Two Days Out: Our Portola E-Bike + Amtrak Trip Is Almost Here

🚴‍♂️🚆 Two Days Out: Our Portola E-Bike + Amtrak Trip Is Almost Here

By Deep Dive AI Workflow – June 2025

We're 48 hours away from rolling our Ride1Up Portola folding e-bikes onto an Amtrak train in Battle Creek — bound for Union Station in Chicago — and yes, it still feels a little surreal.

No bike racks to reserve.

No special luggage tags.

No boxing or breakdowns.

Just fold. Board. Ride.

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✅ All the Planning Is Done

This trip has been months in the making: testing folding dimensions, reading Amtrak fine print, and even calling conductors to confirm our folding e-bikes are clear for carry-on. And now? The prep work is behind us.

Here's what’s already dialed in:

🎟️ Amtrak tickets (round-trip Battle Creek ↔ Chicago)

🛏️ Studio stay near Wicker Park

⚡ Batteries fully charged and tested

🧳 Packing list complete (carry-ons only, no checked luggage)

📷 Meta smart glasses charged and synced for hands-free photos/video

📡 Blog draft and affiliate links ready for posting

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🔄 Our Final 48-Hour Checklist

We’re down to the small stuff—but this is the stuff that matters.

🛠 Portola Prep

Fold and unfold practice runs (under 60 seconds now)

Lubed the chains and checked the brakes

Battery voltage confirmed ✅

Tire pressure set ✅

Quick-release latches inspected ✅

🎒 Luggage & Gear

Each Portola has a front-mounted basket (for snacks, phone, sunglasses)

Pet carrier crate mounted on each rear rack (no pets—just extra storage)

Foldable bike locks stored in rear crates for easy access

Daypacks packed with chargers, Meta glasses case, and basic first aid

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🎯 What We’re Most Excited For

Honestly? The moment when we walk right onto the Amtrak train and stow our folded Portolas like regular luggage. No stares. No tape measure. No box fees. Just freedom.

Also:

🚲 Cruising down the Lakefront Trail with zero car noise

☕ Coffee and people-watching in Wicker Park

🎥 Capturing everything hands-free with Meta smart glasses

🧳 Putting the “carry-on” claim to the test for real

We’ll be testing whether the Portola’s slightly oversized folded width (21" vs Amtrak's 15") raises any eyebrows — but based on what we’ve learned, it shouldn’t.

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💬 The Most Common Questions We've Gotten This Week:

> “Are you sure you don’t need to reserve a bike space?”

✅ Yes — folding bikes under Amtrak’s size limit ride as carry-on.

> “Doesn’t Amtrak make you box your e-bike?”

❌ Not if it folds. No boxing required, no pedals removed, no reservations needed.

> “What about the battery?”

✅ We’re carrying them separately in padded sleeves. Totally legal and safe.

> “Where will you ride in Chicago?”

🚴‍♀️ Starting with the Riverwalk → Lakefront Trail → West Loop → Wicker Park.

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🎨 Thumbnail Preview: We Even Made This!

“Yes, Your Folding E-Bike Rides Too!”

No Fee. No Hassle. Just Fold and Go.

We’ll be using this image across all our platforms—especially for Shorts and blog traffic.

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🕒 Departure Details

Boarding: Friday, 9:45 a.m. — Battle Creek Amtrak

Arrive in Chicago: ~12:15 p.m. — Union Station

Check-in at Airbnb: 1:30 p.m. near W. Haddon Ave

First Ride: Down Milwaukee Ave for lunch and scenery

Battery swap: Portable backup charger stashed just in case

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💡 What This Means for You

If you’ve ever dreamed of ditching the car and going full-bike + train, this setup may be for you. We’ll be proving the process in real time and documenting it all:

🎥 Video short: Folding bikes on Amtrak

📝 Blog follow-up: Ride review + gear links

📲 Social posts from Chicago trails

💼 Affiliate landing page with our travel kit

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Stay Tuned

We’ll post a full recap next week with:

How the Portola performed under train and trail pressure

Any surprises we encountered at Union Station

Our final recommendation: is it worth it?

For now, we’re charging batteries, organizing our gear crates, and preparing for what could become a new default mode of travel.

Stay tuned and stay mobile.

See you on the rails.