There's just something about a train ride.  It's the same sort of something about a campfire - something that nurtures a peace of mind, a flowing of thoughts, and an opening of conversation with others.

It took two days to drive from Bakersfield, California to Portland, Oregon, so Eric and I tried to make the most of it while on the road.  We drove through Napa Valley, quickly stopping to taste some wine, and spent the night on the Avenue of the Giants, among California's huge redwood trees.

A month across America. And of all the things to do before we leave, I stayed up late to make a color-coded map.