So I'm taking a train trip from NYC to San Francisco this week. My first time attempting something like this, but I thought it'd be a fun trip to take with family. I'm sitting in Penn Station in NYC right now, and it is hot as balls here.

The last time I was in NYC was when I was about 8 years old, so I don't remember much. This time I had a taxi take me in from La Guardia to Manhattan... just wow. Skyscrapers as far as the eye can see.

I'm planning to take photos from start to finish, and upload them when I can.

ITT Optimum is Joe Biden and Lewis and Clark.

7/6/2010 11:03:44 AM

I bet you're going to hate the goddamn train long before you get to SF

7/6/2010 11:06:45 AM

Good luck.

Its a well know fact that the main impetus for developing air travel was to avoid week long train trips in close proximity with family members.

Bring a lot of xanax.

7/6/2010 11:07:54 AM

Driving XC is an eye-opening experience, and something I think everyone should try to do at least once.

I've driven from FL to WA (the very NW corner, too)...and then again from there to coastal NC.

7/6/2010 11:08:12 AM

i dont think i'd want to do that on a train

7/6/2010 11:10:25 AM

Waiting in Penn Station

7/6/2010 11:10:41 AM

Drove from Raleigh to California and back, it was pretty sweet.

7/6/2010 11:11:11 AM

Quote :

"I bet you're going to hate the goddamn train long before you get to SF "

I was thinking the same thing. An overnight train ride last summer was enough to make me never want to be on a train that long ever again

7/6/2010 11:12:56 AM

I have never been farther west than Huntsville AL.

7/6/2010 11:13:57 AM

When i wad a kid, I often had to ride a train between where my mom was in charlotte, and where my dad was in DC. I hated that shit.

being stuck on a train for 9 hours is like a death sentence to a 9 year old.

7/6/2010 11:17:52 AM

go west, young man

7/6/2010 11:17:59 AM

Although, I have been to Cancun which is a little farther west than Huntsville. Cancun is the farthest south I have been, Toronto is the farthest north.

7/6/2010 11:19:25 AM

I drove from Raleigh to San Francisco on I-40 (until Barstow) when I moved out to CA. Then I drove from San Francisco to Raleigh on I-80 to I-70 to I-64.

The northern route was a lot cooler. I'm glad I did it, but I imagine on a train wouldn't be as fun because you can't control where you go. I took a bunch of really awesome detours that I couldn't have done on a train.

7/6/2010 11:21:22 AM

Cancun can't really count as much of an adventure though, since we flew. We drove to Toronto from Greensboro, so I guess that would be my longest adventure story.

7/6/2010 11:23:02 AM

Any trips that ends up in Greensboro doesn't qualify as an adventure

7/6/2010 11:24:05 AM

i had a bad week one time and needed to clear my head. i decided to pack up a cooler and see what i could see on i40, until i decided i was ready to turn around and come home.

made it to arizona.

it really is quite an interesting thing how driving mostly just to get lost by yourself for an extended period of time is a really good way to find yourself.

took a road trip from raleigh to portland like 6 years ago to help the then gf move. that was a lot of fun.

7/6/2010 11:27:16 AM

7/6/2010 11:28:22 AM

Quote :

"i had a bad week one time and needed to clear my head. i decided to pack up a cooler and see what i could see on i40, until i decided i was ready to turn around and come home. made it to arizona"

was this pre-career, responsibility?

7/6/2010 11:32:06 AM

Since I'm in NYC today, I wonder if I'll see Her Majesty the Queen while she's still here.

7/6/2010 11:34:01 AM

^^ yes

but i did it in 4 days. you could do it in a long weekend i guess

7/6/2010 11:43:17 AM

Pilgrimshoes' rolling crosscountry rape tour van, do not lie.

7/6/2010 11:51:24 AM

He fakes like he's hurt to lure them in

Buffalo Billgrimshoes

7/6/2010 11:58:14 AM

"coming" to a rest stop near you

7/6/2010 12:31:13 PM

^ what's your route?

7/6/2010 1:15:44 PM

I'M ON A TRAIN MOTHAFUCKAS

7/6/2010 4:47:55 PM

Apparently we're briefly stopping at some place called Croton-Harmon. I blame the Germans in the sleeping car next to mine.

7/6/2010 4:53:38 PM

My sister lives five minutes from there. When you go under the Tappan Zee in Tarrytown she is like a 1/2 mile from there.

7/6/2010 4:57:42 PM

Whats the address?

7/6/2010 4:59:10 PM

^^ Was that english? I have no idea what you just said, sorry.

7/6/2010 5:19:17 PM

Beacon, NY, I guess... seems like there's nonstop water along the train route.

7/6/2010 5:23:32 PM

Albany... I can see the NY Lottery building. I guess they need a whole building for it...

7/6/2010 7:35:43 PM

This story is enthralling

7/6/2010 7:39:52 PM

Hello from Kirkville, where it is currently 82 degrees, and dark.

7/6/2010 9:23:36 PM

I drove from DC to Vegas in 36 hours in february

7/6/2010 9:34:21 PM

My friends and I are taking I-40 all the way to California on Monday. We can exchange roadtrip hobo stories

7/6/2010 9:35:43 PM

Excellent! I hope to be at the Googleplex on Monday.

7/6/2010 9:38:18 PM

So, 10pm ET. Going to try to get some sleep on a train for the first time in my life.

7/6/2010 9:59:45 PM

Good morning from Swanton, OH... (middle of nowhere)

Pic is sideways and crappy, sorry...

7/7/2010 7:11:49 AM

Stopped on a bridge in Ohio...

7/7/2010 7:40:53 AM

I drove to SF last March/April (kinda crunched: only 10 days)

It was an unbelievably awesome trip

7/7/2010 7:42:52 AM

South Bend, Indiana...

7/7/2010 9:40:17 AM

South Bend is pretty cool. I've only ever flown in there, but they have a giant ND shamrock painted on the runway.

7/7/2010 10:12:44 AM

Chicago skyline...

7/7/2010 11:02:05 AM

Chicago's Union Station is, in a word, insane. Whomever designed this thing was on acid.

7/7/2010 1:17:59 PM

Now boarded on the train for CA, the "California Zephyr."

7/7/2010 2:48:40 PM

Yay, laptop tethered.

7/7/2010 3:32:31 PM

rad how you cant actually do shit eh?

7/7/2010 3:34:36 PM

I've actually been taking a lot of pictures during the daylight. I haven't uploaded stuff to my laptop yet, so the only things being put up here so far have been mediocre pics from my bananaphone.

7/7/2010 3:38:54 PM

Malden, IL. Bigass thunderstorm, lots of lighting around the train. Its so dark it seems like its nightime.

7/7/2010 4:54:27 PM

When are you actually supposed to arrive in SF?

7/7/2010 4:55:56 PM