Making tracks to Colorado on the train

My first view of Colorado was from the train, at dawn, as the Denver Zephyr hurtled across the plains from Chicago. A horde of families from the 'burbs were headed to the mountains for a budget ski vacation, and after fueling all-night shenanigans in the Dome Car with endless snacks,...

By Patricia Calhoun

December 29, 2010

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My first view of Colorado was from the train, at dawn, as the Denver Zephyr hurtled across the plains from Chicago. A horde of families from the 'burbs were headed to the mountains for a budget ski vacation, and after fueling all-night shenanigans in the Dome Car with endless snacks, we were blown away by our first sight of the Rockies -- or maybe the smog, in the early-morning light, it was hard to tell.

Talk about a wake-up call!

Forty-five years later, my family -- 28 members strong -- is about to recreate this trip, as part of an 85th birthday celebration for my father. At this time tomorrow, we should be almost within sight of the "Travel by Train" at Union Station.

"I'm looking forward to being surrounded by my family on a train," says my thirteen-year-old nephew, John Nicholl, whose family found their flight into Chicago from Boston cancelled by the blizzard, so they rented a car and drove to Chicago so that they could be part of the fun.

I'll provide updates from the tracks. For more from Calhoun, read the Wake-Up Call archives.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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