We boarded Amtrak 769 in Fullerton (shown here in LAUS), at 11:36 a.m. on Friday, 11/5/09 for Ventura and the TRAC Conference.

We would have checked our luggage in Fullerton, but there is no luggage unload in Ventura, so we had to handle our own luggage.  The conductor, seeing all our luggage with us in Fullerton, allowed us to board the retrofitted Superliner car. We stored our luggage in the vast luggage storage in the lower level area and took a seat on the lower level, a very good arrangement, but it takes an agreeable conductor to open the lower level door for you. The alternative is to drag your luggage to the Second Level luggage storage - whose bright design idea was that?!

Leaving LAUS, I spotted the Silver Splendor.  You can see photos of this car, inside and out at one of my recent reports:  http://trainweb.org/carl/BarstowFlyer/

There is room for about 10 private rail cars to be stored north of the LAUS Station.

Between Chatsworth and Simi Valley, we went through an area where they used to film western movies.

Can't you just image seeing Roy, Dale, Gene, and Hoppy out there fighting the bad guys?

Child playing in the fountains in the plaza between the hotel and parking structure. (right)

Plaza walkway to the beach with Crowne Plaza to the left and parking structure to the right with restaurants and shops on the first level under the garage.

Crown Plaza Hotel, the conference hotel for the TRAC Conference.

View from our 9th floor room, eastward toward the Ventura Pier.

Looking down at the plaza next to the hotel and the boardwalk.

View toward the hills behind Ventura, with the railroad bridge on the right side.

Each room had a balcony, and banquet rooms occupied the top floor.

As the light got lower in the west, and the tide receded, the photographic opportunities improved.

Inside the hotel was the most robotic vending machine I'd seen.  It even sold $100 cameras.  However, it did not work at all during our stay.

We walked east on the Promenade to the restaurant on the land end of the pier.

We dined in the Tapas Room, upstairs, at Eric Ericsson's Fish Co. on the Pier

Because of the large number of panhandlers along the Promenade and on the pier, we chose to walk back Harbor Blvd. which is less well lighted, but without panhandlers.  The Hotel and the Restaurant would do well to hire security, or ask for Ventura Police, to move these panhandlers, giving the Crowne Plaza a much more appealing property to attract visitors.

I walked over Hwy. 101 (above) and up California Street to take in part of the "First Fridays Ventura" where visual fine art spaces are open 6 - 9 pm.  I visited the San Buenaventura Artists' Union Gallery, C.S.U.C.I. Art Gallery, Museum of Ventura County, and Ventura Visitors Center, all within 3 blocks of the hotel.

Found this talented musician playing outside the C.S.U.C I. Art Gallery.  I was as impressed with his musical talent as I was with his homemade cigar box stringed instrument.  Would it be called a guitar or a cigar?

One-half block west of California St. on Main St. is the Busy Bee Cafe.

Another clock with the wrong time.  I guess any time is "Time to Eat."

Saturday morning the "Arts & Crafts by the Sea"  vendors were setting up on the California Street Plaza below our 9th floor room.  During lunch at the conference, we purchased some nice watercolors from an Ojai watercolorist (His link on Links page).

With a good view of the Amtrak bridge over Hwy. 101, I spotted the Overland Trail private car on Amtrak Train 799.

The Overland Train was on its monthly The Santa Barbara Daylight Wine Lover's Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara for wine tasting at several wineries within walking distance of the Santa Barbara Train Station.  For my report on this special private railcar trip, go to:  http://trainweb.org/carl/OverlandTrailWineLoversTrain/

I first thought the father was trying to feed his child to the birds, then I noticed the cracker.

We had another tasty meal in the C-Street Restaurant in our hotel then, back in the room, watched the pier light reflections get better as the evening grew later.

We were so happy with our northbound trip to Ventura in the renovated Superliner car, that we decided to board the same car, with our luggage since it is not possible to check luggage in Ventura.

Train 111 North of Devonshire author, Oscar, Amanda y Pilar