This year I decided to switch coasts and go to California for my birthday. I had friends and relatives there and a trip through the Rockies seemed exciting.

One afternoon, I hopped on Amrak's California Zephyr, a two-level "SuperLiner", and away I went. The SuperLiner configuration was quite comfortable and provided an excellent elevated view. It was perfect for long distance travel.

As the first night drew on, I chatted with friendly nearby passengers and settled in for some rest. By this time, I had learned to bring my own pillow and blanket. At night, the trains can be quite cold, and there is a trick to finding the optimum sleeping position.

One fact to know about Amtrak is that they time the departures so passengers can see all of the best scenery. (It wouldn't be much of a trip if they didn't.) That being the case, we passed through Iowa and Nebraska in the dark and awoke to find ourselves approaching Denver.