Montreal

You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you

Andy Warhol 

Arrived central train station Montreal 10 minutes late due to a freight train we had to follow for a bit, but all good. A modern train. The train carriage we travelled from Vancouver was built in 1954, thus a bit dated. Walked the kilometer to the Moxie hotel, a delightful place reminding me of the Yotel series of hotels. The room is like living in a piece of artwork. Simplicity, colors,

Found a Thai restaurant nearby and were not disappointed. Talking to the waiter about politics and always interesting when people are listening to each other. After we just wandered about downtown going through some interesting neighborhoods, nothing scary or weird, but entertainment, pedestrian only streets, and as with Vancouver and Toronto separated bike lines, although no scooters here zipping precariously in amongst everything. Traffic is quite reasonable

Then our day in Montreal, always fun to figure out a new city. We are no longer on a tour thus are responsible for ourselves. Montreal appears initially very different from Toronto, Vancouver or other cities, as one would expect. Jeanne arranged a walking tour and we walked to find it, again wondering what it would bring. Each city tour thus far we have expected little and thought it hokey, but then it turns out great. And this one the same. Again it being the personal and unsanitized stories which make it interesting. Our guide Jessie did clarify we should always fact check things.

Montreal was first established in 1642 (after the Iroquois had lived here for centuries) by a female nurse accompanied by a military fellow who came along to protect the little lady, although he certainly extended his reach further out. The history of course intertwines with the United States, but generally the future Canadians were not that keen on slavery, and the French and British have always had a tumultuous relationship, hence architecture and time periods sometimes clash.

Statue to Montreal founders
Notre dame cathedral
Old alleyway now covered as part of underground

Jessie did mention the trifecta of false advertising from Montreal.

  1. It has a large mountain – well there is a hill nearby 250 meters in height which they call a mountain. Jeanne and I went up it as within a parkland, designed by the same fellow who did Central Park in New York City.
  2. Montreal has the largest underground network of a city in North America. apparently 17 kilometers, allowing people to move about in the downtown area without going out into the weather. But as Jessie said about half of it is above ground, just enclosed, and it is not used much as everywhere looks very similar. As he said most Montreal people would rather face the weather and know where they are, than be comfortable and not know where you are.
  3. And I completely forgot the third.

Fascinating to see the variety of architecture in the international quarter ranging from 1700 to modern steel and glass, with the Notre Dame cathedral along one area with a French statue snubbing the English buildings and the English statue snubbing the French. Apparently the French thought the English lived only to make money and had no concept of living life. The Notre Dame cathedral structure was built in 30 years, but the interior took 100 with its individual wood carvings, glass work.

We walked and turns out we walked the places we walked the night before, just this time we got explanations. Arts district, Chinatown, financial, etc. Montreal has quite an art community as Jessie noted because it is a cheaper city than other Canadian cities. The arts area is one of the most condensed art areas in the world, with sometimes 60-80 venues within a city block. Every year the city hosts a building mural competition, inviting top mural artists from around the world.

We had received a note from our rail tour company saying if we were traveling through Montreal allow time as the world road racing championships were going to be taking place. They did not specify what, but turns out bicycling, and many in town not pleased as it shuts down major portions of town. As Jessie said you have to be careful because if you get inside a circle there can often be no way out until race over. We came across the time trial event but there were temporary bridges over the 4-6 lanes of roadway.

World championships

Our goal after the walking tour was to head to the Royal Park and Mount Royal. It took a bit of wandering about as the race start and finish were at the base so we had to extend our walk quite a ways, but finally headed up trying this and that trail, whenever there was a choice of up, flat or down we chose up. Nice trails with occasional lookouts over various directions in the city and over the St Lawrence river. Ended up hiking the day at about 12 kilometers (7 miles)

Royal park walkway
Montreal looking east st Lawrence river, 1976 Olympic venue
Downtown Montreal
Depart park and enter city

When we descended and arrived at the city again (an abrupt divide) we were hungry, having had breakfast many hours before back at hotel. Jeanne wanted Vietnamese and I wanted Indian, thus we googled it for restaurants nearby. I won at 500 meters whereas Jeanne was 800 meters. A wondrous meal and walk the last kilometers back to hotel. Another wondrous day wandering a wonderous city.

Toronto

To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold. Aristotle

Arrived 6 hours late into Toronto , no problem, not that many freight trains through Ontario, which allowed us to catch up time. Last day felt good enough to go to dining car and meet other folks for a short bit.

Arrived and had looked at the hotel and according to map navigation was 700 meters walk across street and around corner. Along the way, through a delightful train station stopped at ticket office to see if we could upgrade to a sleeper Montreal to Halifax. The agent was trying not to laugh, while explaining those bunks are reserved 6 months to a year ahead. I guess we remain in just coach seats, for the 25 hour ride.

Great hall union station Toronto
Fairmont royal york
Our. 6th floor view of union station (actually about 10th floor but 6th of guest rooms

Stepped out of the grand hall into the streets of Toronto, and there in front of us was a huge building extending the entire block and upward. I checked Maps again and it said go across street walk around corner to other side of building and there was hotel. We opted to walk across the 7 lanes of traffic, which all traffic stopped, and walked in the front door, nearly tried checking into the restaurant, as could not find reception or check in. Finally in the nook reception, then took a while to figure out elevators (10 of them). Punch in “guest rooms”, then floor #, then swipe room card, then await elevator assignment. What is a kid who wants to hit all the numbers supposed to do? To go down one repeats the operation making sure you go to lobby.

We basically knew very little of Toronto, I mentioned there were two things I wanted to do, go up the CN tower, and go to beach on Lake Ontario. We knew not much else, but first thing in the morning, after the worst coffee ever in hotel room, moved on to our included tour of Toronto, which came with our tour package. Delightful,laughing character “Doug” was our driver guide. and he began with antidotes about various landmarks,, and historical figures. (Always nice to hear the local version as opposed to the official sanitized glorified one)

First stop though CN towers, which I did not realize were until about 2007 the tallest freestanding structure in the world . (Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, took the title then), now it is about 11th tallest in the world, although the viewing platform is only about 350 meters up of the 550 meter height.

I think it is funny I cannot go out on the glass floors, for whatever reason, I used to climb and exposure was not a problem but fhe glass floors I can’t seem to do. The. The boat guide told me the CN tower originally had a much larger area of glass but was never used. it was too expensive to remove so they just put carpet over most of it. I guess I did walk on the see through floor.

Then on to the market. We are talking food market and oh my. Incredible. Fish, beef, lamb, vegetables, on and on, in an unending variety. Jeanne though, although feeling good on departure was going down fast, and back in the van , Doug dropped her at the hotel, where, alas she fell sound asleep until my return hours later. Just tired, although slept well through the night. Must have been the poor breakfast at hotel restaurant and incredibly bad coffee available in room.

Fruits (bananas were$1.21 Canadian/lb)
Mustard display and options

Then on to the island taxi, ferries, tours terminal. We boarded a tour boat to the barrier island a couple kilometers off from Toronto. Apparently used to be about 10,000 residents over there but a hurricane (yes hurricane in about 1920 wiped out most structures). It was rebuilt primarily with an eye to the people of Toronto. One island is wild, one has residences but the waitlist is some 50 years, and residences can only sell for original building prices. The biggest center island is, as our boat guide said like a Central Park. Primarily park land, although it does have a boat moorage on it, where you can live on a houseboat., of which none were extravagant.

Toronto coastline

Thus ended the tour, although crossing the pedestrian walkway a bike came through and Doug told him “hey red light for bikes”. The fellow turned and yelled back “it’s ok I am old”.

I told Jeanne I would get some Covid testing kits enroute home thus stopped at a drug store, picking up two. We were not convinced we were better and thought for sure we had Covid. Both Jeanne’s and my test were negative. Whew!

Asking Jeanne what she wanted for dinner, her response was Asian. Sort of leaves it open, but with numerous options. Found a hopefully good place called “dim sum king”, only a km away so walked, ended up in Chinese section of town and passed numerous good looking hole in the wall “Asian restaurants.”, finally arriving at DimSumKing on third floor and yea very good. Not exactly positive in our ordering as primarily Chinese although English subtitles and pictures, but awesome food.

Dim sum

Return hotel watched two old movies and slept great and slept in. Oh my. No decent coffee at hotel so somewhat difficult to begin day. They have coffee but some frothy thing which tasted bad. Headed across the street to food court in train station, variety to choose from, middle east, Thai, sushi, Japanese, Korean , noodles, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, chicken places, and of course Tim Hortons. I chose middle eastern. Jeanne chose Thai, but we had to get coffee from McDonald’s, which we consider some of the best coffee.

Union station food court

I have concluded the more you pay for a hotel the less you get. Ma Johnson in McCarthy was one of most expensive hotels ever and they did not even have electric plugs available in room. Alas !

After breakie (at noon) off to the Toronto aquarium) one of the best I have ever seen. Great exhibits, informative and moved people through without feeling overly crowded. Had a moving walkway through the below surface tanks you could just ride and enjoy, or get off anytime. I did learn how to sex a moon jellyfish and a shark. As noted quite informative.

Kelp forests are always relaxing to watch

Then told jeanne I would take her to what she missed yesterday on the islands, and took a water taxi across the center island. Delightful walk about and a short walk in the sand of Lake Ontario beach.

Mist sprayers along Toronto harbor walk
Toronto skyline from center island
Center island fountain
Railroad

Dinner at the roundhouse below the CN tower. Roundhouse is a brewery built about the railroad roundhouse which formerly was used to redirect the engines to proper tracks.

Currently back on train moving on to Montreal, cruising along Lake Ontario, cruising at 150 km/hr

The Canadian part II

Life is like a 10 speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.

Charles m. Schultz

We left Saskatoon and noted the flats. I had thought Kansas and Nebraska were flat. The horizon just beckons you.

Saskatchewan
Coming into Winnipeg
Room with bunks down

Illness continued, feeling sore, stiff, with a bit of cough. Felt not right to expose others so just stayed in room. If you are going to be sick being on the Canadian with Angela as a steward is not a bad options. Started feeling better yesterday and today feeling right up near good. Today we even ate meals in dining car on a table with table cloths and such finery. And the windows are bigger.

Morning
More lakes

I, for some incongruous reason thought the trip ended yesterday. I had calculated us being almost 11 hours behind schedule and hence called our hotel to inform them we would be late on arrival. The clerk noted we had no reservation last night but did starting tonite. I checked and correct. Alas the 4 day trip I started on Monday was day 0. Tuesday was a full day 1. And I made the very rookie mistake of thinking once we left Winnipeg we were close. I forgot to look at map of Ontario. It is huge, larger than France and Spain combined

And yet more lakes
Near Capreol, Ontario

Thus this morning we awoke riding through wondrous forests with zillions of lakes. Almost none occupied. So pleasant to see remote areas, no cabins, no airplanes, an occasional canoe pulled up but for the most part forest and lakes. No cell coverage. Small towns, I suspect are work towns for railroad maybe 200-300 km (150 miles)apart. Then we turned south and an occasional cabin and recreational boats. Approaching Toronto

Overall. A delightful 103 hours.

The Canadian

I know not all that may be coming. But be it what it will. I’ll go to it laughing.

Herman Melville from “Moby Dick”

Train is good. Like Amtrak the freight trains own the tracks so passengers take a back seat and wait for the freight trains to pass. Left Vancouver 5 minutes late and promptly stopped for an hour to await two freight trains.

Vancouver train station
Dining car
Our cabin bunks come down on left chairs move about
Waterfall along he way

But when we were told of the Canadian and how it was much nicer, yes, very true. Not that Amtrak was bad, but mints on bed every night, food is better, cars are cleaner, windows clean, and our room is much roomier, although still quite tiny, but at least one can move around, and the ride seems smoother. I can set something down and mostly expect it to remain. And windows are washed.

As noted earlier in last blog our “tour company” said the walk from hotel to station was too far to walk, and but we risked it, 2.3 km (1 1/2 miles). No problem, dinner in diner of lamb shank, potato’s, and an incredible strawberry cheesecake, except that evening a cough we both had was getting worse, and muscles were quite sore, not as if we overexercised but stiff and sore all over. It worsened and we made decision to stay in room, hopefully not spreading it. Angela our attendant has made life bearable bringing menu and meals from dining car. Yesterday Jeanne had breakfast, poached eggs on toast with melon, and has brown potato’s. I had fried eggs to perfection,sausage, toast melon. All on our lap in our room.

The Canadian Rockies were amazing as expected and I did open door and look out left side windows in hallway at Mt Robson, one of the most spectacular Mountain View’s from a road. we did get off in Jasper and walked around for a bit in soaking up sunshine. The business area remains but the fires devastated the surrounding area, two years ago

Mt Robson
Panorama of our 21cars and window washers
Jasper training station

Currently sitting on a siding awaiting a freight train to pass. Saskatchewan is flat. I think a two story house would be good because then you would be highest thing around

Saskatchewan view train work vehicles getting ready to place new ties down.
Somewhere outside Saskatoon

Hence we continue onward I am feeling a bit better but jeanne is worse. Have kept the bunks in place and she is sleeping. Good!

Vancouver B.C.

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

Douglas Adams

Arrived in the evening via bus from Seattle as apparently schedules do not allow as many trains to connect from Seattle to Vancouver as one would like. Customs was very easy, with nary a question other than what are we doing here and then she was getting excited about our trip. Caught a cab the few kilometers to hotel, being a Sheraton and rather fancy for us, but it is what the tour provided. 23rd floor and a nice view.

Then a bus tour about town, part of the overall tour we paid for. As expected nothing great but did provide a quick overview of highlights and history of the town. Stanley Park, Granville, Gastown, chinatown, cruise ship docks were shown and all was good. Had a driver who did impressions of famous people noted along the way, Frank Sinatra, Richard Attenborough, English, Scottish, Irish, and others.

A friends daughter, who is Canadian, has a restaurant here in Vancouver, and Jeanne had made reservations. “Nero Tondo” on Powell street. It has only two servings a night 5:30 and 7:30 and only one choice on menu. We needed a walk and decided to walk the 1 1/2 hour 5 k (3 mile). Jeanne had missed the text from a friend here in Vancouver who said do not walk down Powell Street. All went well in the business tourist area where our hotel is, and through the area of Gastown, also full of tourists, but when we crossed over to the east side it the “homeless” appeared. Was not a problem as we looked on, stepped over and around, pondering how people get to that condition, but they do for a variety of reasons, but it makes one sad they do not have the life we have, or it provides a glimpse of other sides of the spectrum of life we call civilization. Jeanne said if she was alone she would have called a cab, I said if I had known of this area I would not have chosen to walk. But all good with good people watching, although for us a bit depressing. But Vancouver does have a homeless problem, but as everywhere else the powers that be like to hide it.

Dinner itself was awesome, between 10-13 courses all very small but explained in detail, all locally sourced, potatoes, eggs, seafood, vegetables. The food was all prepared in front of us from the salads, to little appetizers, mains, and desert All the plates were prepared then delivered to each table. We left quite satiated, ordering a Lyft cab for the ride home.

Desert
Nick the owner

Sunday was a free day on our tour of Canada, and left the hotel in search of a breakfast place as only place at hotel was Starbucks, not our favorite. Seems the more expensive the hotel the less they supply breakfast. But a nice place found, then on to the light rail train station. 30 years ago Jeanne and I were here and remember the monorail about town which had been made for the world expo in the late 80’s. Unfortunately it had been removed, but our tour bus driver yesterday said the expo line was a good choice for just seeing a lot of Vancouver. Jeanne and I often will just ride a mass transit train or bus about town just to see what is out there. Today we rode to King George station, found a bathroom at Starbucks and returned.

Our friend, whom we met some years ago in the ski jumping community lives here in Vancouver with her two boys, one whom is an upcoming ski jumper who is progressing up the ranks. Her daughter just left home for college in Halifax where we end our train ride across Canada. She and the boys met us, drove us to their place, then on to a delightful hike above North Vancouver. Reservations had been made at a wonderful Italian restaurant and after a walk about the waterfront of North Vancouver. A wonderful afternoon. I told Anya our tour bus guide yesterday said he could not recommend any particular Italian restaurant, stating “just walk into one and it will be great”.

Vancouver skyline
Loop trail north Vancouver
More stairs
Sunset

Vancouver has been good. I love the diversity. Anchorage is diverse but its diversity is hidden unless you get in the right community. Vancouver is up front, Today on the streets the languages I identified, (correctly or incorrectly who knows) were English, Spanish, Hindi, Ukrainian, Cantonese, and I suspect many others I could not recognize. The town is clean with garbage cans and people that empty those disposal areas, (at least in the tourist, business and residential areas). It is easy to get around and I never felt unsafe despite the above occurrences.

Vancouver real brother-in-law estate is expensive though, at least from a real estate perspective. Apparently average price of a 1600 square foot 3 bedroom 2 bath house is 2.3 million dollars. whew.

And today Monday we depart on the train. The tour instructions said to take a cab from hotel to train station. Looked it up and 2.4 km. Walked it easily past the football stadium where World Cup held.

One note is after Toronto we are on our own, as in no tour, the way we normally travel. But again setting up hotel got taken by Expedia. Have been burned by them many times. A friend in Vermont has decided to come visit us in Montreal, and we invited him to stay with us. I went on website and it turns out it is Expedia. For two nights we were paying $790, Expedia said to add an additional person would cost an additional $800. Nope no way. With some looking I found the phone of actual hotel and called. She was amazed at Expedia and said she hears that often. She increased our booking to 3 people and said it was $760, $30 cheaper, but we will not get money back as originally paid to Expedia. We try to be on lookout for such but difficult sometimes. One thinks I have the proper site but turns out it is a third party.

Now sitting in waiting area before loading train.

Vancouver train station

Planes, Trains, and automobiles

Just start by creating your day. Then create your life

Prince

A few years ago Jeanne and I circumnavigated the United States it was a wondrous little adventure, traveling, seeing, visiting and somewhat experiencing something new. There were various writings I did, written on this site from 2 October 2024 to 2024. In a conversations with others along that route many folks highly recommended the Canadian rail across Canada. Many said it was far nicer, hence we have signed on to crossing Canada by rail. As usual when you cross one thing off the list one adds two more. Quit keeping lists.

We started planning and getting reservations in February. It was difficult to find just the Canadian rail website through all the advertising. Again the commercial interests crowd out the independent traveler. When we did finally find just the Canadian railway, it was completely sold out, more than six months ahead of time. Geez, who thinks that far ahead? Obviously to numerous others, but not me. We thought well let’s look at the tours. Numerous options and we picked one which was the trip we had wanted, except they arranged hotels and an occasional tour. Price was much more than if we had done it independently, but space was available, we signed up for this time period, sent in our money and sat back. Easy peazzee!

Two days later a friend emailed pondering a reunion of our Colorado college friends. Her invite went something like

“Would you like to go to an alumni reunion a hundred or so people you hardly know or get together with or a dozen folks you really care about?” Of course, near immediately, 5 or 6 of us were in and soon it was a dozen. The Oregon coast was decided on as many of us have spent memorable times there. Originally Mary had set 11-13 September as a weekend, but Jeanne and I were committed to Canada rail starting the 11 September. Mary checked and realizing we are all retired and weekends mean nothing, she changed to 8-10. Yahoo

And a wondrous 2 days with about 15 of us. Some I had not seen since Colorado College when I left in 1970, others I have kept in contact with on occasional get togethers, others I have kept in contact- all though were close. It was as if we were never apart, what Jeanne calls comma friends- you are close, go off for decades and do your thing and come back together to carry on where you left off, with more life experiences. We had at least established our personalities enough in college we were who we were.

College was a defining time for us. I remember coming from conservative Utah and had read about “hippies” and read they were not good people. Then I met some! They were good thoughtful people, or just like everyone else with a whole variety, and not everyone thought or acted or lived like I had. Open ones mind. Sometimes the things we are taught are not necessarily correct. This is where education comes in, to teach you to think, analyze and ponder. I remember riding the chairlift once with someone I very much admired and they told me they “smoked dope”. I was blown away, I had been taught that was evil and would be the end of my life, but I thought about it and realized marijuana was not going to end the world, although in those days penalties of the straight world were extreme. the world has progressed.

Vacation rental
Oregon coast by Manzanita

When in high school and deciding where to go to college, the one story I tell is I knew I should go to one of those back east to some liberal school for a good education. But the east had no skiing which I had heard was icy, and skiing was a part of my life. Of course all skiing for me compared to Utah. Hence I found Colorado College which was east of the Rockies which entered it in the competition. My view was simple east and west, and east was east of the rockies. I had been across country and seen the “east” and it was flat and no skiing. To this day people will tell me St. Louis is west, and I just shake my head. Prejudices!

Forest Trail to the beach
Rest area hike Picture by Maralyn

It was a delightful time catching up, learning of our adventures and misadventures, retelling stories from over 50 years ago and where we were led, from our decisions. For two days we laughed, told stories explained and heard explanations, ate, walked on the beach, walked in the forest, cooked and had a wondrous time. Amongst us during the intervening decades we had become artists, scientists, nurses, architects, ranchers, firemen, writers, doctors and the spaces in between.

Hikers in Oregon with a history of Colorado
Bumps on a log
Reunions of Colorado College

Then onward to our trip, several pieces having to fit together as a puzzle, transport varieties, hotels, eating. Hopefully flows evenly. Four os us began our journey back to Portland via rental car returning to the airport. We took our time taking just over 4 hours to do a 1.5 hour drive. Stopped at rest areas, hiked, stopped at a roadside cafe, just enjoying last moments with each other, before returning to our other lives. We dropped off Jacqui and Maralyn at train station for their return to Seattle, returned car to airport, and our friends Sheila and Steve picked us up and out to dinner we went, alongside the Columbia river, continuing the conversations with different friends from years past and into the present. They dropped us at the hotel near train station and we departed the next morning for Vancouver B.C.

roadside restaurant highway 26 outside Portland Oregon
Portland Union Station
Portland departure
King Street Station Seattle Washington

Train to Seattle, transfer to bus, due to better connection, and into Vancouver. Have not been here since miss nineties, a I remember a wonderful city, clean and vibrant, easy to get around. Thus far the same but far bigger. Our tour included a bus tour of Vancouver this morning. Bus tours are never our thing but included and was a nice little drive bout to the highlights, Stanley park, Granville island, Chinatown, gas town. Just a drive about with stops for short walks. Interesting driver narrator did all sorts of impersonations telling the stories and history.

Hotel arrival Vancouver not our usual type of hotel but included in tour
Sunrise

Granville Island Public market

Granville heavy industry cement plant

And for another viewpoint of the same story check out Jeannes blog

Jeanne’s blog

And now to explore more and on eastward via train

First day

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep balanced you need to keep moving.

-Albert Einstein

Boarded the “Empire Builder” train in Portland, Oregon an hour and half late, after a delightful overnight visit with our friends Sheila and Steve. We talked and went on a delightful walk through the Oregon foliage and along the Columbia River.

Along the Columbia River

Supposed 4:45 pm departure but train only arrived then and needed cleaning and fixing up, and it was 6:15 when we finally departed. But, with a “roomette” we have access to business, first class lounge and Steve and Sheila joined us and we continued our visit.

Portland union station lounge
Sheila pix of Jeanne and J. R. Examining train

We chose Portland over Seattle for first part thinking we would have a couple hours daylight to view the Columbia gorge, a beautiful section of river. Alas, our late departure and consequential darkness moved us into our room to explore. I knew the room was tiny but this is tiny. I thought beds on boats were small, there because one does not want room to get thrown around. This room is about 1 meter by 2 meters, 3ft6 inches by 6 feet 6 inches. In that space are two comfortable chairs which can recline, a closet, a trash can, two bunks, a large picture window (only in front of lower bunk) 1 electrical outlet, a table,arm rests, cup holders, 2 bedside lights (both for lower bunk only) , 2 coat hangers, arm rests, and curtains for windows on both sides (outside view and train aisle). Not all the aforementioned items are usable at same time. There is a shared toilet down the hall, and an attendant to place the bunks into sleeping position, although we decided we could do that ourselves. Because the dinner car was not available until Spokane in the middle of the night our attendant brought us meals in our room. Not bad shrimp salad and chicken salad.

By 8:40 I was done and figured just go to bed. An hour and half later I sort of fell asleep. A comedy with much laughter as two people occupying the same space was difficult. I managed to get the upper bunk lowered into position and climbed in, realizing one can’t come even close to sitting up, so all clothes changing was done supine. More laughter and realization needed something out of my pack stored under the seat which was now reclined into a bed for Jeanne. Start over, climbing down, undo bed ,retrieve pack , retrieve whatever important item it was, replace bed, climb back up and start over.

Glad to have the webbing around my bed as a couple times thrown about. The bunk is just over shoulder width and actually rather comfortable once one situates, with rocking and generally gentle motion.

A somewhat fitful night but not unreasonable. Up at 6 am barely first light, but in the Kootenai River drainage and absolutely gorgeous just cruising alongside the river noting leaf colors seeming to just explode with color.

Kootenai
Kootenai River a side stream

My niece lives a couple blocks from the railroad tracks and was going to come wave, but alas we are 3 1/2 hours late now and she had to go to work.

Flathead river

Talking with various people seems nearly all are on the train to experience the train. Fun to just talk and discover the stories of how and why they end up on this train. Several getting off and on taking a day to explore places, some using it as transportation, as not much else available.

Dining car (meals included with sleeper cars)

Lunch and through the mountains now, out onto the plains and flatlands. New adventures

Leaving the mountains
Amtrak routes United States