Steered by his 19th-century Appleton's guidebook, Michael Portillo embarks on a one thousand-mile American adventure through California. Along the way he discovers how the railroads conquered the wild landscapes of the west and how California became America's richest state. Beginning in the Silver State of Nevada, Michael takes to the skies over the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountain range. At Lake Tahoe, he hears of the first European explorer, known as 'The Pathfinder', whose discovery opened up the west for settlement.\n\nTravelling on the historic Virginia and Truckee heritage line, Michael investigates the vast deposits of silver and gold ore on which Virginia City was built. At Chollar Mine, he finds out about the short-lived mining boom and meets a quirky relic of the period - the pistol packin' preacher. Crossing the border into the Golden State of California, he ascends the 7,000ft granite cliffs to the Donner Pass where ambitious plans to carve a rail route through the rugged terrain were made a reality by Chinese immigrant labourers. In Colfax, Michael swaps his customary iron horse for the real thing and saddles up for a lesson in cowboy dressage. At Sutter's Mill, close to Sacramento, Michael pans for gold at the very spot that triggered the 1848 gold rush and enjoys a saucy show at California's first public theatre.\n\nVenturing underground, he discovers how the streets of Sacramento were raised following the Great Flood of 1862 and visits the $900 million dam under construction to improve the city's flood defences. It is a first for Michael in the kaleidoscopic sweet factory of an iconic American confectionery brand that traces its roots to the 19th century. And, taking a cue from his guidebook, he samples the fruits of the Napa Valley in a gourmet lunch on board the Napa Valley wine train.
Source: BBC 2
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Series 4: 10. Edmonton To Jasper
Michael Portillo continues west through the Canadian Prairie on his thousand-mile rail journey from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Jasper, Alberta. Following his 1899 Appleton’s g ...
11-10-2022
BBC 2
Series 2: 10. Albuquerque, New Mexico, To The Grand Canyon, Arizona
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BBC 2
Series 3: 8. Montreal To Ottawa
Steered by his Appleton's guidebook Michael Portillo's train journey continues in Canada's Quebec province. \n\nVenturing into the wooded hills of Vaudreuil, Michael explores a ...
17-11-2022
BBC 2
Series 3: 14. San Francisco
Michael Portillo resumes his exhilarating tour of San Francisco to find that diversity has been at the heart of the city since the days of the gold rush, though not always harmo ...
29-11-2022
BBC 2
Series 3: 4. Providence, Rhode Island, To New London, Connecticut
Led by his 19th-century Appleton's guidebook, Michael Portillo's railway journey continues through New England. On the banks of the Providence River, he discovers a club that tr ...
10-11-2022
BBC 2
Series 4: 2. Talkeetna To Juneau
Armed with his 1899 Appleton’s Guidebook to Alaska, Michael Portillo rides the Alaska Railroad north to explore the remote former goldrush settlement of Talkeetna. Deep in ...
20-09-2022
BBC 2
Series 3: 20. La Jolla To San Diego
Michael Portillo is nearing the end of his thousand-mile rail journey from Reno, Nevada, to San Diego in southern California. In this final leg, clad in khaki boiler suit and sp ...
08-12-2022
BBC 2