Departure Day

Grant's big train adventure begins today—he and I are riding Amtrak's California Zephyr to San Francisco Bay. Emeryville is just across the bay from the city and is next to Oakland. 

If Amtrak had bothered to make it clear, I would have booked the trip to San Francisco, which adds a bus ride across the Bay Bridge for an extra buck. But no, I mistakenly booked the trip to the end of the line. Afterwards I looked into the oft-remarked bus ride, and learned the reservation would have to be altered. I also learned trying to do so commonly results in cancellation of the reservation and a new one made… at the current price. With Amtrak's variable pricing, by then it would have been significantly more. So when the 50 hour (if on time!) trip ends, we will be walking a couple of blocks to the Four Points Sheraton for the night. 

As the day breaks here in Streamwood, I'm purchasing Metra tickets on their Ventra app for a short one hour train ride to Union Station. Arriving in Chicago by 10AM gives us four hours to kill. 

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     ...... Pat Hoppel ......