don't you have any reasonable public transportation? I thought there is a
train going along the coast connecting major cities (?).

I'd have to say that "reasonable public transportation" doesn't exist
on the U.S. west coast - unless you live in one big city and want to
go to another (like SFO-LAX). And then you have the hassles of going
through all the airport nonsense.

Some years ago I wanted to travel one way between RDM and SBA. They
wanted $400 or so for a flight. Forget that. I went to two different
Greyhound terminals - and couldn't get a straight answer out of either
one. I wound up hitchhiking to Chemult, OR to catch the train. It was
an hour late, and I stood on an open platform in a snowstorm waiting
for it. After some time there some people waiting in a car took
pity on me and offered me a seat. The train ride itself was fine -
but I got off in Redding, CA at 4 AM - and NOTHING was open (except
the Greyhound bus station). BLNT.

More recently I needed to travel between the SAC area and SBA. To be
sure, there are flights - by way of SFO. Figure on the usual airport
hassles times two - including getting reinspected in SFO despite
never having left the transit lounge. I found that I could rent a
car and drive it at about half the cost and maybe an hour more
door to door.

More recent still was travel between FOT and SBA. You can take the
airlines from ACV with the usual SFO stop if you like. If you want
Amtrak it's a bus at 7 AM to Martinez (across from Vallejo), then
a train to Bakersfield, followed by another bus to SBA. Total 16
hours (barring delays, which are not uncommon). I can drive it in
12 hours and fly it in 3. Which would you choose?

By the way - the trains are just fine - clean and comfortable.
Pretty cheap, too. However, they are few and far between, frequently
late, and way too slow.

David Johnson