Pacific Grove. I will be staying with next door neighbors (from the house I sold in early June) and look forward to seeing friends. I take the train up the coast tomorrow morning, the last of my 6 train rides. What fun they have each been.

So, farewell Southern California, hello Central Coast.

Leg 8 - Crossing the Country By Train

I love train travel! All my other rides have been 5-7 hours; this one was 44. Yes, it is a bit odd to sleep while hurtling down the tracks and I awoke several times fearing sudden lunges would toss me onto the floor but, even with these interesting phenomena, I am a fan. Well, actually I had a little trouble falling back to sleep after one sudden lunge wondering how I would get up if I were to fly out of the bed. You see my "roomette" was itty bitty. When the two facing seats (up during the day) were pulled together to make a narrow twin bed it left a 9-inch gap between the door and the bed and that 9 inch space was only the width of the door opening. The rest of the  9-inch space was used for storage. If I had flown out of the bed I would have ended up wedged in a most interesting position into that narrow space. I pictured myself reaching up to release the door then spilling out into the passageway and THEN getting up and back into bed. Thankfully it never happened.

Okay, it's hard to "read" but the room is just so tiny that it is impossible to photograph.
My feet are at the end of the narrow twin bed. This will unfold to be 2 seats facing each other.
My red bag is stored in that 9-inch space and the doorway opening is immediately to the
left -  you can see a bit of the hallway outside.
Teeny-tiny.

What I loved was watching Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona fly by outside my window. Sometimes I went up to the observation car (my roomette was on the lower floor, the observation car on the upper - it had a broader view) but I liked relaxing in my own space. Also the train does bounce. I quickly learned my cane was a detriment - it was safer to pass down the jostling cars holding on to the backs of seats. It was safest to stay put.

The geography teacher in me loved watching the Spanish-moss draped oaks of Louisiana give way to the drier lands of Texas. Texas surprised me (I see this as my first visit in that I cannot count many landings in Dallas). Friends have complained about the monotony of driving through Texas - and that it never ends. True, it IS huge, but I didn't have to drive; I could just look out the window and I found the land stunningly beautiful. It took little imagination to see the cattle and cowboys (and those nefarious rustlers) of our past crossing these lands. I loved it.

I have one major regret - based on my absolute stupidity. When planning this trip I entered start and stop Amtrak stations for each leg. I never looked at the stops along each route; I only cared that it delivered me where I wanted to go. I learned how careless I had been when I looked at the list of our scheduled stops along this route. At 10 pm, on day #1, we would stop at San Antonio. San Antonio! I have always wanted to go to San Antonio. My friend Barbara lives there. I could have arranged to get off at San Antonio and re-board two days later, when the train next passed through on its way to LA. I was almost sick that here I was, at the cutest Amtrak station of the whole trip, stuck ON the train, while San Antonio stared back at me. Painful. And lesson learned. Barbara, I will return.

When we crossed into New Mexico I spotted my first tall mountains since leaving Oregon a month ago. Ah, there is something about the geography of where you grow up. I AM a Westerner. I like mountains in the distance. I was home.

New Mexico and Arizona (well I had to squint to see Arizona in the dark) were equally magnificent and then we were in Palm Springs and soon to LA. It was a great trip. I loved eating in the dining car. You fill up booths so you never know with whom you will be eating. We shared stories of our trips - and this being the age of smart phones - apps that were useful. My favorite new one was a speedometer app. I placed my phone on the arm of my chair and, while reading or enjoying the view, would note the speed we were presently going. The highest was 85 mph; it was usually around 70. No wonder we bounced.

It was a stupendous two days. The departure city was remarkable (my 14 hours in New Orleans on Halloween was delightful. When geisha girls and pirates asked me why I wasn't in costume, I replied that I was really 24 but dressed as an old woman with a cane. They laughed) and I found a place selling beignets so I could board the train with a bag of them in hand. And Palm Springs assured that my entry into California was golden. Such a gorgeous landscape. My cousin Bonnie and her husband Joe met me at the station and I now start the sceond half of my trip in my beloved California.

Leg 7 - Alabama and New Orleans

i really hate to leave the South. It took me 66 years to get here so it seems just down right wrong to leave after only two weeks moving among several states. I find myself trying out Southern sounds - not out loud, mind you. And I promise I will not start dropping Southern expressions or a poor attempt at a drawl. I leave that to the experts. But I have loved it.

This is actually from the piazza at the Palmer Home B&B but it
remains my favorite "Southernism" so added it here.

Alabama was wonderful. Gina met me outside my gate as soon as I stepped off the plane. Such a surprise. Here was my clue that Huntsville is not a huge airport. Gina was a college friend of my sister's. She brought Gina to Thanksgiving dinner way back when and she soon became part of the family. When you love someone, you hope you will love her spouse as well - and she chose well. Jay is equally charming, interesting and fun.

As always on this trip, we had many long conversations over scrumptious meals. I also added to my collection of Southern foods. I liked the contrasts. One lunch was at an outdoor table in a restaurant in the historic section of downtown Huntsville. It was new South cuisine, a Southern twist on paella. And then the next day, at a restaurant in the historic section of Fayetteville, Tennessee, I had my first taste of fried catfish and fried okra. I thought they were both fabulous and Jay and Gina, who have had both many times, agreed. That great combination of succulent and crispy was exquisite.

We were busy (well, outings were nicely balanced with conversations over wine). We saw a performance of the Westminster choir from London (23 darling little boys and 12 adults), toured the space museum in Huntsville (where I crashed landed two space shuttles in the simulator. Oh dear. My grandsons need to visit and maybe attend space camp?), visited a recreation of the early Huntsville settlement where Alabama's constitution was written, did a fascinating tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee and enjoyed drives through the countryside of northern Alabama and a bit of Tennessee.

Gina snapped this photo just when I realized I had crashed the second shuttle.

The tour of Jack Daniels was one of the best tours I have ever taken - it was well managed, you saw
every step in the process, not overly complicated.  Great tour.
When you are next in Lynchburg, Tennessee - go.
Oh, and it's free - both the tour and the incredible scents associated with the process.

Jay and Gina were troopers, driving me 2 hours to Birmingham to catch the Amtrak train. It would have been far easier to take me to their nearby airport but this was the start of my cross-country train trip and the nearest station was 100 miles away in Birmingham. 

The train station had many passengers joining me for the trip to New Orleans and quite a few were already in their Halloween costumes. My favorite was the tall woman dressed as Dorothy with 6-inch glittery red platform shoes. She minced around the station. 

Loved the 7- hour trip through Alabama and Mississippi. The route was mainly rural where the train station is part of the small downtowns. All too soon we were suddenly surrounded by the water of Lake Pontchartrain. I knew it was big on maps but didnt realize quite how HUGE it actually is. Sunset over the lake was spectacular. 

New Orleans on Halloween is doubly full of interesting characters and they surrounded me while I sauntered through the French Quarter, right near my hotel. The iron balconies, charming buildings - you have all seen the photos. I veered a bit to walk along the Mississippi on the way back. 

I am now waiting for my train to LA.  44 hours of train travel through Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona await me. I have never driven through these states so am looking forward to it. I have a wee roomette which will be a new experience. 

And so farewell to the first half of my trip, exploring states from Cape Cod down to New Orleans. What fun it has been. Now onwards and upwards to the second half in California.