Woke up and checked the train schedule. We should get in at 12:09 pm and the next train is at 12:55 pm. The key word here is should. The next train after that leaves at 7:13 pm. The next few hours should be interesting.

Had breakfast with a couple from PA traveling to CA to meet up with old friends.

Good news. Conductor just stopped by to tell me I am getting off at Barstow to get on a bus to meet the train I was supposed to catch in LA. Late train problem solved. conductor stopped by again to give me a ticket for a sack lunch for me to pick up before I get off this train.

I got off the train at Barstow with 14 other people, waited 30 minutes for a bus to take me to Bakersfield. Got to Bakersfield in time to catch train 715, San Joachins. It’s not the Coast Starlight, the train I was told I would be on, but I’m learning that this is part of riding the rails.

Trip was non eventful. Not much to see. Lots of cherry blossoms, some junk yards and farm land. I’ll have to return sometime to take the Coast Starlight.

The hotel Zeppelin is nice. More on that later.