[ VIDEO ] After arriving at Flagstaff, Arizona upon leaving the Grand Canyon we leave Flagstaff on the way back to Chicago. Had a long layover in Albuquerque, New Mexico on the way back to Chicago. I shot this video in July 2016.

[ VIDEO ] I'm reactivating this blog for a limited time. I will consider this my physical "videoblog" and mostly for creative purposes. Today I want to share my visit to the Grand Canyon back in July 2016. My first visit there was as a child in 1989 and this is the first time I visited via a tour bus. An amazing highlight after paying my second visit to Las Vegas before that also. I shot video and photos on my iPhone 6 utilizing an olloclip lens taking both wide-angle and fish-eye shots. Edited the video using iMovie and had to utilize Cooper Black for any video titles here. I want to share with you a shorter version that I shared on It's My Mind just last year actually. [ VIDEO ] If you like what you see subscribe to lbj79us ! And to Levois J where I actually have 50 subscribers

You can barely make it out, however, we're looking at Champaign, Illinois early in the morning while coming home aboard Amtrak's City of New Orleans. Sometimes I like it when the train goes through rain and as of late it seems a train I'm on always goes through rain. Even going to Los Angeles two years ago did my train run into some rain on the way to California!

Last month I was in Detroit, Michigan for a family reunion. Another part of the family tree on this day had a cookout on Belle Isle right in the middle of the Detroit River. Only the second time I have visited this island park and this illustrious and hopefully rebounding city. I noticed Michigan State Police patrolling the grounds as the park itself has been leased to the State of Michigan. Probably a sign of the state of finances in Detroit as it had been administered as a city park. BTW, I just really had to use this snapchat filter!

[ VIDEO ] In this video I'm headed back east to Chicago and traveling on Amtrak's Southwest Chief through the Raton Tunnel . I had some pics of a sign of the Colorado side that shows the elevation. All the same you ride on this stretch and see the signs you might see the elevation of this route and more about the Santa Fe trail . When going through tunnel essentially you are crossing border between New Mexico & Colorado.

[ VIDEO ] Continuing to go through my footage and photos of my 2016 west coast, Las Vegas, and Grand Canyon jaunt. Today I show you some footage I shot of riding through Arizona moving further west through Flagstaff, Arizona and then in the morning Los Angeles! I wish I had kept a journal of this. Even if I didn't blog as it happened it would've been worth sharing in a post with photos (or video) when I ultimately returned to Chicago. My next vacation I promise I'll do much better! Meanwhile enjoy this latest vlog showing southwestern landscapes! 

[ VIDEO ] Video shot on the way to Los Angeles, California aboard Amtrak's Southwest Chief in July 2016. A wonderful vacation and get to see a part of the nation I rarely get a chance to see. This footage was probably shot before arriving at La Junta, Colorado which according to the latest Amtrak schedule is a 15 minute stop before ultimately moving through the Raton Pass. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, however, I've decided to start uploading some of the vids shot on my iPhone over the years to my YouTube channel . Hopefully I can update this blog and It's My Mind with more videos I personally shot.

Another throwback to my wonderful vacation back in July 2016. Me and my family was at the offices of this Hollywood tour company that contained this antiquated film editing device. It was pretty cool to see this before going on our Hollywood tour that took us through Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California.

Guess what today is..."Throwback Thursday" In July 2016 took a little trip to the Grand Canyon. My first visit since 1989. I told a little bit about my 2016 trip to the Grand Canyon on my other blog earlier this week.

Originally wrote this post in December 2006. These photographs were taken at the end of a vacation this time to Dallas, TX on board Amtrak's "Texas Eagle". This trip was definitely notable in that this was the first time I had ever rode in a sleeper car (i.e. first class). You may want to know how much this costs. Basically you have to pay an accommodation fee in addition to a coach seat fare. And the final price depends on when you purchase a ticket or when you make a reservation. It may be expensive if you're planning your trip say a month or so in advance but the closer to the trip you get the cheaper a sleeper room will be. I am talking about first class after all. In any case, you may be able to buy a ticket and start with a coach fare but say if you give them your contact info and/or if you ask, they'll allow you to change your accommodations before your trip. In addition to that if you're already on the train you can change your accommodations wh...