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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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“I highly recommend travel by train” |
9.18.06 5:18pm We’re just now passing through Oregon City, Oregon. It is the oldest city in Oregon, and the end of the Oregon Trail. A few minutes before Meredith called me, and had I looked out my window I would have seen her as the train passed through Canby, Oregon where she was sitting at the railroad crossing watching my train go by. Alas, I was engrossed in my book. About 45 till Portland.
6:00pm I made it to Portland. It took a little longer than expected but, my 105-hour, 23 state, 4,393-mile train ride has come to an end. It is cliché to say, but it truly was more than everything I thought it would be. I met some wonderful people, saw some amazing examples of God’s creation, successfully transferred to each train without mistake. I highly recommend and will again travel by the mode of train. Amtrak employees were some of the most friendly and helpful people I’ve met in the travel business. I was able to relax on every trip and shot over 500 photographs to immortalize my memories. I look forward to the trip home.
As for Portland, I must say I’m a fan. Meredith and I walked around downtown for a little while and I only saw just a taste, but from what I saw, to me it is a comfortable big city. It has the buildings and nice restaurants to make it a classy place to come; yet it is not over crowded and crammed together like many large cities are. We stopped in only two shops: an outdoor equipment store, and a camera store. I found out from the camera store that they would, in fact, charge my battery for me while I waited. We went to the outdoor store because I quickly realized that I did not bring the correct cloths for the northern states. I packed for TN. I looked around for a while, and decided to come back tomorrow. I will try to find a long sleeve shirt or light jacket of some sort to keep me a little warmer while I’m here and on the train ride home. Every train I was on had the AC blasting and some nights were frigid. This week Meredith intends to show me some mountains, some beach and ocean (in which I will take a dip) and more of Portland. I’m excited! More photos are definitely forthcoming.
“Here is life, an experiment to a great extent untried by me.”
- Thoreau
previous travel blog entry
Daddy-O says:
Glad you made it safe to Oregon. How many times as young kids you two played the Oregon Trail game on the computer. Now you've both made it there in person. Sorry you missed Meredith in Canby. I can just see her little face straining with great expectation as the train goes past and she tries to get a glimpse of her brother. Enjoy your time together. We've enjoyed all the trip stories greatly. You're a good writer Eric David.