PACIFIC SURFLINER: A Short and Sweet Ride Down the Coast
My ride on the Pacific Surfliner was everything I imagined it’d be, and it was my second-favorite ride (only to the Zephyr). The only thing that would have made it better would have been completing the trip in its entirety by taking it down to San Diego. Next time!
The whole reason I took a bus to San Luis Obispo and spent the night there was so I could ride this train. It’s always been one of my dreams to drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, but I figured a train ride along the coast was the next best thing. After a brief, lovely visit in SLO, I woke up early so I could catch a Lyft or Uber and make it to the train station with plenty of time to spare before the 6:55 a.m. departure.
Y’ALL…of course there were no Lyft or Uber drivers (not sure if y’all know, but there are so few drivers right now, many are striking, and rides are expensive) available. I had to hoof it 22 minutes across town with my big-ass bags, and part of the route was uphill.
With my mom on the other end of the phone helping navigate and giving me words of encouragement as I hiked across town at six something in the morning, I made it to the train station…only to find it wasn’t even open.
And wouldn’t be open until 10:15.
Everyone else at the train station was wandering around clueless, wondering what the hell was going on, and if there even was a train. Twenty minutes before our scheduled departure time, a voice came over the loudspeaker and did, in fact, confirm there was a train and it’d be leaving on time.
I hopped on the train with no problem and the ride was super easy. The wi-fi worked like it was supposed to (unlike on the Zephyr), but who needs wi-fi when you’ve got amazing ocean scenery rolling past your window? Speaking of which, for those awesome beach views, if you’re headed southbound on the train, make sure you sit on the right side. Obviously, if you’re headed northbound, sit on the left side.
The start of the ride was cloudy and pretty hazy, but thankfully sunshine prevailed and I got some great snaps and videos of quintessential SoCal life. I was also surprised to see deers and cows hanging out on the dunes. DEER…and…COWS…at the beach? This is not North Carolina deer and cow behavior, but I guess like everything else, these West Coast animals are a different breed.
Overall Thoughts
I’ve said this on Facebook and Instagram, probably Twitter too, but I’m going to say it again: I want to sell all my stuff, buy an Airstream, and park it next to a SoCal beach. I think with time TinyDog could get used to beach life.
My Airstream dream might be a good fifteen to twenty years away though, so in the meantime, I’m thinking I’d like to do a SoCal tour. Or maybe start up in the Pacific Northwest and drive down. I’m really kicking myself that I opted out of going to San Diego when I had the chance. Also, we stopped at the Santa Barbara station and it looked absolutely gorgeous.
*Sidenote: Does anyone else always think of the show Psych when they hear Santa Barbara? Reason enough to go!
Songs Added to the Playlist
Most of the following songs give me laid-back beach vibes. I love listening to music when I’m at the beach, and listening to some of the same jams while watching the waves through the train window almost let me feel the ocean spray on my face. Check out the full playlist here:
- “Cayucos” – Cayucas: For me, this is the epitome of a SoCal beach song. In fact, almost every song by these guys is beachy, surf rock song; that’s their Thing.
- “St. Croix” – Family of the Year
- “Lonely Without You” – Cayucas
- “Strawberry Sunscreen” – Lostboy Crow
- “Set the Fire” – Swimming Tapes
- “Leaves” – Miguel
- “What I Know” – Parachute
- “Breathe” – Michelle Branch: “Breathe” is almost 20 years old but it’s still one of those songs where I drive down the the highway with the windows down, sunroof open, and sing along at the top of my lungs.
- “Ocean Avenue” – Yellowcard: I had to do it. One of my all-time favorite songs and another one I’ll belt out in a heartbeat. It was featured in my Livejournal, quoted in my AIM away messages, and–IF I COULD FIND YOU NOW, THINGS WOULD GET BETTERRRR…
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