Home and Happy

Despite my best intentions, here it is, a week after my return home and only now am I writing about the rest of my train trip. I wanted to write while on the California Zephyr, but as long as there was light I was looking out of the window, watching my country's landscape pass by. Though it got dark early, I found even in the evenings I would shut all lights off in my roomette, curtains drawn, so I could continue to look out of the window. I did do some reading and a little bit of work, but mostly I found myself sitting quietly, not quite meditating, but in an unconsciously reflective state. And time went by quickly. I had no idea how fast time could pass just staring out of the window, asking myself things like, where does that road go? why would someone choose to live there? or what are those people doing today?

The Lakeshore Limited was late arriving to Chicago, so my revised plan of taking a bus tour didn't pan out and there wasn't really time to go to the museum, so I walked around a bit, until the cold (I had inadvertently packed my jacket) and the rain lead me indoors. I wandered around Union Station a bit, playing around with Madge, and eventually discovering the Amtrak first class lounge, which was a nice resting place until it was time to board.

The Windy City on a damp day.

Madge playtime in Union Station.

A fellow train fan with a wonderful hat!

The California Zephyr, train #5 (left track), prepping for departure.

Once on board, it was just window time and chill time.

Galesburg. 32 degrees and a snow storm. Me taking pics in my flip flops.

Michael, our super nice car attendant.

Purina?

Climbing into the Rockies.

Rockies vista.

The yellow school house in the Rockies.

Not the Rockies anymore, but west of them.

Mars?

Definitely Nevada.

SF Bay serenity.

And suddenly I was back in the city, in kitty love heaven, the trip over and a slow return to normal.

I loved the train ride and though I didn't have the pleasure of taking the trip with dad in the flesh, he was with me nonetheless.

I'm ready for The Empire Builder! I'm also ready to drive cross country. Too many times while looking out of the window did I wish I could stop, get out and walk around, or to drive down some random road. Still, I saw plenty of things from the train I never would have seen from a car and it was a wonderful trip. I recommend such an adventure to anyone, though getting off and on in key locations would make such a trip all the better.