LOCKED OUT AGAIN

 

Well, It happened again. I got locked out of my Blogger account again. I don’t know why this keeps happening, but after several weeks of trying I was able to get a secure link, that allowed me to change my password and log back in. So here I am.

Before I get too happy about being back, I am going to post this little update on what has been going on this summer. If this goes well with this update, I plan on completing my March Madness Adventure in the next few days.

While I have been traveling some this summer, most of my trips have been about a week in length with no long mega adventures taken or planned. I have already started looking at taking one or maybe even two long adventures next year.

I am really looking at taking another Long-Distance Amtrak Vacation. Back in 2018 I traveled from Roanoke to Phoenix, Arizona on Amtrak and enjoyed it tremendously. Since then, we have dealt with the fallout and changes brought about by COVID.

One of the major changes that was implemented by Amtrak was they discontinued the traditional dining on most of their east coast routes, including the Capitol Limited, the Cardinal and the two silver routes to Florida.

Instead of Tradition dining they have implemented something they call the Flexible dining menu, which is basically microwave airplane meals. My experience with Amtrak is the Traditional Dining is exceptionally good while the Flexible Menu is average at best.

However, Amtrak recently announced a major change to its east coast service. Currently Both of the Silver Service trains, The Silver Star and the Silver Meteor originate in New York and Travels through Washington, D. C and on down to Miami Florida. These trains operate on a daily basis in both directions.

The Capitol Limited also originates in New York and travels through Washington, D. C. and then on to Chicago.  It also operates daily in both directions.

Effective November 9, 2024, the Capitol Limited and the Silver Star will be merging into a single train and renamed “The Floridian Both the Capitol Limited and The Silver Star names will be retired.

As I said, the Floridian will be daily service, and it will not feature an observation car, but it will feature the return of Traditional Dining. For the time being It will be the only direct daily train service from Chicago to Miami and South Florida.

That could change as there is talk of a new route from Chicago to South Florida through Indianapolis, Nashville, Atlanta and into Florida either terminating in Tampa or continuing to Miami. But that new route may be years away.

There are two Amtrak Trips that I am contemplating for 2025. One is to take the New Floridian (Old Capitol Limited) from Washington to Chicago and then all the way to the San Francisco Area on the California Zephyr. This is Amtrak’s most scenic route as it travels through both the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada.

My second option is riding the Cresent from Washington down to New Orleans. I would then rent a car and spend several days in New Orleans, South Louisiana and Mississippi. I would then take the “City of New Orleans” from New Orleans up to Chicago.  Once in Chicago I can spend a few days running around Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois before taking “The Cardinal” back to Washington and then home.

In addition to Amtrak, I am also looking a taking another bus trip in 2025.  However, if I do travel by bus, I think that I will be giving Abbott Tours a try. While I have enjoyed my previous trips on Sunshine Tours, their prices have become a little outrageous.

The Canyonlands Trip that I took with Sunshine in 2023 was priced about $5,600. Basically, that same trip with Abbott would have cost me about $4,200 traveling as a single.

One of the Abbott Tours that I am looking at is a 12-day (11 night) trip to New Mexico and the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. The 2024 cost for a single is just a little over $2,900.

Another Abbott adventure that I am looking at is a 19-day (18 night) trip through Wyoming, Utah, Las Vegas, Arizona and New Mexico. This 18-night adventure is priced in 2024 for just over $4,600.

Those are just a couple of adventures that are on the table for 2025. If I am allowed to post this to my EBlogger site and not get locked out again, I will finish up my March Madness Trip and move on to my other 2024 Summer Adventures.