After the Goldrush

We flew into Sacramento on Air Alaska and took a van downtown to the Best Western Sutter House. After Victoria, Sacramento was looking distinctly sorry for itself. Nearby Stockton has declared bankruptcy and there was evidence that the Golden State has been living beyond its means. But who could resist the old town, by the Sacramento River, with its glittering railroad heritage waiting to be explored. Our first evening we strolled to McCormick & Schmick's for supper in the bar at the Elk Building. The downtown looks quite sorry for itself with its share of boarded up shops and the usual racetrack one-way streets. Sacrificed to the motor car the place is largely deserted at night. The light rail cars connect to the suburbs.

Next morning we sample a Jim Denny's breakfast in an old diner adjacent to our hotel. This is the authentic experience. A mountain of home fries keeps us going all day. Other customers are faced with gigantic pancakes. We walk a few blocks to the old town and the California State Railroad Museum. We split our visit in two in order to take the short excursion train ride. Coffee at Steamer's Coffee & Tea Exchange prior to departure. The museum tells the tale of the Central Pacific which built east from here to join up with Union Pacific in Utah, the first transcontinental railroad - a trip we will be taking shortly. I buy a copy of the book "Stealing the General" by Russell S. Bonds, which tells the story of railroad shenanigans during the American Civil War. We also visit the Huntington & Hopkins Hardware store, reconstructed on a new site, brick by brick, and the Wells Fargo Museum. Supper at the Capitol Garage, 1500 K Street. "You were hungry" says the waiter. Breakfast at the Ambrosia Cafe, 1030 K Street, sunday morning and walk to the Capitol Building, with its marvelous arboretum. 
We walk on to the California Automobile Museum where we are shown round by docent Jim Whent. A Rambler convertible in the parking lot catches my eye. A special exhibition featuring vehicles from 1968 is well done with familiar auto magazine covers round the walls and an Austin America front and centre. We walk back to the Crocker Museum of art, an air-conditioned legacy of California railroad riches. Supper at Bangkok at 12, a Thai restaurant at 900, 12th Street, curry special.

By bicycle to Blighty-on-sea

After breakfast at the Bearpaw Bakery, "Get your Buns Down Here!, we take a final stroll around Jasper, including the railyards and the industrial estate, where we spot a red Rambler 2-door in need of TLC. One more coffee and it is time to board the train for the 14:30 VIA departure to Vancouver. We pass Mount Rogers in clear weather, an unusual occurrence, and Pyramid Falls, before bunking down for the night. Next morning we are at Chilliwack and up for 06:30 breakfast. We arrive in Vancouver at 08:45, ahead of schedule, and queue for the 09:45 Pacific Coach to Tsawwassen. All we see of Vancouver is the view from the bus.
A calm crossing on the "Spirit of British Columbia" ferry in blazing sunshine leads us to Swartz Bay, and another coach hop to Victoria bus station. The city creates a great first impression with a pleasant lack of graffiti. We take tea at Starbucks on Blanshard Street. We breakfast at Caffé Teatro, on Blanshard. The owner says tourism is 50% down, the increased currency allowance for visiting the U.S. has meant tourists going south for cheap gas and milk. We walk out to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria where we score half price entry - the Emily Carr exhibits are what we have come to see and they are still on show. We walk through Beacon Hill Park, taking lunch at the Beacon Hill Drive-In, and continue on to the Emily Carr house where we take tea. Reb and Billy meet us at our hotel and we walk out to the lighthouse at Ogden Point breakwater. I need a beer after that.
On the Wednesday we rent some bikes and cycle out to Oak Bay, by reputation the most English settlement on the Island. We shop at a bookstore and stop for coffee on the way at the Moka House on Cook Street. Victoria has many splendid bookshops. A stop at the Emily Carr grave and we push on to the marina in Oak Bay for lunch. We hand the bikes back mid-afternoon for time out. We head for the Spaghetti House for supper, an uninspired choice as they are wait-listing customers while they have many empty tables, an obvious sign of incompetence. We bolt for it and find the Sticky Wicket pub more to our liking, where sixties covers band "Younger than Yesterday" are entertaining the punters.

Thursday we make a quick visit to the BC Archives, then walk out to Fishermen's Wharf, where we sample the fish and chips at Barb's Place. A $5 water taxi across the harbour gives us a close-up of the float plane passenger service. We stop at The Bay and I manage to buy a leather belt "Made in Canada." Early evening we grab a cab to the Pancake Manor Studios for a tour. After a delightful dinner in the garden we are shown backstage at the Manor - the charming secrets of the cartoon puppets Zach and Reggie. 
We are up early for 08:00 departure to Victoria Airport (YYJ) and flight to Sacramento (SMF). The light bus goes past the old railway bridge and we see where a revived railroad may run in the near future and the site of the 'new' terminus. A great visit to Victoria, B.C.

Checker survivor out west

Spotted this old Checker in the suburbs of Victoria, B.C. 
Pic by RLT.

Searching for Lake Annette

Jasper, Alberta, turns out to be a top place. After much needed freshening up we stroll around this mountain tourist town. Supper at the Jasper Pizza Place, next door to the Hotel Astoria, on the rooftop patio, in the company of a bunch of boisterous Aussies, turning the air blue. This town is not cheap but suffering somewhat in the recession. A shop assistant, where Annette bought some sunglasses, said: "last year was the worst ever." Apparently the high-rolling Yanks on $5,000 fishing trips aren't showing up and the Europeans are also staying home.
It was freezing overnight so we breakfast at Papa George's, next to the Hotel - special $6.95. We rent some cheap 'Suede' bicycles, at Jasper Source for Sports, $20 each for 4 hours, helmet, lock, map, provided. I also buy some new cycling gloves.
We set off down Highway 16 to find Lake Annette, across the Athabasca River. Superb scenery on quiet backroads in the company of elk and friendly Gray Jay or Whiskey Jack birds. We are constantly consulting the map, which also takes us to Lake Edith. While returning cars parked on the highway prove an obstacle as gawkers stop to stare at the wildlife. The trip of about twelve miles was glorious and seemed to be downhill all the way. Back for a snack lunch outdoors at the train station. An afternoon visit to the museum reveals that the Yellowhead Pass was named for a person.
While searching for a restaurant we see the Rocky Mountaineer train arriving from the west. We eventually take supper at Cassio's, 602 Connaught Drive, good Italian food, not cheap ($84 incl tip for two), but the wait staff are overwhelmed by the arrival of a grupo. An ordered coffee never materialises. We beat the retreat.
P.S. Jasper is at 3,800 feet, but we didn't experience any difficulty cycling.
Pic by Annette.

Not quite full of prairie promise

Winnipeg has seen better days, about a century ago when the sky was the limit. We head up the Broadway, where the street cars used to run, and work our way over to Portage and Main, in the city centre. We are offered a free donut by some insurance folk in a random act of diet madness. We take coffee and WiFi at the library.
The Peg, like many other North American cities, has been ruined by one-way streets, four-lane race tracks designed to scare the bejesus out of pedestrians. Many historic buildings have met the wrecking ball and the town has a broken-toothed appearance. We just have time to duck into the streetcar museum, in a replica car, where we learn that the only survivor #396 is being restored. We return to the magnificent 1911 station on Main in time for free coffee and biscuits.

We head out west past Rivers, MB, and into the Qu'Appelle Valley. Soon we are passing the potash mines, a source of prosperity in Saskatchewan. We stop in Melville, SK, and I photograph an old Pontiac up a gantry at a bodyshop. Past endless sloughs we reach the CN Walker yard at Edmonton, AB, via Saskatoon and Ardrossan. We eventually reverse through this massive rail yard arriving at Edmonton VIA station at 05:17, followed by frühstück at 06:00. A large party of Germans is leaving the train here.
Edmonton has a miserable modern station in the suburbs, stuck between the City Centre airport and a grotty trading estate. Train travellers get no taste of the city, like in Ottawa. We depart not having spent a cent.
We repair to the dome car, heading west past numerous container trains with their Hanjin, Evergreen and Italia signs. We spot nodding donkeys pumping oil in the fields. The Grey Cup Special train, vinyl wrapped, is heading towards us. Our train now has a special observation car spliced in, not elevated but with a glass roof. We stick to the 1950s version. We reach the Pembina River gorge where the train pauses on the bridge. Passing large lakes to left and right we reach Edson, AB, a hardscrabble town with railyards, timber and fracking supplies for gas. Another whistle stop at Hinton and we reach Jasper, AB, in the Rockies shortly after 1:00 p.m. We are glad to detrain after three days of rock 'n roll.

The Canadian to the Pacific

Winnipeg, Sep 13: Depart Union Station Toronto, on time, aboard “The Canadian” VIA train, after TTC subway WAFTI (We Apologise For The Incovenience). We ride the new rail cars on the Yonge, University, Spadina subway line. After about half an hour the train reverses. “We are V-ing out. They took up the tracks ahead, sold off the land.” What do the many Germans onboard think of this? We are riding a slow train with authentic 1950’s ambiance. At Union Station you feel like you are stepping back into the past, as the station is forever a work-in-progress, refurbishments never quite finished, and the stainless steel railcars remind you of those National Geographic advertisements from childhood days.
“The train then turns north and travels on the Newmarket Subdivision until mile 13. There it turns down what is known as a wye, permitting the train to travel east on the York Subdivision before reaching the Bala Subdivision at mile 16. The train then turns northward.” Canadian Rail Travel Guide, Daryl T. Adair.
We pass Parry Sound and Sudbury Junction in darkness. Next morning for breakfast we are at Capreol, mostly stationary, with the CN freight yard on our right. Cheese & Spinach omelet for Annette. The fresh oranges are cut the wrong way! The train has five observation cars with triple-header diesel, riding along in the start of the fall colours. A Danish couple share our breakfast table, conversation is somewhat limited.
Folks from Fort Erie are disgusted with the Liberal government: “I’m a Liberal but they’ve done everything wrong!”. They have shut hospital, schools etc. The horse race track is closing costing 1200 jobs. There are hopes of a NASCAR track to boost the local economy, but the planning process is interminable. Tax in New York state, across the border, is driving people away to Florida. At least there is cheap housing in Fort Erie. We spot a Quaking Aspen trackside.
We are rolling through endless trees, forests, rocks, muskeg, rivers and cabins in the fall sunshine. There are regular stops for freight trains with double-stacked container cars. Ontario is living up to its name – “Land of sparkling waters.” I spot a large black bear ambling along trackside.
We stop at Hornepayne, ON, for a stroll and photo opportunity, in the afternoon sunshine. There is a large derelict station building which speaks of former glory.
Now at Winnipeg after 06:30 breakfast, waiting for the station to open, so we can take a quick look at The Peg. I am constantly thinking of poor George Ernest Willmett.

Touring the coffee shops of Hogtown

The Mrs has taken to the Brompton bicycle well and we’ve been out twice this week, once to Queens Quay, about 12 miles, coffee outdoors by the boats. Locally doing the weekly shop with both bags deployed, about 3 miles, coffee at the Good Neighbour on Annette Street.
Pic by RLT.