Last week-end my wife was presenting a talk at the organization for California schools in Sacramento, CA.
She left us mid-week to go to the conference and Leif and I went about our normal routines for a couple of days until Friday when we began our long journey to Sacramento.
The first leg was by car to the Amtrak station in Merced, CA.
That was quite uneventful as Leif is very good in a car, often sitting quietly looking out of the windows or "Hold the front page!" sleeping.
Arriving at Merced we checked on the train, it was on time, and arranged with one of the railroad staff to point us in the right direction to board the correct part of the train. Then Leif and I said our goodbyes to my "in-laws" who had driven me to the station.
When the train pulled into the station, Leif was very calm and sat by my left side. The woman from the ticket office came out and I took her arm as she guide me to the conductor, telling him I was bound for Sacramento. He guided me to the lower level seat assigned to me, I had booked earlier in the week.
It was there Leif, was greeted by "oohs and awwww's" as people saw a handsome blue/black Labrador all nicely kitted out in his harness.
Leif is definitely one for the crowds. He is a magnet, people ask all about him. Age, where he is from, what does he actually do?
Having a guide dog is definitely not an option if you don't want to be noticed.
I generally filled in all the information for the people asking questions and Leif in his usual manner, curled into a tight ball at my side and proceeded to snore, very loudly. Of course raising more "oooh's and awwww's."
Disembarking in Sacramento we were whisked to a golf cart and driven, wind in our hair and fur, to the front of the station. Being blind means you get to do such things it seems. We arrived at the taxi's as the first of the walking passengers who had run, got to the luggage collection area.
Before the other passengers had collected a bag Leif and I were zooming away in a taxi to our hotel.
All in all we had a good first trip, solo, together. We even arrived in time to see my wife's presentation. She did a great job.
Then We spent late Saturday touring around the city. Visiting the California Vietnam Memorial, the parks around the Capitol buildings and a wonderful to Sutter's Fort, the actual founding building in what would become Sacramento.
She left us mid-week to go to the conference and Leif and I went about our normal routines for a couple of days until Friday when we began our long journey to Sacramento.
The first leg was by car to the Amtrak station in Merced, CA.
That was quite uneventful as Leif is very good in a car, often sitting quietly looking out of the windows or "Hold the front page!" sleeping.
Arriving at Merced we checked on the train, it was on time, and arranged with one of the railroad staff to point us in the right direction to board the correct part of the train. Then Leif and I said our goodbyes to my "in-laws" who had driven me to the station.
When the train pulled into the station, Leif was very calm and sat by my left side. The woman from the ticket office came out and I took her arm as she guide me to the conductor, telling him I was bound for Sacramento. He guided me to the lower level seat assigned to me, I had booked earlier in the week.
It was there Leif, was greeted by "oohs and awwww's" as people saw a handsome blue/black Labrador all nicely kitted out in his harness.
Leif is definitely one for the crowds. He is a magnet, people ask all about him. Age, where he is from, what does he actually do?
Having a guide dog is definitely not an option if you don't want to be noticed.
I generally filled in all the information for the people asking questions and Leif in his usual manner, curled into a tight ball at my side and proceeded to snore, very loudly. Of course raising more "oooh's and awwww's."
Disembarking in Sacramento we were whisked to a golf cart and driven, wind in our hair and fur, to the front of the station. Being blind means you get to do such things it seems. We arrived at the taxi's as the first of the walking passengers who had run, got to the luggage collection area.
Before the other passengers had collected a bag Leif and I were zooming away in a taxi to our hotel.
All in all we had a good first trip, solo, together. We even arrived in time to see my wife's presentation. She did a great job.
Then We spent late Saturday touring around the city. Visiting the California Vietnam Memorial, the parks around the Capitol buildings and a wonderful to Sutter's Fort, the actual founding building in what would become Sacramento.
| Leif and me, beside the Vietnam Memorial | in Sacramento, CA. |
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