My first ever tour was ACA's unsupported Northern Tier tour. We started in Seattle and picked up the route around Mt. Vernon. I took Amtrak to the start. From Chicago to Seattle I had a sleeper. At the end of the ride the sleeping car attendant gave me a schedule to see if we could meet up one day at one of the stations. I did, in fact, get to see her in Havre during the train's break there. I tried a couple of other times along the route but couldn't make the timing work.