On this night we have dinner and do some people watching at the hotel bar, recounting the days we’ve spent together. The passengers tease me about “doing my homework.” I’ve got my notebook and a copy of Mark Twain’s San Francisco in hand. Chad had been upstairs organizing the video and images we collected at Lake Tahoe.

Traveling in a group like this has pulled everyone together. Lisa, Bill and Loretta are chatting about the other trips they have taken. We talk about Lisa’s life in New York. I razz her about the Yankees while Bill and I talk baseball. Of course they ask about our families. It’s a relaxing night and a great way to end the day.

Let’s skip the ride there and get right to the good stuff.

Resting on the border of California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a massive freshwater lake – America’s second-deepest. It’s also a huge tourist draw.

This place was never on my to-do list. But now I would recommend the lake to anyone visiting the area. The cruise on the MS Dixie II came at the perfect time in the tour. I needed some fresh air to clear my thoughts and gear up for the home stretch.

I spent most of the ride at the bow of the ship, watching the mountains come closer and closer.  It’s true – the water here is incredibly clear. Out on the waves all my worries slip away as the wind blows in from across the Sierra Nevada’s. We really are in the middle of a huge bowl in the mountains.

The cruise also featured Darin Talbot, known as the voice of Lake Tahoe. He’s playing guitar and telling stories from the lake’s rich history. Darin’s sort of doing a troubadour, stand up comic thing which many people seem to enjoy. I love the tales (true or not) he’s dropping on us.

You might remember The Godfather Part II, and how the Corleone family lived on the shores of the Nevada side of the lake. As the film comes to a close, Fredo takes his last “fishing trip.”

And since returning I’ve learned that, as usual, the truth might be stranger than fiction. There’s a part of the lake off the South Shore that the locals call the graveyard. Some believe (because the water is so pure and that there’s no oxygen at great depths) that gangsters with cement shoes and pinstriped suits dot the bottom of the lake. Perhaps not a selling point but interesting none the less.

And of course there’s supposed to be lake monsters and perhaps giant sturgeon down there. Darin even tells a story (I can’t confirm it) that Jacques Cousteau once explored these depths and returned to the surface saying, “The world isn’t ready for what is down there.”

What I am trying to say is that in addition to being a stunning place, Lake Tahoe has a lot of character.

When the MS Dixie II hits our turn around point in Emerald Bay and starts the journey back across the lake, I am alone with my thoughts and enjoying the scenery. A group of 40 passengers always sounded too big to me but I haven’t found it the least bit cumbersome. For better or worse, we’ve grown into a little bit of a family.

Today felt like a bonus, some of that built in value we are always talking about at Collette.

Our step-on guide for the Sacramento city tour was another local. Marylin met us in Old Sacramento, the 28-acre National Historic Landmark District and State Historic Park. It’s early afternoon and the area is buzzing – shopping, dining, entertainment and all with an old west feel.

Our tour of Sacramento takes us to the State Capital building. Inside we are lucky enough to find the legislature in session. At this point we are more like a 4^th grade field trip than a tour group. The passengers are so thrilled by the experience (and the guide so great) that they have to be shushed by one of the building’s staff.  We sheepishly quieted down. That was a highlight for me.

The building itself is beautiful.

The tour passes Sutter’s Fort and the Governor’s Mansion before we head back towards Old Sacramento. Sacramento surprised me. What a wonderful city. It’s so clean and easy to get around.

Later, talking with the guy at the visitor center, once the headquarters of the Pony Express, Chad and I learn that “Old Sac” was saved from destruction and is now one of he nation’s best preserved historical districts. As an aside he explains how the Pony Express HQ became the home of the telegraph operators who replaced them. Horses to cell phones in 160 years!

We take some time to walk around Old Sacramento and we see the newspaper builiding (The Union for whom Mark Twain once wrote) and the Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station.

Later, the group dinned on board the Delta King, a refurbished riverboat. Drew, our driver, explained how the father of an old friend of his built this ship and its sister the Delta Queen. This friend, a link to another time when ships ran from San Francisco and back, was later recruited to help with the restoration.

As I’ve come to expect on tour, dinner was fantastic. What a perfect location – the sun setting over the river on another great day.

We open in Jamestown to visit Railtown 1897 Historic Park. The peaceful ride out of Sonora brings us into Gold Rush country and it feels like we are really beginning the trains part of the tour.

David, the Tour Manager, keeps everyone entertained with bits of trivia. Mr. Simmons seems to be able to answer every question Dave poses to the group. Highest peak east of the Mississippi? No problem for Mr. Simmons.

We pull into the dusty parking lot and immediately I know Railtown, home to one of the last operating railroad roundhouses, won’t disappoint. In fact, it was the perfect primer. Whether you were like me and love the romance of trains or if you were like Mr. Davis (a certified train nut) it was exciting.

Known as “The Movie Railroad,” Railtown is home to the famous Sierra No. 3. That’s the movie train. Its construction allows it to be easily altered to fit a certain era. And Railtown has seen them all. Films such as High Noon, Back to the Future 3, and The Virginian were filmed here.

As an added bonus, our tour guide had been coming to this place since he was a little kid. His love of Railtown shined through.

Tonight we’ll be staying in Sacramento and another fine dinning experience awaits aboard the Delta King.

I called home and then decided to jump in the pool. Several of the passengers were doing the same. There’s not a lot of poolside time on a “historic trains” tour, so you got to take it while you can get it.

I dove in just as Mr. Ruehle and his wife were calling it a night.

Vic helps run a program - www.bluewatersportfishing.net – that among other things, provides fishing gear to local libraries. Kids can check out the equipment. The idea being they, through fishing, become more connected to the environment and will work to protect it.

After the Ruehles left I thought I was alone. Then… splash!

It’s Mr. Germain. I can’t prove it but I am certain he dropped a cannonball dive on me. Like I said to Jo a day earlier, Mr. Germain and his wife Louise (a saint) are like a sitcom come to life. He’s a gruff Irishman and she’s Italian to the core.

Louise and I started talking. She apologizes for her husband trying to drown me and then she tells me how touched she was by Jane’s story about her mom. Louise was a sociology major and wrote extensively about the Japanese American internment.

Mickey joins us and together they recount the trips they’ve taken to Ireland and Italy. We talk about the economy and my generation. I’m soaking up the advice. I learned a long time ago to listen to people who have learned by living it. Mickey’s rough around the edges but Louise tells me how he turns into a softy around little kids.

I can’t get over how open the people on this tour are. Sure, I’ve written before that Collette passengers build friendships on the road but now I am seeing it first hand.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Germains lost a son on Sept. 11th. Everyday Mickey wears his New York City Fire Fighter ball cap. The first time I saw him I just knew and tonight it came up in conversation as we talked about our families.

So today, just take a moment and think about those brave men and women who put the safety of others above their own.

Again, we’ve seen a lot of great things in four days, but it’s the people who make this a fantastic way to travel.

Thanks Louise for a remarkable conversation.

And some Yosemite video…

Last night we stayed in the historic gold rush town of Sonora, tucked in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s. There will be time later to talk about this sleepy place and its famous Red Church.

This is the day I’ve been waiting for ever since I first found out I’d be riding Historic Trains of California. Today is all about Yosemite.

Yosemite National Park –what can you say? Some have called it a “shrine to human foresight.”

After camping in Yosemite, Teddy Roosevelt said, “It was like lying in a great solemn cathedral, far vaster and more beautiful than any built by the hand of man.”

Several of the passengers had been to the other great western National Parks and more than one said that Yosemite was their new favorite.

The tram tour was the perfect way to see all the highlights of this enormous place. And the famous tunnel view was perfect. El Capitan, Half Dome, Cathedral Rocks and the glorious valley below – I could have stayed in that spot for hours.

Everyday we are assaulted from all directions. The world swirls around us; war, storms, poverty, and sickness… everyone trying to gain a foothold, to one-up the next man. But here time slows down. The huge rock formations, carved by ancient glaciers, stand guard over the centuries as they loom high above us. It’s not that I felt insignificant at Yosemite but part of something much larger, the universe functioning perfectly.

Whoa. Before we get too deep, I want to say that Yosemite (like a Jackson Pollock painting) works on the level that it’s just amazing to look at.

Chad took some great pictures but even these don’t do the park justice.

And have I mentioned what great group of travelers Chad and I were blessed with?

As we start a wonderful lunch, the other passengers keep asking, “where’s Chad?”

Let me back track. Before we boarded the train, Chad and I tracked down one of the owners – Chris Hart. We needed his okay to take some pictures. Part of our job while riding the tour is to gather images and video. Chris was more than happy to oblige. In fact, he offered to take Chad out ahead of the train in his Jeep.

So during lunchtime, Chad was on a wild ride through the fields and over the canals that surround the Sierra Railroad. (thanks Lisa for keeping me company).

Just as we hit our turnaround point, there was Chad and our entertainment, Lori Brandon, a fantastic folk singer.

After lunch and as the train moved back towards town, Lori sang to us. I requested “This Land is Your Land” and she delivered and amazing version. After this fine treat we moved to the open cars to really take in the scenery and fresh air.

Here a quick video that will gives you a wonderful feel for what’s it’s like to ride the Sierra Railroad. It was another great day on tour.

After pulling out from the old fashioned depot the Collette group remain pinned to the windows of our car. Everyone is anxious to explore the train and see what it’s really going to be like.

As our speed builds, the train sways side to side. Here I get a real sense of traveling through time. I feel a part of a much larger tradition.

The passengers are waving to the townspeople as we move into the countryside. And the people are waving back, offering more proof that trains still hold a special place in our hearts.

We continue into scenery that’s a mix of stark fields and lush rows of almond trees. In between cities you can see how important agriculture is to the local economy. More impressive is the massive amount of effort it takes to make it all work.

Check back as we continue our Sierra Railroad adventure: Lunch on board, a video recap and where has Chad gone?

Drew, our driver, calls this the “working bridge.” The orange one is nice to look at but this one handles the heavy load.

Already, just from helping him put the luggage onto the motor coach, I can tell Drew is going to be a goldmine of stories.

It’s a quiet ride. We move past Oakland and the scenery changes. I’m east coast through and through. The landscape here is fascinating and disconcerting at the same time. All this open space – only the ocean can offer that back home.

At one point we pass through a series of hills dotted with modern windmills. My mind starts searching for Don Quixote parallels. What are we chasing after out here?

Dave takes this opportunity to begin a historical narrative that will carry us through the tour. In his own animated style, he’s telling stories from California’s history. John Fremont, Kit Carson and much to my delight, Mark Twain. He’s laying ground work, framing our upcoming adventures in the gold rush cities and towns. It’s hard to overstate how much more interesting this makes the tour. Everything we are seeing now has context, adding a great layer to the “historic” theme.

Sierra Railroad here we come!

PS. for you history buffs out there I recommend Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides for more info on Fremont and Kit Carson