We were scheduled to meet up with Roger Allen from Sunnyvale and Jim Kramlich from Sacramento (Mac worked at United Airlines with these guys), on Saturday the 17 of July to ride up to Quincy for an overnighter and then to Portola on Sunday to the Portola Railroad Museum to have the ultimate experience of driving a locomotive.

We had a great motorcycle ride through the Feather River Canyon arriving at the Gold Pan Motel in Quincy around 4:00 p.m. We stayed in our unique wood-paneled room and kicked back to rest and cool off until it was time to meet up with the Kawasaki Club Members the NorCal Voyagers Club who were hosting this event, for dinner at Janice's Cantina and Steak House. There were 26 members who had come from all over northern California and from as far south as Fresno. Uncle Ray, the President of the Club, was wearing his overalls with his NorCal Voyagers Club tee shirt and hat and was a commanding presence. Many others were also in uniform with the club tee shirt and hat, some with vests proclaiming their many events and services.

On Sunday some early risers met at the Morning Thunder Café for breakfast at 7:00, but I was still enjoying my Mexican dinner from the night before and so Mac met the group alone.

We were back on the road at 8:30 for the ride over to Portola, which was about 30 miles away, arriving at the train museum at 9:30.

They were all set up for us and ready to start boarding. There is only room in the cab for four people plus the locomotive instructor. So our friend Roger, who was in charge of this ride had a schedule for everyone and collected the money before they could board.

Mac and I, Roger and Jim were the second group that was scheduled so when our turn came we climbed aboard. We took a moment for a photo op then we worked our way into the cab where one could sit and two could stand. The one, whose turn it was to drive, had a comfy seat in front of the controls. That would be me. The instructor said, ladies first. So I learned where each of the controls were that made things happen. The gearshift had reverse and forward. The throttle had idle, #1, 2 and 3 all the way up to 8, which would let the locomotive go 70 if one wanted to do that. (However, the instructor said he wouldn't want to be on it going that fast). In the ride around the train yard, I used idle often, #1 often, #2 now and then and #3 once. I learned how to use the brake that would slow you down to come to an easy stop. I also got to use the bell to clang our way through a crossing and I got to blow the whistle that awakened the town and made the neighbors mad. It was three pulls on the rope going out and two pulls on the rope coming in. It was so cool.

After each of the four got to "drive" the locomotive out and back, we hopped off and let the next four go. We then took a ride on the caboose train. There were about six different cabooses hooked to a locomotive and we watched as the locomotive went forward and they switched the tracks to get them on the rail that went around the yard.

They had a conductor that did the traditional "All Aboard". These guys who are out there running the trains and acting as conductors all wore purple tee shirts and hats with the stripped railroad overalls. They are all volunteers who drive in from someplace far away because they love railroading. The one we talked to drove over from the bay area and usually only comes twice a month but because there were a lot of tourists and they were short of people, this was his fourth weekend to be there.

After the caboose ride we got to "drive" another locomotive that was bigger and more powerful. The four of us back in the cab, ladies first, and now this one would go 85 if one wanted it to. The controls were much the same but this locomotive had a speedometer so I had to work the throttle from #1 to #2 and back to idle to maintain a constant speed of 5 miles an hour. The controls were a little stickier so it was harder to work them. But we made it and boy did that whistle blow loud.

When it was all over and everyone had a turn on all three trains, they gave us a certificate that looked official. It let you know that you operated a locomotive of the Western Pacific Railroad at the Feather River Rail Society and it listed the numbers of the locomotives. Andy Anderson the Locomotive Instructor signed it. I felt very important and accomplished. And it was so cool.

We had reservations at a local café for lunch at 2:30. The café usually closes at 2:00 but they said they would come back and open up for our group so we could have lunch. The numbers had dwindled by now to 13 as many people left when their "drives" were over.

After Mac and I went into the café, Uncle Ray and his cohorts, being funny, placed a cardboard under the Harley to catch any oil that might drip. Everyone got a big laugh out of that traditional Harley joke. We laughed too since no oil drips from that fine tuned new machine.

We all went our different ways, ours being back through the beautiful Feather River Canyon reflecting on the day's activity and realizing once again that---------
"it was just too cool"!

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