I recently had the opportunity to ride the train up and down the coast of southern California. I was traveling with a dear friend of mine who had never been to the golden state before...an added bonus. I felt like I was seeing it all for the first time too. We rode round trip from LA to San Luis Obispo. The sight of the sweeping shoreline meeting chaparral covered mountainsides brings back memories for me as a Topanga Canyon native. Boogie boards and sandcastles, sandy hair and knees; what a way to spend a childhood. The hum of cicadas in the Midwest sure can't compare to the deep and constant melody of breaking waves. Maybe California will be home again one day. Here are a few pictures i took from the Amtrak.