Sept 19: Lethbridge AB

Another half day spent on the train just looking at the scenery before I arrived in Shelby,  Montana.

The plan was to spend the night there before going up to High River the next day.

John and Diane met the train and we went off to have lunch and discuss our options.   While on the train I had been texting back and forth with my niece Angela who lives just east of Edmonton.   She had come south for the weekend hoping to be able to meet up with us.

We decided to drive to Lethbridge (a whole hour and a half drive) and spend the night there and go on to meet up with Angela and family in Calgary tomorrow evening (a whole other hour and a half drive).  The speed limit here and in Montana is 75 mph, a little unnerving to me, but since the highways are basically empty (we never saw more than two cars on the road in both directions at any one time) it was very tolerable. 

On the drive up we stopped at the Milk River Visitor Center and then at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden in Lethbridge.

Milk River Visitor Center with replica hoodoos in the background

Our dinner at Sisters Pub & Grill

Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden

Crossing the border at Sweet Grass, Montana

Sept 18: Portland OR

Although I brought alot of entertainment along,  today I just watched the scenery.   It was lovely and calming.

We made up the hour we were late overnight and arrived in Portland in time to meet the Empire Builder heading to Chicago.   Tomorrow at 11:30 am I arrive in Shelby, Montana.

Photos below of Lookout Point Lake as we raced by and the train stop in Eugene OR.  They obviously added alot of cars somewhere along the way because it wasn't that big when I got on.   The picture is missing about 8 cars from the back and you can barely make out the front of the train.  

Sept 17: Oakland CA

Las night at Fess Parker's I received a tsunami advisory on my phone; that gave me some pause, scary stuff.   However the water rose about 9 inches when it got to Santa Barbara so no beachfront property for us!

At home waiting impatiently I got a text that the train was 49 minutes late.   The car attendant tells me they have a 3-1/2 hour cushion so barring anything else going wrong,  I should be okay with catching my connection in Portland.

A different experience this time.   They have wine tasting and a movie.   Plus there are three places on the train where sleeping car passengers can eat!   I'm having meals brought to me,  very lazy of me I know. 

Met a lovely couple from Paso travelling for the first time on the train to Wisconsin so we'll be together for the duration.

Testing

This is a test on the tablet.  

Liliana in the ukulele case