Vignette > Trip Report Oct. 1920

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Night train from Boston. Annual client meetings in Chicago, then Denver. First trip to Frisco. Palace Hotel. Saturday: excellent sightseeing tour, beautiful city. Sunday, 10/10/20: 8 am ferry to Sausalito, electric train to Mill Valley. Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods Scenic Railway. Weird steam locomotive pushed two open cars backwards up 8.25 miles to top of Mt. Tamalpais. First a canyon of redwoods, then the climb: max. 7% grade, 281 curves. “The Crookedest Railroad in the World”. Stop for photo. Later en route, bought copy to be mailed for $1. At summit, coffee at Tavern of Tamalpais. Hiked up to peak. Spectacular 360° view: Golden Gate, beach, distant islands, lighthouse, golden hills, immense bay, higher peak across bay, snow-capped mountains in distance, Berkeley Campanile, Oakland, ships in harbor, Frisco. Back to Tavern for lunch, exciting descent in Gravity Car. Wandered around Mill Valley to Old Mill Park. Electric train. Wandered around Sausalito, a port like New Bedford, heard Portuguese. Arrived back in Frisco at 8 pm. Dinner with new client at 9 pm in Garden Court of Palace. Monday: ferry to Oakland Mole, train to Chicago, good connection for Boston. Mail at home from Hadley, Mill Valley Photographer, with photo, 6-1/4” high x 31” wide—I’m in it. Also a promotional shot of gravity car. Next year must go to Muir Woods.

Mountain Train passengers at Mesa Station in the Double Bow Knot on the first Sunday morning train. Such photos were taken between 1915 and 1919 and sold to passengers for $1. >> click image to enlarge