Holidays

Our US trip next year includes two rail excursions, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge railway and the Pikes Peak Cog railway (going up to 14,000ft).

We haven't been to the States for ten years so we are due for another visit even though a few places will be repeat stops but I can live with seeing Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon again

@redstar We want to go back to SF again one day and hopefully, actually see the Golden Gate bridge instead of just fog, we even went over it to Salsalito and still couldn't see it!!!

The across USA train journey looks great, I have been to S L City and Denver, both interesting.

 

I headed off one day with the intention of visiting th Golden Gate Bridge. It was one of those walks where the distance didn't seem to alter no matter how far you travelled. I came across a sensory museum where I managed to spend more time than I had intended. In the end I had to go back without getting to the bridge.

G.

 

Brings back memories for me of long ago.
Went from Silverton to Durango on the steam train back in the 80s.
Also Pikes peak on two occasions, once by road and once on the railway, it's amazing how light headed you get at 14 000ft when you get there in just a couple of hours.

 

Well, @shiney if you get near San Fran again. let me know. its still on my list. Never know, maybe we can do a meet up. For others, I live only about an hour from Philly. so anyone ever going that way, let me know too.

 

@shiney, coach tour (Archers Grand Circle of the American West), not driving ourselves so we go where the coach goes but Gunnison and Durango are on the tour as well as Williams, Colorado Springs, Zion NP, Arches NP, Messa Verde NP and Kayenta.

 

A couple more, Quantocks in the background, Flying Scotsman at the front end this time as coming from Bishops Lydeard.






The subject of much trackside banter and pub conversations was how local landowners were trying to get £5 per car for parking in fields beside the railway when there's ample free parking available, such as at above location a small free car park a few minutes walk away (just to the left hand side of that bridge).

One person in a pub I was drinking in was delighted to recount how as he went into the Tuesday Market site opposite Minehead Tesco he was asked whether he was there for the Flying Scotsman (£5 entry) or the market (free entry), paid nothing, bought a cup of tea and sat down beside the track to watch the train going past.

I was up and at the beach before 6:00 this morning to photograph the sunrise, but heavy cloud (not forecast) was going to obscure everything, with rain forecast to follow I've driven back home and will head off shortly to catch up with polytunnel watering and veg harvesting.

 

Why we don't mind seeing Bryce Canyon again. It is stunning being mainly orange and white

 

A nice slightly isolated 'Hotel' in San Francisco Bay if you want somewhere to stay!!

 

back safe and sound from a week in Costa Rica. the resort was a 5 start beauty. a gated area . the town it was in seemed to need much as far as cleaning up etc. We drove to lots of different nature sights. the country is beautiful. Some of the people are wonderful. And some do enjoy scamming you when they can, which caused stress. I would not go back, nor would I recommend to vacation there in Costa Rica.

 

Arrived home yesterday tea time after a 5 1/2 hour journey from Somerset (West Luccombe) It took us that long due to us having to take a bit of a detour (2miles shorter than normal route) due to the M5 being shut after a lorry had had a tyre blow out the day before and had crossed the central reservation and killing four people

The highlight of our 2 1/2 week holiday was a ride behind the Flying Scotsman to celebrate our wedding anniversary We also got ourselves photographed from the FS unbeknown to us when we saw her on one of her runs and I happened to find the local newspaper at Dunster Castle with the photo of us in it so we just had to go and buy a copy

As part of the FS visit anyone travelling on her could buy two tickets for £10 each in the Marquee for a ride on another steam train etc within the next twelve months so we shall return to Somerset sometime over the next twelve months and will have saved ourselves at least £8 each on normal tickets prices and the prices normally go up each year

We also managed to walk 70 3/4 miles on this holiday although my tootsies were tired after the last days walking and weighing myself this morning my weight is still exactly the same as before we went away so I am pleased with that despite eating some good meals that either I cooked or we ate out

 

@shiney , we drove to lots of places also. the roads are horrid is some spots, holes and gravel/dirt. if they expect tourist to go to places they need to fix the roads. We just kept praying that we did not have to change a tire. Perhaps we looked like good targets, me a blond /redhead now. Husband very disappointed about the experience. And just simply tired from the stress. Even the toll booth person scammed us out of money. No sign about how much it cost was displayed. We will never go back there again.

 

@shiney yes you did wish us happy anniversary before we went away Thanks Hope you also had a good day on the 10th Yes we had a fantastic time and I do appreciate being able to go away as I am trying to make up for all the holidays I missed out on when growing up

The highlight was the trip on the steam train being pulled by the Flying Scotsman and everyone we met on the trip and all the organisers were so helpful and polite and even when we were busy taking photos of her (Perhaps should be renamed Flying Scotswoman) other people on our trip went out of their way to make sure we all got the photos we wanted and not someone's head or arms in the way I also make the comment that I am only little and please don't squash me Also this was the first holiday that I wasn't asked if I am from London.My accent must be changing with age

Glad that your holiday went ok and the weather was good. We have been building up over the weeks to be able to do these walks.We have been doing walks in the mornings then back to base camp for lunch and a foot rest and then out again for an afternoon walk,and then later on Mr Kandy measures the walk with his map measuer to determine how far we have walked each day