Via Rail: The Canadian

I awoke this morning to a very loud announcement making the second call to breakfast. When I raised the blind to look outside, I was nearly blinded by white. We were nearing Saskatoon in a snowstorm and the sky was nearly as white as the vast expanse of snow-covered Saskatchewan farmland.

We boarded the train at 5 p.m. yesterday after 48 hours in Jasper. Sunday, we rented a car and drove the Icefields Parkway along the Continental Divide through Jasper and Banff National Parks. We made a few scenic stops, including one at Lake Louise where skiers were crossing the frozen lake while teenagers played ice hockey. We had lunch and walked the streets of Banff Town before making the three hour drive back to Jasper for an excellent dinner at Evil Dave's Grill.

Sunday, Scott and I went for a cross country ski up Mt. Edith Cavell Road; Dad and Liz walked for an hour and returned to the trailhead to pick us up in time to shower, return skis and rental car and board the train. It was good to get the blood flowing before settling in for three more nights and two days on the train.

We signed up for the late dinner sitting and enjoyed drinks in our room as we watched the last of the Rockies go by in the waning daylight. My steak was melt-in-your mouth tender and the halibut was tender and flaky. I was eager for bed after getting up early three days in a row, but Scott stayed in the dome of the Park Car until after midnight, enjoying the solitude and quiet rocking of the train.

This train is much quieter than the first, with fewer passengers and a helpful but not overbearing staff. We made a brief stop during lunch in Melville for a train crew change. We lose the service staff tonight when we arrive in their home base of Winnipeg—too bad because we really like them.

This afternoon we get to sample Canadian wines and cheeses in the Park Car. The sun got really bright for a couple hours, but today has been a steady stream of white. It looks quite inhospitable outside!

VIA Rail: Day One

The champagne flowed in the dome of the Park Car as the train rolled out of Vancouver Station at 8:30 p.m. We enjoyed the nighttime view as the train crept through the city under a nearly full moon and were later rocked to sleep by the steady motion.

We arrived in Vancouver without incident and met my dad and Liz, who arrived over an hour ahead of us, at the airport. We took a cab to the train station to check our luggage, then the Skytrain two stops to Granville Street to do some banking, have lunch, and stock up on liquor for the road, er, I mean rail. We made a brief tour of Stanley Park and enjoyed drinks and an early dinner at the Fish House overlooking the bay and the sunset. The bus delivered us back at the station in plenty of time to enjoy the Silver and Blue lounge prior to boarding the train.

We always try to give still-valid bus passes to needy passengers and got "Ay, I have a dog, ay," as a response to the first offer--translated to mean, "How the fuck am I going to use that? I have a dog!" A moment later, though, we heard, "Ay, thanks, ay!"

We awoke this morning when the train stopped in Kamloops in the still-dark pre-dawn. We had breakfast in the dining car with a retired couple from Arkansas. He was a defense attorney for part of his career, so he and Scott had lots to talk about. Many Southerners on the train including a woman about my age who is a prosecutor in Aniston, Alabama, traveling with her mother. Two older gentlemen from Rome, Georgia brought back a lot of college memories.

We spent much of the day in the dome when we could get seats, enjoying the view as we approached the Rockies. We were a bit disappointed to arrive in Jasper 40 minutes early.

Here are some shots from today's journey. Tomorrow we drive the Icefields Parkway to Banff. Monday we'll cross country ski at Maligne Lake before getting back on the train to continue across the prairie to Toronto.

A few shots from today's snowshoe outing...

Patrick, Craig, Scott and I tried to get to Elk Meadows on the east side of Mt. Hood.

Sundance Film Festival, Day 2 & 3

After Afghan Star, we made a quick trip to the grocery store for supplies, then made the 45-minute drive to the spectacular Sundance Resort for the afternoon screening of It Might Get Loud. The rustic resort is nestled in the Wasatch Range and surrounded by classic rocky mountain peaks.

Catherine and I needed tickets, so we joined the wait list line for a few minutes until Zach scored extra tickets outside. The film festival is amazingly accessible, even for those who don't plan ahead and purchase tickets. Even tickets for sold-out shows can be had through the wait list system or from people with extras.

It Might Get Loud traced the history of rock and roll through the lives of three generations of guitarists who get together to chat and jam. Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White share their stories, lives, and techniques with the audience and with each other. Fascinating and a must-see for anyone who enjoys rock music.

After an excellent dinner at the resort (the rotisserie pork loin is to die for!) Zach and Monica and I stayed for a heavier film, Boy Interrupted. Again, I was lacking a ticket but got one with no problem. The film follows the life of a child with Bipolar disorder who commits suicide at age 15. His filmmaker parents produced it in part as therapy for themselves and in part to educated the public about mental illness. They came out for a Q&A after the screening. I was very touched by their courage and strength to share such a personal story with the world.

This morning I'm off for a skate ski at the golf course before I catch a flight home. Being a part of Sundance has been quite an experience. I hope Zach invites us back next year!

Live from Sundance, Day 2

Photo courtesy of Zach Sachen. Robert Redford at the IndieGoGo party, 17 Jan 2009.

This morning we rolled out of bed at 7:30 and drove to the Library for the early screening of Afghan Star. Luckily they sell coffee and bagels onsite and allow eating in the theater.

Afghan Star is a world documentary about daily life in Afghanistan, using four contestants in the native version of American Idol as a story line. The film shows very little of the show itself, instead following the contestants as they talk about their lives in different regions of Afghanistan and what the show represents to the country as it struggles to regain freedom. Two of the contestants are women who face unique challenges as famous singers in the country.

After the film, the British producer, the host of the tv show "Afghan Star," and the tv station's producer held a Q&A session which provided great insight into the challenges of filming in Afghanistan and of producing a controversial show in Afghanistan.

Sundance

I caught an early morning flight to Salt Lake City and arrived at The Playground (aka Zach's house) around 10:30 a.m. He and Monica were at a movie, but arrived home by the time I settled in and changed clothes. Their suggestion of an afternoon ski sent me changing again. I thoroughly enjoyed my first day of alpine skiing in 10 years, schussing down a wide range of moderate runs at Deer Valley. Blue sky, sun shining through the aspens, and the crisp air of 8,000 feet--so refreshing!

The three of us met up at the base just after the last lift closed to make a quick transition to an invitation-only party hosted by IndieGoGo, a one-year-old organization that raises money on line for indie films; two of their funded films are featured at Sundance this year. Robert Redford made an unannounced appearance. The fruity vodka drinks went down like coolaid, their effect aided by my empty stomach and day of exertion. By the time we, now a party of 7, finally set off in search of food, we were all famished! The combined effects of 3 hours of sleep, a full day, no food and alcohol has taken it's toll--I called it an early night while Zach and Monica headed to a late-night invite-only party.

We're up early tomorrow to see Afghan Star at 8:30. It promises to be another full day, with at least a couple more films, as well as dinner and drinks at Sundance Resort. Zach and I likened the experience to an adventure race, where we go non-stop and minimize time in transitions.

A rare sight: sunrise in Oregon

Eyelids still heavy with sleep, thermos of hot Stumptown coffee in my backpack, I throw a leg over my trusty steed, clip in, and roll down the driveway. As I pick up some speed on the flat road, the frosty air slaps my face, reminding me of an icy wave of river water shocking me to life on the first drop of a whitewater day.

Although the Scott Cross Team is surefooted, I corner cautiously to avoid slipping on the invisible ice that thinly glazes the street. Encased in neon yellow with lights blinking front and rear in the still-dark morning, I turn onto a more heavily trafficked street. Cresting the bridge over Lombard, I catch a glimpse:

red, pink and orange glowing brilliantly around a snow-white Mt. Hood.

Although the sun must rise and set nearly every day, we rarely get to see it in the Pacific Northwest, especially in the winter. My mood lifted, body coming to life, I cruise down the hill and into the parking lot where I will spend the day in a windowless office.