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After a quick shop down the Magnificent Mile where it hosed with rain we squeezed into a taxi that wasn't designed for six adults let alone all our suitcases. The cabbie seemed happy especially after some world cup cricket discussion - he was from India and your average Chicagoan doesn't know the game even exists!
The California Zephyr is touted as the most scenic train journey in the USA and travels between Chicago and San Francisco so we have high hopes as we climb aboard. We are travelling as far as Grand Junction, Colorado - a 26 hour journey. She leaves on time and we make ourselves comfortable in our sleeper cabins - same drill as the D.C. to Chicago trip so we are old pros. There is a more leisurely feel to the journey as we start out - the staff treat this route less as a commute and more as a journey. The highlight before darkness overtakes us is crossing the might Mississippi River. Later that night we also cross the Missouri River but we are sound asleep.
As we wake just before dawn we are still on the plains but getting close now to Denver. After a 15 minute stop in Denver we start the climb up into the Rockies. The next few hours were spectacular as we passed through ever changing scenery. Snow capped mountains, beautiful rivers, towering mesas, tunnel after tunnel, even some elk. Capturing the beauty on camera was almost impossible with reflections off glass and the constant movement of the train. Nige resorted to the rear window of the last carriage to photograph, which seemed to work better.
Again the journey allowed us time to meet other travellers and just kick back a little from the somewhat hectic pace over the past two weeks. All too soon we arrive at Grand Junction and we say good bye to the California Zephyr - a journey we would highly recommend.
Arriving at Grand Junction we manage to find a taxi large enough to fit us all in and travel a few miles with an entertainig taxi driver to the airport where our rental car awaits, To Nige's delight we are upgraded from a mini-van to a monstrous Cheverolet Suburban - room for the family and some! We head off up the highway with the usual teething problems trying to exit the airport using another GPS...! First stop - the airport!! We take a few moments to regroup and are off again on the highway this time to Montrose to find our Days Inn motel and some dinner. The scenery along this highway is desert-like with the Rocky Mountains as a distant backdrop. The older two say the foothills and dry plains around us remind them of Israel and the only sign of wildlife is the odd Prairie Dog and a few birds. Hotel checked into, we eventualy head into town and stumble across a fabulous and very popular place called 'Colorado Boy Pizzeria and Brewery' - which was exactly what it describes and worth the half hour wait to get a seat. Enjoyed a delicious and generous dinner then headed back satisfied, with our lunch for tomorrow, to the hotel for a spa and watched Jaws II on TV!!
- comments
Glenys I remember when Nigel was little, his favorite movie was Jaws. Soooo the movie was appropriate. Glad the train ride worked out!