Day 163 - Tuesday - A Train Journey, a Grand Station and Scrumptious Crepes

 Don't think I mentioned it, but there's a railroad line running right past our campsite.  We've seen plenty of these during our travels this summer, but this one is unusual.  It's part of Metrolink, the Greater Los Angeles commuter rail system.  This particular line starts in Lancaster, where we were yesterday, and has a station - Vincent Grade/Acton, only 8 miles from the campground.  It's a 2 hour journey to Los Angeles Union Station, and only $9.50 roundtrip for us as seniors, so today we decide to see the rest of Soledad Canyon (and the LA suburbs) from the upper level of the train.

The first surprise is that there's free parking at the local station, presumably to encourage commuters.  The second is the station itself.  The shelters where you wait for the train are done up like an old western town, labeled "saloon", "sheriff' and so on.  We get our tickets and enjoy a comfortable journey.  It's over 40 minutes down the canyon to the next stop, and it's great to enjoy the views of the steep walls and the curves of the valley without having to worry about driving.  We also have a much higher vantage point from the upper level of the train than even from the RV.  In the middle of the day there aren't too many fellow travelers and, since we love trains, it's a great experience.

After the first hour or so, as Vicky puts it, we're past the scenic part of the journey.  Although, after some featureless suburbs, it's not without interest.  We pass through "Beautiful Downtown Burbank", home of many studios and close to Hollywood.  If you're old enough to remember "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" on TV you'll recognize the reference.

We also pass Burbank Airport which, I'm surprised to find, is officially called Bob Hope Airport.  Since Bob Hope is one of my heroes I'm disappointed that his name isn't generally associated with the airport.

Journey's end is Los Angeles Union Station, known as the last of the great railway stations.  It was built in 1939 by the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and Santa Fe railroads to replace their individual stations, and is an architectural masterpiece.  It's a combination of Art Deco, Mission Revival and Streamline Moderne architecture, with marble floors, tiled walls and huge art deco chandeliers in the cathedral-like waiting room and the original ticketing hall.  The latter is no longer in use and off limits, but we're able to pass through it en route to the toilets! 

We can get a return train in 45 minutes or wait until later.  There's nothing much to see around the station, but the place itself, which also includes gardens, is worth some time.  We find a restaurant that serves French crepes that sound tempting, and enjoy a leisurely lunch in part of the old waiting area, enjoying the atmosphere (including Amtrak stewards grandly announcing departing trains and some bizarre characters passing through) and thoroughly examining the architectural features.

The crepes themselves are amazing.  Mine combines chorizo, shrimp, white cheddar and green peppers in a light, melt-in-your-mouth crepe.  Vicky chooses a duck a l'orange crepe, equally good.  She especially raves over the caramelized onions.  We're so impressed with these that we decide to split a dessert crepe.  We take the suggestion of the waitress and enjoy peaches in a blueberry sauce with real vanilla ice cream.  A suitably decadent meal in a decadent historic structure.

Time to return to the train tracks.  It's now evening rush hour and since this is a commuter railroad we expect it to be crowded.  We have no problem getting good seats on the upper level, although it does get quite full after several stops.  We enjoy watching the sunset over the mountains as we travel through the suburbs, and although it gets dark before we enter the canyon, it's a delightful way to end another day doing something Vicky and I both enjoy.

Back home to the wonderful greeting from Quill and Cosette.  After that lunch there's no need for dinner and so I'm writing this blog post while Vicky has turned in for an early night.  I'm about to do the same.

Our 4 days here at Soledad Canyon have gone quickly.  This is another place we'll be happy to come back to, especially now we know how to get in without breaking any axles on the RV!  Tomorrow we cross into the Mohave Desert, and the end of our summer of travel is only a few days away.