Day 7, 8 & 9 of our Amtrak Rail-Pass trip

Amtrak California Zephyr Sacramento CA to Chicago IL

Thursday January 21st

We got up and did laundry and repacked at the AirBNB and had a great visit with Chris who is the owner. We learned more about the AirBNB business and how it works. When the laundry was done we headed to the station where we knew we could grab a bite and a Starbucks while we waited for the train.

The train tracks are a couple hundred yards from the terminal and you can take an underground walkway using free luggage carts or you can catch a trolley to the tracks and not have to walk.

That's the terminal in the distance.

Once on the train we quickly moved to the Sightseer Lounge Car (Observation Car) and worked on the Blog and spammed our Facebook friends. The train was pretty crowded because a ton of folks we going across Donner Pass to Reno for the weekend. Soon after we settled in the tracks began to climb and it wasn't long before we saw snow in the shady spots and then everywhere. FInally I was gonna get to see the elusive "awesome snow covered mountain views" I've heard so much about.

Darkness came soon after we left Reno Nevada and we spend another night aboard the train.

Day 7 of our Amtrak Rail-Pass Trip

Amtrak California Zephyr to Chicago

Friday January 22nd

When we woke up we decided to try our first Amtrak Diner Car Breakfast. We ordered the scrambled eggs and coffee. Although I've heard the food was pretty good this meal was pretty bad. I mean the eggs were just ok but the biscuit and potatoes were lukewarm and tasteless. Shawn had the same opinion. I'm not ready to condemn all Amtrak food but this was surely not a good introduction. We'll try again and report back.

As soon as we finished Breakfast we took seats in the Observation car and began to see the snow covered countryside in Colorado on our climb to the Continental divide and beyond. Observation car and began to see the snow covered countryside in Colorado on our climb to the Continental divide and beyond.

Video from the back door of the train another video from the train

We had fish tacos for lunch near the Moffit Tunnel that passes across the Continental Divide

We saw about 100 large deer (Mule Deer), maybe 20 Elk and 2 Moose (es) on the west side of the Continental Divide. Too late to take pictures but there were plenty of them Probabaly 7-10 deer at a time and 10 Elk at time. Both Moose at the same time.

Folks sit in the observation car passing the time making new friends, watching the passing views, playing cards, working on various computer projects, eating snacks & meals or just people watching. Some social drinking goes on but not a real party crowd.

We woke up in Omaha Nebraska just before 6:00 am. We headed for our spot on the Observation Car and went downstairs to the Lounge and bought coffee and a bagel for breakfast. Traveling long distance on the train without a "Roomette" or larger sleeper.....sleeping is a little different than at home. You first take a sleep aid pill & attempt to find an empty pair of seats so you can have 2 seats all by yourself. Then, throughout the night, you try various seat adjustments and positions in an effort to sleep comfortably. Eventually after going through the entire gauntlet of uncomfortable positions and seat adjustments you wake up (again) and decide 6:00 is it! It would be easier to get up than continue trying to find the ultimate position or combination of options & seat adjustments for a good sleep. Then, all day you are amazed that you aren't a sleep deprived zombie. I don't know why but we continue to feel fine all day and haven't even resorted to a nap for the past 9 days. At this point I will concede that for some folks, long distance train travel would be impossible to do and still have a good time. Personally though, I am still in the Coach-n-save camp. I think if you are considering sleeping in coach on a long distance train you should do the practice trip(s) I did to try out a night or two before signing up for a 15 day trip. Then you can may a somewhat informed decision as to what is acceptable to you (or not). I camp and sleep aboard boats/vans enough that I am somewhat accustomed to less than optimum sleeping conditions and do well. I was surprised that Shawn has had a very similar experience and is also doing as well. Here are some pictures of Shawn posing in the 3 main sleeping positions we used.....

We watched the flatlands of Nebraska fly by and crossed back across the Mississippi in Burlington Iowa.

Frozen all the way across.

We arrived in Chicago and caught an $8 UBER ride to the AirBNB on West Chicago ave in the Ukrainian Village. The room turned out to be in an upscale Condo on the third floor overlooking the busy street below. We took the quick tour and got the key then took off exploring. 

We walked several blocks exploring and snacking along the way. We split a Chicago Dog at "Fatso's Last Stand" and there was no stopping us then......

beef pies at Areal's Deli, Blintzes and Pierogies at Ann's Bakery & Deli. We were checking out the opportunities for picking up train food the following morning to take with us on out trip to Los Angeles. Eventually we ended up at Root's Pizza for a small pizza and a beer. Everything was within 3 or 4 blocks of the condo and the street were very clean. The streets were also safe to walk after dark. We saw lots of afluent looking folks walking around shopping and dining as we explored. There were lots of homes/condos above the street & shops.