The Big Apple and the Big Bean Dip, Epilogue

I'll spare you the mostly boring details about the trip back home, save for lugging around my two bags on the subway only to discover that there are TWO "A" lines, and I took the wrong one.   Also, I admit to having taken an under-the-table "taxi" from a local driver who gets people who make my mistake all the time.   I got to JFK with more time to spare than I had thought, checked in my bag and fed my face with foods that, well...let's just say that when I'm under stress, I can have the mind of a teenager while still trapped in a body approaching three times that age group.   I took JetBlue to SFO (which I recommend, especially with the impending demise of Virgin America), and after the full-length trip on BART (overstuffed bags in tow) and the Capitol Corridor back to Sacramento, I called up an Uber ride home.  

So, as far as the various aspects of this trip (which in all, I enjoyed immensely):

--> Uber: I'm sold.   The taxi rides I took on previous trips cost me about $50/ride, to and from the Sacramento Train Station.   On this trip, I took Uber to and from the train station not only here, but in Chicago, and the four rides cost less, in total, than one of those fifty-dollar taxi hauls.   And, for the most part, the drivers were friendly and helpful.    It's also a good way to meet strangers and socialize, if that's your thing. 

-->Long-Distance Train Travel:  I took this in all three of it's forms: sleeper compartments on the Coast Starlight and the Capitol Limited (Between Chicago and Pittsburgh), a full-on bedroom on the Empire Builder (between Portland and Chicago), and coach (the Pennsylvanian, between Pittsburgh and New York).   In all, train travel is great if you consider getting to the destination to be as much a part of the overall vacation experience as the destination itself.   Most of the the time, the routes include going into areas otherwise inaccessible to cars and other vehicles (e.g. parts of Glacier National Park), and the resulting scenery can be spectacular.   Trains are also good places to socialize, especially in the Observation Car, and the Diner Car where "community seating" is practiced (you will share your booth with a stranger, them's the rules).  You meet people from all over the country, and the world, on a given long-distance trip.   But there are some things to consider:

     >>As you would imagine, coach seating is the cheapest way (by far) of traveling in this way.   It's similar to Greyhound in terms of pricing, and considerably more comfortable with bigger seats and lots of legroom.   But, your seat also serves as your bed, which even when reclined, isn't too comfortable.   Also, when thirty or forty people are trying to sleep at night on a long hauler - just imagine the resulting sounds (and smells).

     >>Sleeping compartments are the next level up - with a fold-out bunk on top and the two seats below which fold down into a bed.   The porters can set these up for you, and while stiff, they're passable for one or two nights.   You have access to several restrooms, as well as a shower on the lower level of the car.   Also, your meal expenses are part of the fare you paid, so you don't have to put out anything extra.   But, the price really jumps up, depending on the distance of your travel.   By including a sleeping compartment, a $100 can easily go up to $400, or more.

(By the way, sleeping in a moving train, at any level of service, requires a bit of adjustment.   Don't expect more than a couple of hours on your first night onboard.)   

     >>Bedrooms are the highest level Amtrak offers.   You get a larger room than a compartment, with the fold-down bunk and a couch that folds down into a bed.    You also get a foldaway seat facing the bunks, and a small, fold-away work table.   You also get your own bathroom and sink area.   The advantages here are greater privacy and sanitation - you aren't sharing the "wealth" of bugs with others.   There are disadvantages, however:  the bathroom is cramped, and it takes a certain amount of learning how to align yourself with the nearly-claustrophobic quarters in order to make it work.   The door to the bathroom also faces the window, so you better make sure you're either "decent",  or the curtains are drawn, before you partake.   Bedroom are, as the premium level of service, more than 2-3 times as expensive as a compartment.  But, meals are included, a well as porter service.

I'm a member of Amtrak's Guest Rewards program, and over the years accumulated enough points (through its attached credit card and other Amtrak ravel) to purchase the train trip, with all of the luxuries, without any cash outlay.   I highly recommend this approach if you decide you would like to try traveling long-distance by train, because as you'll see if you get on Amtrak's web site, sleeper cars and compartments represent big cash outlays.   Even if you factor in the cost of the basic fare with your meals, the left over cost (representing "lodging") would be considerably more than a high-quality hotel.   I should also mention, that the quality of food was, well, "life-sustaining" for the most part.   Amtrak should look into improving the quality of its cuisine if it expects customers to pay the extra money for the on-board lodging. 

What you're really paying for, then, is the experience.  

--> Packing: I overdid it.   Two bags, with one containing too many clothes and the other containing books I won't read or two cameras I rarely used, was overkill.  It was also a pain to transport them to and from the station, or the airport, or between hotels.   For future trips, regardless of length, I'm taking Rick Steves' advice to heart: one carry-on bag for my clothes and most other things, and my messenger bag for any electronic gear or extras I might carry.    This approach also usually saves money at the airport, given that bag fees are now a profit center for virtually every airline. 

-->Passes:  Both Chicago and New York offer "City Pass" coupon books, or debit cards like the New York Pass which get you into many more attractions for free.   Check out where you plan to go and what you want to see, then look to see if these options offer discounts to those transactions.   They are great money-savers - if you use them. 

-->Transit: In both Chicago and New York, I did not rent a car - I didn't need to.   Both cities offer extensive mass transit systems that will get you pretty much wherever you want to go.   Google Maps is improving it's transit routing, but it's not perfect.   Apple Maps began to incorporate transit directions into its offering, I suspect by incorporating the technology used by the company it purchased and is now winding down, Embark.   You'll use either of the apps extensively when getting around.   About paying the fares:

     >>Chicago: the Ventra card is used by the frequent users of Chicago's various transit systems, and I found it to be a very convenient way to pay.   Looking like a debit or credit card, you just tap the card on one of the readers (much like the Clipper Card in the Bay Area), and off you go.   The web site is where you can add transit dollar value (for individual fares) or multi-day passes.   I ordered mine several weeks before the trip, and got it by mail.   In short, the Ventra Card is highly recommended.  
     >>New York: the MetroCard is somewhat different from the Ventra Card, in that you swipe it in a magnetic reader to get on the buses or subways.   Unlike the Ventra Card, you have to purchase one of these in New York proper, as you can't order it or have it mailed to you.   I purchased mine when I got to Penn Station: $33 buys you seven days of full, unlimited use of the subway and non-express bus services, which was plenty for me. 

-->Hotels: I stayed at:
     >>Chicago - Ohio House Motel: it looks like a motel from any 1960's movie, but it was recently renovated, clean, and the service was friendly.   It was priced reasonably for the time of year and it's downtown location.   This one is a gem in the rough.
     >>Chicago - Marriott - UIC: well, it's a Marriott.   Friendly staff, clean, luxurious, but further away from the city center and more expensive. 
     >>New York - Marrakech: in the upper west-side.   It has promise, but needs some work as far as fit-and-finish.   Service was good. 
     >>New York - Hotel Pennsylvania: on Seventh Avenue across from Madison Square Garden.   Probably the best location in the City, as many of the most common attractions are within walking distance (Times Square, Rockefeller Center, etc.).   The place is continuing to undergo renovations and improvements.   The room I had was surprisingly well-appointed and large in comparison to the two smaller rooms I had in the past.   If booked sufficiently in advance and during the off-peak times, deals can be had here. 

I'll include an honorable mention: The Jane.    I have yet to stay here, but the porters were kind enough to show me around the rooms and let me stay for the free comedy show.   I like the ambience of this place, and depending on the time of year (and if you don't mind shared facilities), it represents probably one of the best values in the City.    My next trip to Gotham will include a stay here. 

-->Free (and cheap) Stuff: Both cities can be very expensive to visit or stay in.   But here are a few ideas which cost little or nothing:

     >>The Chicago Lakefront and Parks: No admission fees, and the beautiful sights of the surroundings and the skyline (especially at night) all await you.   Grant Park and it's Rainbow  Fountain, Millennium Park and the Big Bean, Museum Campus and the landscaping - all free.
      >>New York's Central Park and Brooklyn Bridge: You've got free reign of the entirety of this park, with it's waterways, paths, and lush landscaping, tree growth, and walking and bike paths.  The Brooklyn Bridge Bike and Walk Path leads you to spectacular views of both the Brooklyn and Manhattan Skylines, as well as the East River.   Best of all, these are free of charge.  
     >>Chicago - Museum of Broadcast Communications: $12, and you'll be taken into a virtual electronic time machine, with exhibits and old programming going back to the early 20th century. 
     >>Brooklyn - New York Transit Museum: $7 is all you need to experience some of the history of how people got around the five boroughs.   Antique subway cars and rolling stock, and other exhibits, await.   This is a great place for families. 
     >>The Bronx - Heritage Park: Located just outside the current Yankee Stadium, the park sits on the footprint of the original structure.   The original diamond is still there, along with two others in opposite corners.   The "Big Bat" is still standing, next to the subway entrance.    This is the place where Mantle, Jackson, Chambliss, Mattingly, and many others, displayed their heroics, so just being out on that same field, in that same diamond, can give a different perspective to those events.    There is also a full sports complex next to the baseball field, with a football field and track.  Unlike the original Yankee Stadium (or the current one, for that matter): no price of admission - it's free. 
     >>New York Meatpacking and Chelsea Districts - The High Line:  I go into this extensively in my previous post.   There are several entrance points which required hiking up a few flights of stairs, but once you get on the High Line, you'll likely think it was worth the extra workout.   Best of all - it's free.  

 So with this, and for now, I close the book on my most recent East Coast Adventure. 

(A big Thank You to all who have read, commented on, and shared, my e-missives of this trip.)