3rd EB trip in 9 months

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TrainLoverJoy

Lead Service Attendant
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Jun 11, 2012
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Location
Kalamazoo, Mi.
After taking the EB from Chicago to Seattle in April and again this month, I have not had enough! I think I've talked my husband into something I can tell you guys, but will not tell our friends or family (they'll think we're nuts.) The bucket price for EB to Portland is only $229 the last of February. Since we've already done all the sightseeing in Portland and Seattle, I'm not interested in that. But I DO want to take EB again, only the Portland route. AND, stay over only one night in Portland, and turn around and come back.

I just asked on a different post how many miles we follow the Columbia River on the way to Spokane. My only "worry" now is to make sure there will be enough daylight in late February, either coming or going, to take advantage of the view along the Columbia.

After this trip we have another already booked for early May.......a Chicago to L.A. on the Chief, the drive along the coast to San Francisco, and the Zephyr back to Chicago. That means 4 long distance trips in one year......I'm excited!
 
After taking the EB from Chicago to Seattle in April and again this month, I have not had enough! I think I've talked my husband into something I can tell you guys, but will not tell our friends or family (they'll think we're nuts.) The bucket price for EB to Portland is only $229 the last of February. Since we've already done all the sightseeing in Portland and Seattle, I'm not interested in that. But I DO want to take EB again, only the Portland route. AND, stay over only one night in Portland, and turn around and come back.

I just asked on a different post how many miles we follow the Columbia River on the way to Spokane. My only "worry" now is to make sure there will be enough daylight in late February, either coming or going, to take advantage of the view along the Columbia.

After this trip we have another already booked for early May.......a Chicago to L.A. on the Chief, the drive along the coast to San Francisco, and the Zephyr back to Chicago. That means 4 long distance trips in one year......I'm excited!
And I'm jealous. :wub:
 
Having done this portion of the route in late February myself, I can say that there is plenty of light. Just make sure to be up and mobile when the train is arriving at Pasco, and you'll be sure to experience the view just as sunrise is happening. The most scenic parts of the Gorge are closer to Portland, when the foliage turns to evergreens and the environment is steadily more damp. My favorite place to enjoy this stretch of the route? Right out the back window of your Portland sleeper. Absolute bliss!
 
After taking the EB from Chicago to Seattle in April and again this month, I have not had enough! I think I've talked my husband into something I can tell you guys, but will not tell our friends or family (they'll think we're nuts.) The bucket price for EB to Portland is only $229 the last of February. Since we've already done all the sightseeing in Portland and Seattle, I'm not interested in that. But I DO want to take EB again, only the Portland route. AND, stay over only one night in Portland, and turn around and come back.

I just asked on a different post how many miles we follow the Columbia River on the way to Spokane. My only "worry" now is to make sure there will be enough daylight in late February, either coming or going, to take advantage of the view along the Columbia.

After this trip we have another already booked for early May.......a Chicago to L.A. on the Chief, the drive along the coast to San Francisco, and the Zephyr back to Chicago. That means 4 long distance trips in one year......I'm excited!
And I'm jealous. :wub:
Me too!
 
Having done this portion of the route in late February myself, I can say that there is plenty of light. Just make sure to be up and mobile when the train is arriving at Pasco, and you'll be sure to experience the view just as sunrise is happening. The most scenic parts of the Gorge are closer to Portland, when the foliage turns to evergreens and the environment is steadily more damp. My favorite place to enjoy this stretch of the route? Right out the back window of your Portland sleeper. Absolute bliss!
Good to know......thank you for the info.
 
I agree about the view from the back window of the Portland sleeper. One time my roomette was right next to it and I hung out there a whole lot, moving out of the way when someone else came back that way now and then.
 
Having done this portion of the route in late February myself, I can say that there is plenty of light. Just make sure to be up and mobile when the train is arriving at Pasco, and you'll be sure to experience the view just as sunrise is happening. The most scenic parts of the Gorge are closer to Portland, when the foliage turns to evergreens and the environment is steadily more damp. My favorite place to enjoy this stretch of the route? Right out the back window of your Portland sleeper. Absolute bliss!
For the heck of it, I decided to get technical and looked up sunrise and sunset times for Portland area to figure out the daylight issue. As you mentioned, it looks good for the westward route.....sunrise is about 7:30am February 28, and we go through Wishram at 6:50am (should be getting light by then.) And going back to Chicago on March 4 looks pretty good too.....sunsets at 6:01pm and we get to Wishram at 6:50pm.

So, if trains are on time I figure at least 3/4 of the time the Gorge will be visible.....which would be terrific!

(I'm gonna keep checking to see if low bucket price gets pushed into March tho. It did for Seattle route last spring......there was only one sleeper car and I got the $229 price into late April!)
 
We will be going on our second LD train in December (baring no snowstorms) for this year. I love it. It is so relaxing. I love sleeping during the day, eating and sleeping like a baby (well not always:). Enjoy!!!!!!!!!
 
We will be going on our second LD train in December (baring no snowstorms) for this year. I love it. It is so relaxing. I love sleeping during the day, eating and sleeping like a baby (well not always:). Enjoy!!!!!!!!!
I never nap, read or watch movies on LD trips.....I don't want to waste a single minute of the experience of watching scenery go by. Even at night if there's a full moon (which there was 3 weeks ago when I was on the EB) I'll keep looking out the window......you can see quite a bit by moonlight!)
 
We've done the EB from Chicago to Seattle, then hopped on the Cascades to Portland, then the EB back to Shicago. 6 nights on the train! Hubby wants to go back and see more of Glacier.
 
I am trying to figure out it I should take the EB both east bound and Westbound, I have to figure out on my long trip how to get every train into the mix, I am short the chief to LA, but could do the Chief to LA before I take the TE to FTW. I was going to do the EB westbound, the CS down to LA but am still trying to figure out how to get them all in.
 
I love looking out the window. I am so nosy at night. I want to see where I am.
 
In the 5+ hours after you arrive in Portland, you have the time to rent a car downtown and head east on I-84 as far as Multnomah Falls. The best parking is in the median (left exit). It is Oregon's highest waterfall and there is a good paved trail with steps up to the top where you have a spectacular view of the Columbia Gorge.

My most recent trips on the EB were from Spokane to Chicago May 16-17 and Chicago to Cut Bank MT May 29-30. We spent a night in Cut Bank and then drove up to St. Mary and partway up the Going to the Sun Road.

We got back to Spokane early morning on June 2 and were back to Bend Oregon by noon.

Here's hoping that the weather is not too snowy in February.
 
In the 5+ hours after you arrive in Portland, you have the time to rent a car downtown and head east on I-84 as far as Multnomah Falls. The best parking is in the median (left exit). It is Oregon's highest waterfall and there is a good paved trail with steps up to the top where you have a spectacular view of the Columbia Gorge.

My most recent trips on the EB were from Spokane to Chicago May 16-17 and Chicago to Cut Bank MT May 29-30. We spent a night in Cut Bank and then drove up to St. Mary and partway up the Going to the Sun Road.

We got back to Spokane early morning on June 2 and were back to Bend Oregon by noon.

Here's hoping that the weather is not too snowy in February.
We visited Multnomah Falls last month when we took the EB for our for our week-long stay. It definitely was a "must see".......we walked up to the bridge also for a spectacular view of the Falls.

The plan now is to stay over one night in Portland before coming back......6 hours turn around is just not enough to be 100% free of worry about making the connection back.
 
Since you've seen Multnomah Falls, try driving out to the town of Hood River to see the wind surfers. When you leave Hood River head south on Rt. 35 on the east side of Mt. Hood to US 26 near Government Camp.

US 26 will take you back into Portland through Sandy. Hood River is also a great place to spend the night if you didn't want to stay in Portland.

Instead of doubling back on the EB, you could take the Coast Starlight south to Sacramento arriving early the next morning (6:15AM). Then take the CZ back to CHI. If you have an extra day along the route of the CZ, we stop in Glenwood Springs for 24 hours.
 
Since you've seen Multnomah Falls, try driving out to the town of Hood River to see the wind surfers. When you leave Hood River head south on Rt. 35 on the east side of Mt. Hood to US 26 near Government Camp.

US 26 will take you back into Portland through Sandy. Hood River is also a great place to spend the night if you didn't want to stay in Portland.

Instead of doubling back on the EB, you could take the Coast Starlight south to Sacramento arriving early the next morning (6:15AM). Then take the CZ back to CHI. If you have an extra day along the route of the CZ, we stop in Glenwood Springs for 24 hours.
Last April we took the EB to Seattle, drove the coast of Oregon and then took the CZ to Chicago. Next April we plan to take the Chief to L.A., drive the coast again and take the CZ back to Chicago again.

Hood River is something I'll look into......
 
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