Amtrak to Trinidad, June 2002 - I departed on my trip to Trinidad early from home in Sunnyvale. Carrying my bags I walked the 2/3 mile to the local Caltrain station, where I caught an early-morning train to San Jose. Then I transferred to an Amtrak bus that took me to Stockton Amtrak station. I then transferred to the Amtrak San Joaquin that took me to Bakersfield. Then, I transferred to an Amtrak bus that took me to Los Angeles Union Station.
Here I had several hours of layover until I would board the Southwest Chief, whose final destination was Chicago. I walked around Olvera Street and ate an early dinner.
The Southwest Chief heads through Orange County before turning east up the Santa Ana River Canyon to Riverside and San Bernardino. Then the route takes us up over Cajon Pass to Barstow, then east across the Mojave Desert at night to Kingman, Williams, and Flagstaff, Arizona. The next day we traveled through high desert countryside, Indian country, of eastern Arizona and New Mexico before climbing over Raton Pass and down into Trinidad, where Dan met me. Total ticket cost for the trip: about $100.
Due to the dry air I had sprung a blood vessel in my nose just before I got off the train. He must have thought I had a fight with someone on board as I came off looking a bloody mess. Sorry, no photos.
Visiting the Nortons in Trinidad, June 11, 2002 - I spent only one night in Trinidad, sleeping on the fold-down bed in the Prowler along with the rest of the family, as most of the furniture had been moved out of the house by this time. The next day Dan and I began the long drive back to the Bay Area.
Trinidad to Home, June 2002 - Dan and I drove back to the Bay Area on a route that took us through southern Colorado and then through the center of Utah on I-70 and then through central Nevada.
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