Train Trip

Last week was a renewed experience of slow down travel.  Inside of driving to Minnesota for an all day meeting a friend and I decided that an Amtrak trip would allow for relaxed conversation, long dialogues on long neglected subjects and needed direction.  Mostly all of that worked out - but - train travel is always subject to delays and this trip was not a disappointment in that matter! Arriving at 10:30 P.M. we were picked up by our hosts and driven 3 hour further north - is this the Artic Circle already? A short nights rest and then the all day meeting followed by a 3 hour trip back to the "cities", as St. Paul and Minneapolis are called.

After finding a Motel close to the train station - it i now 11:00 P.M. -  another short night - we made our way to the train station for a 7:30 A.M. departure - guess what - a 3 hour delay due to a frozen rail out in Montana someplace. The station master gave us directions to Bonnies Cafe - which proudly displayed the banner "Voted best by Twin Cities papers". How would a person find a small "hole in the wall" cafe except by a delayed train departure?

The trip back to Chicago gave plenty of time to get over the anger, frustration, missed connections, high prices in the dining and snack cars, and questions about why we did not fly -- but  it really was a good trip until we were stopped 10 miles out of Chicago to investigate whether a trespasser had been hit by the train. Finally we made it to Union station where Amtrak decided to put 5 of us, plus the driver into a small van for a 3 and a half hour trip to Jackson, MI. close to home, another short night with hopes of recovery the next day! I've almost forgotten the reason for the whole trip, but as good friend Bruce would say, "Its a great, restful, way to travel"!

We are home for Thanksgiving and through the rest of the year - maybe.
 Bill