Beginning My Train Trip Across The USA

On US 101 to the LA Amtrak Station

February 26, 2026

Beginning my return trip to Charlottesville. Today I take Amtrak’s Coast Starlight from LA to Emeryville (San Francisco) where I catch the California Zephyr tomorrow morning.

I leave LA at 951 am this morning ; scheduled arrival in Richmond is around 4 pm on Monday.

So while not quite six days, I bet by the time I arrive in Richmond it will feel like six days!

As a side note to this song, Ken drove Cindy and me through Topanga Canyon a couple of days ago. See below for how that is relevant.

The Flying Burrito Brothers, featuring Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, were deeply rooted in the Topanga Canyon music scene around 1969, treating it as a quieter, rural alternative to Laurel Canyon. They lived, rehearsed, and took iconic photos there, often performing at local spots like the Topanga Corral while recording their debut, The Gilded Palace of Sin

Or perhaps the trip might feel like eight days!