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PNW Fest: Reports from the Fest


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#11 KevinKorell

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Posted 22 July 2010 - 12:07 AM

On Day 4 of our PNW Fest Lite, we did everything we set out to do on the rails. We had 15 people involved today. The day on the rails was followed by a wonderful dinner at Duke's Chowderhouse in the Lake Union district of Seattle. Tomorrow we head further north, in fact clear out of the country. The northern Cascades route and the city of Vancouver are next to conquer!


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#12 jacorbett70

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Posted 22 July 2010 - 12:49 AM

More photos...

Mount Rainier:
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07146.jpg

An example of the needed barriers to keep people from driving around lowered crossing gates:
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07128.jpg

And a happy birthday to Eric at the restaurant:
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07303.jpg

I don't think I posted this yet, so here are a couple of those water planes shortly after landing on Lake Union:
http://i93.photobuck...kenmore-air.jpg

#13 jacorbett70

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Posted 22 July 2010 - 04:14 PM

some more
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07541.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07563.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07564.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07566.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07571.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07594.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07612.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07640.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07644.jpg

#14 KevinKorell

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Posted 23 July 2010 - 12:36 AM

From John's latest photos, one can deduce that we made it to Vancouver, and we rode SkyTrain. Day 5 was our earliest start ever, as we had to meet at KSS very early to catch the 7:40 AM departure of Amtrak Cascades #510. Thirteen of us left Seattle, but Mark got off in Bellingham, and returned to Seattle tonight on #517. The other dozen all made it over the border into Canada. The itinerary was altered greatly today, as I think we are all showing our wear from the past few days. Only the youngest participant of the group (age 8) really has the drive and energy to keep going despite getting up very early this morning. First we pushed back the offical SkyTrain trip start time from 2 PM to 3:30 PM, to allow folks more time to get situated at their hotels. Then, upon reconvening, it was suggested that we do tomorrow's Canada Line ride today, thus leaving Friday for sightseeing or just relaxing. We won't do any group activities on Friday until those of us returning to Seattle on the evening train meet at the station. So we rode the entire Expo and Millennium Lines as planned, and then went right to the Canada Line, riding the Airport and Richmond branches. We did a food court style dinner at Richmond Centre at the second endpoint, and then called it a day, with most returning directly to their respective hotels. Most importantly, we've already "aced" the SkyTrain! Next update from the Fest will once again come from Seattle tomorrow night.


Kevin Korell


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#15 jacorbett70

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Posted 23 July 2010 - 01:39 AM

A couple more...

(View of the bridge we crossed on Amtrak, from Sky Train)
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07827.jpg

(Evan driving Sky Train)
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07880.jpg


Then I was restless so I went back out shortly after 8pm for another Sky Train spin:
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG07996.jpg

http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG08048.jpg

#16 KevinKorell

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Posted 23 July 2010 - 01:16 PM

Most of the actual times thus far have been uploaded to the itinerary, so you can get an idea of how things went with our timekeeping.


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#17 Lightning

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Posted 23 July 2010 - 01:55 PM

Day 5 was our earliest start ever, as we had to meet at KSS very early to catch the 7:40 AM departure of Amtrak Cascades #510. Thirteen of us left Seattle, but Mark got off in Bellingham, and returned to Seattle tonight on #517.


Only I didn't :( . It was a total fiasco. I arrived ten minutes before schedule departure which was to be 7:40 PM. Waiting pax were told that there was a delay at the border and the dogs were aboard the train sniffing for contraband. At about 8 we got word that the train had begun to moved toward Bellingham. Then "a bit of bad news" around 8:20 to the effect that the 517 was stuck behind a disabled coal train with no scheuled time of arrival in BEL. A Greyhound bus--also detained at the border--arrived late at the Bellingham intermodal terminal at about 9:15. With no guarantee I would not get to KSS until the wee hours (my car was some distance away and at those hours I would have had to take a taxi to get to it), I jumped--however reluctantly--on the bus at the last minute and arrived in Seattle about 45 minutes after I would have by train. I hope and pray you will not fall victim to such a disaster tonight. I am planning on meeting the train at KSS..
"Big Green Chauvanist"

#18 jacorbett70

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Posted 23 July 2010 - 04:59 PM

Some from today when we toured Vancouver on our own:

(looks like a temporary Olympic Village station)
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG08102.jpg

(quick pass by the Rocky Mountaineer station)
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG08243.jpg

(From the SeaBus)
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG08177.jpg
http://i93.photobuck...70/IMG08193.jpg

#19 KevinKorell

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Posted 24 July 2010 - 01:43 AM

Nice to have the free day to do our own things in Vancouver, but it was kind of strange. We all met again at the rail station starting around 2 PM or so, and by 3:30 most of our Vancouver participants were there. Alan & Grace remained behind to catch the Canadian several hours later. With Rick also remaining in Vancouver for some more time, there were just 9 of us who would be returning to Seattle on Amtrak Cascades #517. No problems with the 2 US Customs inspections (one as pre-clearance and another at the border). Our train left the Vancouver station late, and remained up to 27 minutes late at intermediate stations. We ended up into Seattle at 10:18 PM, just 13 minutes down, so not too bad. Our group long ago hit our peak participation, and we already have started to get smaller. After the trip, we said goodbye to 3 more people. OTOL PNW Fest 2010 Lite is over, as we have fulfilled our obligations in Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. What lies ahead is the trips home, and we'll cover those in the other thread.


Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ





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