WOW! What A Ride!!

The Music Train 2014

"I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music." - George Eliot

The Music The Sights

The Takeaway:

Sadly, the Music Train 2014 is over. Naty and I returned to San Jose 8/23. I won't bore you with too many details, but suffice it to say that we both had a great time, all the while contributing to the music and arts economy of the USA. It was almost like performing community service!

We left San Jose 7/19, leaving on AMTRAK. The goal was to ride the Train to cities with a historical tradition of musical excellence. Along the way, we made to side trips to visit the cousins in Las Vegas NV and attend a cousin's wedding in Sheboygan WI.

Favorite Places? Austin, New Orleans and Chicago - not in any particular order.
Favorite food and drink? Lou Malnatti's pizza and the IPA at Marble Brewery.

But don't let me influence you. Listen for yourself and decide. YOYO for the pizza and beer if you're not in Chicago and Albuquerque.

In A Nutshell

12 Cities
9 AMTRAK Trains
6260 Rail Miles
35 days
Non-stop Music

The Details

LA, Las Vegas, Austin, San Antonio, New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, Sheboygan, Chicago, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, San Louis Obispo, San Jose
Pacific Surfliner, Texas Eagle, Sunset Limited, City of New Orleans, Illini, Hiawatha Service, Lincoln Service, Missouri River Runner, Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight
Click to see the map
Departed San Jose July 19, returned August 22
Mariachi, banda, opera, rock-a-billy, country, Texas swing, jazz, blues, Rock 'n Roll, Irish folk and... Somethin' for every body!

What'd We Hear? Click the links to find out

	Los Angeles CA - The City of Angels banda and mariachi music on Olvera Street
	Las Vegas NV - Sin City opera (Rigoletto excerpts) at the Venetian
	Austin TX - Blueberry in a Red State Grammy Award winner Ray Benson and a lot more in Austin
	San Antonio TX - Alamo City mariachia music and a jazz duo at the Hyatt on the River Walk
	New Orleans LA - The Big Easy jazz and blues on Bourbon Street
	Memphis TN - Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll Dr. Feelgood Potts and lot's more
	Chicago IL - The Windy City the History of Motown and Kingston Mines
	St. Louis - Gateway to the West an Allman Brothers cover band at the Oyster Bar
	Albuquerque - The Duke City Nacha Mendez, latin folk jazz guitar in Albuquerque
	Santa Fe - The City Different Max Gomex and the opera Carmen LIVE
	San Louis Obispo - SLO street music on Higuera Street
	San Jose - Capitol of Silicon Valley Ron Thompson At Poor House Bistro