#25 Last Leg of the Journey, Empire Builder, Day One

May 16, 2023

Late afternoon found me aboard train #27, heading due north along the shore of Lake Michigan, as we made our way out of Illinois.  The Empire Builder doesn't run the longest route, that would be the Texas Eagle, going from Los Angeles to Chicago, followed by the California Zephyr, that runs from Emeryville, CA to Chicago.  Still, it's a long route, crossing eight states in its east-west trip, and stretching over portions of three days.  Thus I justified shelling out the big bucks on a bedroom.  

I got settled in for the ride as we tootled out of Chicago and its environs.  We rolled into Milwaukee, WI around the time I was heading down to the dining care for an early dinner.  Here we would turn and go straight west. 

As I enjoyed my dinner of salmon and ancient grains, we passed some of Wisconsin's many lakes.  They have such interesting names.  Oconomowoc Lake and Okauchee Lake.  Or maybe Lac La Belle. 

Small towns, dairy farms, silos and grain elevators comprised most of the scenery until the sun began to set.  Nothing amazing or breathtaking.  Just slices of rural America flashing by our windows as we thundered through the landscape. 

Night began to fall, bringing an apricot sky and long shadows across the Wisconsin countryside.  

Crossing the Mississippi River around 8:00 was the one notable event of the day.  Here, just after we left our one-minute stop at La Cross, we would leave Wisconsin, and enter Minnesota.  At this point the river lacks the impressive vastness of a more southern crossing, and is pocked with islands and brushy trees.

Once across, we would turn northward and follow the southwestern shore of the Mississippi River.  Shortly before I tucked in for the night, I made a last trip to the passenger car at the end of the train.  It's rare to have that opportunity as there is usually a baggage car on the end, preventing passage through.  Though the windows are always filthy, it's a unique view.