The Wheels on the Sprinter Go Round and Round

This kids finally started Spring Break this week so to commemorate their first day off, we took a ride on the Sprinter yesterday. The Sprinter is a commuter train that runs every 30 minutes through Vista. I think its been up and running for about 2 years. Our first day off coincided with my 10 year old cousin Emily being in town so we took her along for the ride.

I was not a fan of the Sprinter when the idea was conceived several years ago. I didnt want a train bisecting my hometown and bringing with it noise, unwanted traffic stops and the overall feeling that I was living in Disneyland. But after riding the Sprinter yesterday, I realized there are lots of positive aspects to it operation. Its only $2 to drive to the coast. That's pretty cheap. It was very conveniently located both in Vista and in O'side. And the ride was smooth and quick - overall a very pleasant experience. If the Sprinter can cut down on traffic and therefore help diminish the environmental affect of cars, then sacrificing Vista's aesthetic beauty on my side of town is something I can tolerate.

We took the 10:30 train out of town and it got us to the coast just before 11am. The train terminal is centrally located in Oceanside. The beach, the pier, lots of food joints and a movie theater are all within walking distance. We hopped off the train, checked the listings at the movie theater and then bolted over to Ruby's which is located at the end of the Oceanside Pier. The hostess got us fantastic seats overlooking the ocean. Between chicken tenders and hot dogs, we spotted a few seals swimming along the coast. So cool! After our lunch, we walked to the movie theater and watched Monsters vs Aliens. Personally, I could have done without the movie. Im not a fan of cartoon/kid movies and I thought this particular movie was pretty lame. However, I saw the preview for Where The Wild Things Are, one of my favorite children books by Maurice Sendak, so that was a thrill. Unlike me the kids enjoyed the movie, so from that standpoint it was worth it. From the movie theater we trekked back to the beach to play and find shells. Miraculously Seamus did not get too wet. I was a little afraid he might jump in the water fully clothed (he's done it before) but he didnt. Thank God. After about an hour at the beach, we headed back to the station and bought our tickets home. As we were waiting for the train my mom called from work. Mom actually works downtown in O'side - about 5-7 blocks from the train station. She offered us a ride home so we hiked up to her school and she took us home.

I was exhausted by the days events. We packed a lot in for one day. But Im excited for the next opportunity to ride the Sprinter again. It was a good day. :)