Here's our Sunrise Tour group waiting at the Train Station and on the tracks in Ft. Bragg, CA before boarding the famous Skunk Train steam engine. Started in late 1885 as a logging railroad, the Skunk Train began carrying passengers a few years later, but it didn't gain its nickname until 1925. In that year, small, self-powered trains started traveling the tracks. The combined fumes from their gas engines and the coal stoves that kept passengers warm were so pungent that locals often commented: "You can smell 'em before you can see 'em." It wasn't until recent years that the name was changed officially from the California Western Railroad to Skunk Train.
A special treat on the train was the singing train man who entertained us with several songs and playing the guitar. It was a fun ride through the Redwood Forest to Northspur where we disembarked and enjoyed a catered picnic lunch of barbecued tri tips, chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans, assorted salads and ice cream. It was a very enjoyable day on the rails. After a very leisurely lunch, we re-boarded the train for Willits where we were picked up by our driver. 
We then made a brief stop in the quaint town of Healdsburg which is renowned for its many wineries. I had just enough time to relax with my new found friends on the trip and enjoy a glass of wine! Here are several shots of us enjoying the day!
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