Fri Aug 4

The Best of Canada

2017

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We beat the 0545 alarm and, at 61^o, showered, packed and checked-out of the hotel, putting us in the lobby by 0630. We found the Rocky Mountaineer agent and secured our boarding passes, assigning us to car J03, seats 59 & 60. After boarding the motor coach, we were transported to their train station. A bagpiper piped us aboard and we settled in on the 2nd deck with 70 other passengers and 23 additional cars in the consist. We departed on schedule at 0730, backing out to the mainline before heading east. We had a first course continental breakfast upstairs while the back half of the car went down for the first seating of the full breakfast. Just past 1000, we went down for second seating and were joined by Gordon & Barbara Currie, from Surrey, England. Lew had eggs Benedict while I had a breakfast skillet. We continued north, alongside the Fraser River, swapping back and forth between tracks owned by Canadian National and those owned by Canadian Pacific. At 1200, first seating was invited down to the dining area and second seating had a wine & cheese course as the train proceeded past Hell's Gate, where the river is but 34 meters wide. Around 1430, second seating for lunch was called. We joined a couple of educators from western Pennsylvania. We started with a cream of spinach soup which wasn't very good. Lew moved on to the salmon and I enjoyed short ribs. Dessert was a chocolate cake and peach ice cream for 2. At 1600, we returned to our seats under the dome. About 30 miles south of Kamloops, we finally came out from under the blanket of forest fire smoke into bright sunshine. We disembarked from the train and were bussed to Sandman Signature Hotel where we were already checked in and our bags were already in our room. Having been fed, continuously, through-out the day, we had no interest in dinner. At 2018 PDT, it’s 88^o in Kamloops.