Denver, Rockies and Tunnels

After leaving Chicago on the California Zephyr, I settled into my Sleepette room and got to know a nice couple from Saginaw, Michigan who were across from me. The train ride was smooth and uneventful. We had a short stop in Ottumwa, Iowa (this is where the character Radar O'Reilly was from on the TV show M*A*S*H and mentioned it frequently in episodes.)

As we entered Nebraska, the sun was setting and after a nice evening meal, I watched a movie on my notebook and then went to sleep. I woke up several time throughout the night due to some noises, but other than that had a very nice rest.

I woke up at 6:25AM just in time to watch the sun rise. As I looked out the opposite window of the car, I saw the beginning of a mountain range coming into view. We were just about to enter Denver, Colorado. The train had a scheduled one hour stop to take on water and fuel. I went with another passenger named Mary Ann to a book store called Tattered Corners that was not far from the station. On the way back to the train, I stopped in the station to have a look inside and take a few photos.

Leaving Denver, the scenery became absolutely beautiful as we traveled through the Rockies. At one point, we had to go through 29 tunnels, including one called Monfort Tunnel that was 6.5 miles long.