We returned last night from our train trip to and from Lake Tahoe. It was our 11 year anniversary this past Saturday. We would have done this trip last year, when it was 10 years, but our youngest was still too young and breastfeeding. So we just saved the trip for this year.
Yes, we took Amtrak and it actually was an enjoyable experience. It takes 25 hours from Denver to Truckee, CA. We could have driven it in about 15 or so (but it still wouldn't have been straight through; we would have stayed the night along the way, and, well, fuck flying. No we didn't sleep much in the private bedroom in the sleeper car. But at least all meals are included in the dining car!
Boarding the train at Union Station:
Rack spending nearly a week without the kids!
Passing through Byers Canyon. The train follows the Colorado River for a large portion of the trip as well as US Hwy 40:
Lower Gore Canyon:
Amazing how low the river is:
We re-join I-70 and pass through Glenwood Canyon:
This stretch of I-70 is considered the most expensive 17 mile stretch of interstate highway ever. It is considered an engineering marvel as they basically squeezed four-lanes through this canyon and it includes tunnels and portions where it's basically a double-decker highway. It's fun to drive through, but you get a whole different perspective of the canyon when seen from the train.
Looking back at the train exiting a tunnel in Glenwood Canyon:
Approaching Glenwood Springs. This is the mountain-top amusement park known as Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. It's actually a pretty sweet place:
Arrived in Glenwood Springs. There are many stops along the way where the train stays for a while longer. You can step out and walk around a bit, get some fresh air, etc.
Had enough time to get a picture of the engines while stopped in Glenwood:
So, we had a private bedroom in the sleeper car. This is actually a really nice way to go. Granted there is virtually no space to store anything, but it is enough room to stretch out. This is the view of the room as seen from the door:
And then there's the private bathroom with shower which is also inside the bedroom:
The toilet is right behind me. It's great, but you sure as hell don't want to drop a deuce in there!
As I said, we got all meals included in the dining car with our sleeping car accommodations. They actually really do have great food!
Here's the dinner for that evening:
This is the flatiron steak cooked medium. Dinner on a train requires reservations and the only one they had for us was 6:30. So, since we were hungry, we took advantage of the "room service" and placed an order with our car attendant and it was delivered right to our room! We had the choice of eating right there in the room or we could take it to the observation car like we did that evening:
Amtrak sure as hell doesn't mess around when it comes to food in the dining car!
Beautiful sunset somewhere in Central Utah:
So the next morning, we woke up and found we were highballing across the Northern Nevada desert at 75+ mph:
After Salt Lake City, the train runs along I-80 most of the time:
We stepped off for a break in Reno. That station sure is different! It goes below street level so you can't even see the casinos in downtown!
Arriving in Truckee, CA:
Really a nice downtown area they have:
Rack Enterprise for picking us up right at the station and driving back to their office.
We have finally made it to Lake Tahoe and our hotel:
Next day, we did a day hike near Squaw Valley Ski resort:
Yes, yes, I know, it's the Shirley Canyon Trail. We should still call it Shirley:
Beautiful views of the Squaw Valley Ski resort as well as waterfalls along the creek:
Nature is amazing! This tree was hit by lighting a really long time ago and survived! Inside you can see the charred trunk, but it is still green on the top.
We eventually made it to the top of the Squaw Valley Ski resort:
It has a fuggin swimming pool!
They hosted the Olympics in 1960:
When you hike to the top of the Aerial Tram, known as High Camp, you can ride it back down for free! Rack that.
Overlooking the trailhead parking lot from the aerial tram:
We got back down to our car and found a bear and her cub rummaging around in the dumpster:
Not Grizzlies. They are a breed of Black Bear that is more golden colored.
Saturday we did yet another day hike. This time it is on the south end of Squaw Valley. We hiked to an area called Five Lakes:
Looking toward Alpine Meadows Ski Resort:
One of the Five Lakes:
So we headed back to our hotel and did some beach time. Alright you sickos, here you go, an amateur model photo-shoot of my wife. She will kill me if she found out you pervs are seeing these. But, she did say "you're not going to post them to facebook are you?" I said "nope, these will not be posted to facebook." Heh.
Right after I said "nope, these will not be posted to facebook."
What's a vacation PET of mine without bikini pics?
Alright so that night we headed over to Incline Village, which is just across the border in Nevada, for dinner. Based on a recommendation, we went to a very hole in the wall place called Crosby's:
I noticed something interesting on the menu:
Hey, it's Pork Month! So I ordered it:
It's a stew, you assholes, so I don't want to hear anything about this looking like something your cat left on your living room floor.
It really was good and just the right amount of green chile. It was tempting to order a second one! But hey at least I stay true to the food months even while on vacation.
So on our final full day, we did a kayak tour. It was a 4-hour tour of North Lake Tahoe that started right outside our hotel in Tahoe Vista and we turned around on the Nevada side.
Here we are at the turn around point at Speedboat Beach/Cove just across the Nevada border:
Hey, I let you see my wife in all her glory. You get at least one of me shirtless!
They fed us lunch during the tour and this is at a park on the way back to the starting point:
Final day and we had quite a bit of time to kill before we had to be back in Truckee to catch the train later in the afternoon. We headed to a locals park mostly just to see if anything was worthwhile:
+
Nothing really worthwhile there for tourists. Good thing we didn't pay the $5 fee to get in. Hey, no one was at the pay station!
So after walking around for about an hour, we headed back to our beach one last time:
And then some local slunts set up camp not far from us. All I thought about was trying to get a rank 'em for you trolls. Well, it would look too creepy and obvious so I managed to get these shots:
The middle one un-tied her bikini top and was wearing a thong bikini bottom.
They did get up and walk around in the water a bit. Gawd. Damm!
Here's the rest of the beach we spent a lot of time at:
Alright, so back to Truckee we went where we returned the rental car and they gave us a ride back to the train station:
Train arriving:
Twenty-five hours later, we arrived back in Denver. We rolled past Coors Field about an hour before the Rockies would end up choking one to the Astros:
And finally back at Union Station:
So there you have it! Despite being in California, Tahoe really is a great place to visit. Lots of stuff to do and natural beauty everywhere too. Russ, you're lucky to live in that part of your fair state. Please, vote to make it North California and save this lake!
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Another RACK! 
FABULOUS WEST WENDOVER 
