Lazy Day then Catch the Train

June 25, 2022 to June 26, 2022

Hanging around Eugene waiting for Amtrak

After a lazy morning of sleeping in and slowly organizing our packing, Jim, Amber, Rich and I headed to The Original Pancake House for breakfast. The day was already starting to get warm - it is supposed to be the first day since last September over 90 degrees in Eugene (forecast for 93.) The restaurant was crowded but we were able to get right in. The menu was extensive and included about 25 different kinds of pancakes and baked omelets. Amber had pecan pancakes and Rich and I had blueberry but Jim ordered a baked Denver omelet. We all enjoyed our choices and left very full.

Our train doesn't leave until 5:15 pm and so today was all about killing time. We hung around the motel until 11:00, then had to check out. Amber and Rich were able to squeeze their bikes into the laundry room for the day but Jim and I rode ours into downtown. We went to the train station, bought a small box and unloaded our bike helmets, shoes, 1 pannier and few other things into it and checked it. Then we took our bikes and our carry-on stuff across the street to the 5th St. Public Market, where we had arranged to meet the others.

We spent several hours just hanging out there, first staking out a table at one end of the outdoor area and eventually moving to the other end. There was a busker playing guitar and singing for most of the time we were there and he was quite good. We checked out the shops; we had coffee and tea; later we ate lunch. Eventually Jim and I headed back to Amtrak and the others went to get their bikes. We reconvened at the train station and waited some more.

I read all of the pamphlets in the train station-these looked the most interesting.

Naturally, the train was late. But by now it was pretty hot outside but the station was powerfully air conditioned. We bid goodby to Cheryl as she boarded a commuter train about an hour before ours was due. She almost certainly had arrived in Albany before our train showed up.

But it did show up and we left Eugene about 1 hour late. shortly thereafter we were all seated in the dining car enjoying an adult beverage. Then we had the best dinner I have ever been served on Amtrak. Years ago an Amtrak employee told me that when the best cooks change routes, a lot of the employees follow them. I suspect our cook was one of those. In any case, the excellent meal helped to make up for our trip up to Oregon during which the dining car was out of order.

A few years ago, this reservoir south of Eugene was completely empty.

Back in our roomette, we settled in. Sleeping on the train is difficult for me but I managed better than usual-perhaps because of the wine I had with dinner? But I woke up at 5:00 am and couldn't go back to sleep.

Since our ETA wasn't until 7:55 and the train was still at least 30 minutes behind schedule, we had plenty of time to get breakfast. It was also decent but not as good as dinner.

Once we arrived in Martinez, we collected our bikes from the baggage car and reloaded all the luggage. Then we took off for home. This is a trip that Jim and I have made several time but it was a first for Amber and Rich. We went the flattest of 3 options - over the Benicia Bridge, through Benicia, then through Vallejo, then American Canyon, then on to Napa. Pretty easy riding but some of the areas in Vallejo are blighted with large homeless encampments and trash.

We rolled up our driveway at 12:20 pm. On the way up we noticed that the driveway was wet just below our rental cottage-not a good thing this time of year and almost certainly indicative of a water leak. Once we were in the house, we noticed the water pressure was low and the chlorine barrel that is part of our water treatment system was completely empty when it should have had another 2 weeks in it. Later in the day Jim confirmed that there is a large leak under the rental cottage in a difficult area to access. Also it is a hot water leak and so our renter's hot water heater had been working overtime and used up his entire supply of propane. Oh well, returning home from vacation is sometimes full of surprises . I guess it is time to get back to work and our real lives.

Today's ride: 34 miles (55 km)
Total: 445 miles (716 km)

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