armed with a sack lunch and backpack, i climbed aboard the coaster with a few chaperons and two dozen of my fourth grade classmates en route to san juan capistrano early that spring day. seeing as fourth grade (by far and away my favorite grade from elementary school) curriculum focuses on the work of father junipero serra, this particular field trip was aimed at expounding upon our knowledge of the san juan capistrano mission. and expound upon our knowledge we did. along with wreaking havoc on the kind citizens of this sleepy orange county town. whoops.
anyway, that trip was…carry the one, 19 years ago. not NINE, nineTEEN. and aside from a few train-inspired adventures during my time in spain (and riding big thunder mountain at disneyland), i haven’t employed amtrak for my travel plans since.
but that’s all about to change.
because in just a few weeks, i’m going to end my nearly twenty-year choo choo fast with a jaunt up the coast to visit a few of my favorite family members in the san luis opispo area. in fact, i just booked my ticket yesterday (so now it’s really official). it’s funny, while i’m always quick to take an extended weekend trip halfway across the country, i tend to forget that i have some pretty awesome air mattresses awaiting me just a few hundred miles up the coast. so when one of my cousins (hi, A!) suggested that i should make a trip northward this summer to hang out with him and the family in the central coast, i decided this would be the summer i took him up on his offer.
though i’ve grown up in california all my life, i haven’t done much exploring within its borders. i mean, obviously i have come to know the southern region very well, and the northern region offers more and more familiarity with each passing visit to the city by the bay, but the middle parts, those still manage to be nearly uncharted territory for yours truly.
so with that said, i’m pumped to not only have myself a little train-ride experience, but more importantly a full weekend of exploring the likes of san luis opispo, arroyo grande, and beyond. and the fact that i get to do all of this while in the presence of some of my fabulous extended family is just icing on the cake.
[train whistle blows]all aboard!
