Hi there! For this photo gallery, I wanted to share some of the photos I took while traveling on the plane, and while we were on the train (which was the main portion of our trip). I find that you get some really astonishing pictures from an airplane, especially above and within clouds. Unfortunately, the pictures taken from the moving train turned out a bit blurry and have glare, but I tried to pick the best ones out. Click on the images to enlarge them and view a slideshow. Enjoy!

AMERICAN AIRLINES (FLIGHT #1 OF TRIP)

My view from outside my plane window at Bradley Airport

A view of water and land from the airplane.

A view of water and land from the airplane.

A view of water and land from the airplane.

Tiny, puffy little cloud. ☁️

Small hills as viewed from the airplane.

Hello, little clouds.

A stunning view of sky and ground, featuring wisps of clouds and a blue tint that fades into the horizon.

A view of water and land from the airplane.

A view of water and land from the airplane.

A view of water and land from the airplane.

A view of water and land from the airplane.

50 shades of cloud.

My favorite picture: the far-off ground can be viewed through wispy clouds that gives you a true perspective of what it’s like to be flying.

Similar to the last one, clouds and ground blend to form a picturesque view from the plane.

You can (hopefully) see the texture of the water from Lake Michigan.

When landing in Chicago, you can see just how vast the city really is.

SOUTHWEST CHIEF (PART 1)

Some birds at the Amtrak station in Chicago.

My train seat, complete with a TIME magazine from home.

Leaving the station, going West…

Corn, corn, and more corn…

Beautiful river view from the train.

Not an uncommon sight: full-length trains of oil cars.

Windmill! We saw a lot of these…

Corn, corn, and more corn…

A BNSF engine, the company who owns these particular track lines.

Corn, corn, and more corn…

A view of the mighty Mississippi River.

Another view of the Mississippi.

Lots of Farmland out West…

Sunset from the train.

So much cattle. This went on for probably another mile.

The yellow and green grasses of the Midwest.

These bushes were very common in certain parts of the Midwest.

Lots of farmland, no surprise.

A coal car.

Freight trains like the many we saw in Arizona.

New Mexican-style buildings. Totally different architecture…

Coal, coal, and more coal.

More of those bushes and grass…

At some points, larger bushes mixed in, creating a more vegetated environment.

Horses!

A very interesting rock structure.

A stunning view of both clouds and grasslands.

Cattle!

More Mexican-style buildings.

You can tell you’re near the border with these buildings.

Nearer to Arizona, the land became more abundant in hills.

Nearer to Arizona, the land became more abundant in hills.

A very interesting rock formation.

Nearer to Arizona, the land became more abundant in hills.

Red-Sanded Arizona. What a view.

I still have lots more to come (and more highlights later today!) Stay tuned!

Thank you for reading!

Gabe