ZephyrClackety-clack, clackety-clack.  The car sways back and forth as I try to sleep on the bottom bunk.  All of the sudden a foot is coming down from above — it’s Bryon stepping down off the top bunk to go to the bathroom.  Sleep comes in fits and starts, my body is just no used to the swaying and the bursts of speed.  I check my smart phone and the speedometer app, we are going upwards of 70 mph across the barren landscape of Nevada.

I wake up once again and see the sun rising above mountains in the distance.  I extract myself from my tiny bunk and put on flip flops to go down to the showers and bathrooms below.  Taking a shower feels a bit like a Star Trek experience, complete with small, “Scotty Beam Me Up” shower stalls.  Surprisingly, the water is hot and the pressure is pretty good.  I get myself dressed and go find Bryon to make our way to the dining car for breakfast.

Two years ago, this month, my husband and had the chance to take a ride on the California Zephyr, Amtrak’s cross-country route going from Chicago to San Francisco.  Riding from Denver to San Francisco has to rate as one of the great train rides in North America if not the world.  The entire ride is filled with scenery 24/7 — jagged mountains, red rock canyons, salt flats, wind swept prairies and yes even water views.  What I find so interesting about the train ride vs. taking a plane is that everyone on the train is relaxed.  No one is there to get some place fast, but more to enjoy some type of experience, to enjoy the journey.  And a journey it is.

In addition to the breathtaking scenery, I meet people from all over the country and all over the world.  I quickly discover that the Dome car is the most coveted seat on the plane, and it’s best to stake out a seat there early.  The one time you won’t have a problem finding a seat there is at night in the dark, but even that has its own sense of quiet and pleasure, with the ability to start at the stars and moon, while enjoying a glass of wine.

If you book a sleeper compartment, meals in the dining car are included.  To maximize space and efficiency, parties of two are seated with other parties of two.  We meet a brother and sister from Indiana, an entrepreneur from Colorado who’s retired at 50, and a retired couple from the midwest, who’ve been married for over 30 years.  Everyone is friendly, and seemingly enjoying themselves.  The rush, rush feeling of airport travel doesn’t exist.  The other thing that doesn’t exist is the cattle car feeling of being packed in like sardines.

We have our own compartment, but even the coach seating is ample, with two oversized seats, plenty of space to put your feet up, as well as outlets for every seat to plug in electronic devices.  In addition to the dome car, and dining car, there is also a snack car, so there is lots of room to move about, to stretch, and even to play games.  Large booths are available in the snack car for families to spread out picnic lunches, put out board games, or play cards.

When we arrive in San Francisco 36 hours later, I’m feeling a bit sad that our adventure has come to an end.  But I also get the bonus of feeling rested and ready to enjoy the rest of our trip.  Instead of the usual tired feeling and mentally drained feeling I get from the frenzy and stress of plan travel, I feel relaxed and at ease.  And the memories of our train trip, the vistas we witnessed, the friends we have made, will stay with us for a long time.

promoblock