This has to be one of the most scenic routes in America - passing through the Santa Cruz mountains, Salinas Range, Santa Lucia Range and eventually the San Fernando valley - stopping at San Jose, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara before ending in LA.
The route hugs the coastline after San Luis Obispo and the views are simply stunning.
Suisun Bay is the home of the US Navy 'Ghost' or 'mothball' fleet - It lies at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Although not used anymore there are still a couple of vessels just lying there.
A sight I had not seen on my previous visit to California was the Nodding Donkeys - Oil Derricks
California is keen to solve its ongoing budget crisis with the huge amount of untapped oil and trade is booming. The boom is being driven by improved technology, making hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, more viable. Fracking uses a combination of high-pressurised water, chemicals and sand to blast through shale formations and squeeze-out vast untapped amounts of oil. I overheard quite a lot of talk about Fracking and mostly people seemed very concerned about the harm to the environment but the process seems to have government support.
This part of California is very fertile and many crops are grown here from Garlic, Artichokes, lettuce, strawberries and Apples.
We pass through Paso Robles“The Pass of the Oaks” halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It plays host to the California Mid-State Fair and is known for its thermal springs that have attracted many of the rich and famous to the El Paso de Robles Hotel and its 32 bath rooms. The city is at the leading edge of sustainable building methods and hosts several wind farms to generate electric power. It is also one of the fastest-growing premium vineyard and winery regions in California.
As we get closer to San Luis Obispo, we will cross Cuesta Grande and descend over 1,000 ft. in 11 miles. Below we see the tracks into San Luis Obispo and cross over the Stenner creek Trestle, which was built on the East Coast and shipped around Cape Horn to be assembled.
From here the Pacific Ocean beckons and I confess this is my favourite coastline ever and it certainly didn't disappoint again this time with the sun glancing off the placid waters.
There is practically nothing between the water and the Rail line here just a few dunes and the occasional fence.
As we pull into Santa Barbara grey clouds desend but luckily blow over without any rain.
The only other place of note is Simi, in the Simi valley where, apparently, the new Beatle was designed at Volkswagen America Inc!
A most enjoyable trip that was lightened along the way by Wanda (who had never been on a train before) and Scott (very well travelled) who both had stories to share - the highlight of which was Scott trying to teach us how to write in Japanese - a skill he had mastered when living there for a number of years in the 90s.
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