Chapter 92 - Life is a Highway . . .

Life is a Highway...

And I do like that song...and the philosophy. But more on that later. Right now it's loose ends to tie up before I get to the meat of the matter, my "Great Train Adventure".

And one of those loose ends is this...my latest puzzle. I just couldn't do the one Amy Jones gave me. It was a study in frustration for me and completely unnecessary to my mental well-being nor my continued desire to entertain myself.

It was, to be charitable, a freakin' bear!! I made a valiant effort but, after a good fight, I gave up the ghost and my personal dignity and put it all away. One of those things that I could do but the cost would have been too high.

And so I went to this instead. And it is proving to be almost as frustrating as the previous puzzle. I've had it on the table now since the end of October. Granted, I was gone for a goodly portion of that period but I am sorta stuck on the blue and the door. It's a cheap puzzle so most of the pieces are like inbred Hillbilly Families in that they all look alike, very closely so. Makes it difficult when you're wondering if that last piece you fit in really IS the right one. 

But it's OK. I just need to persevere. It's a good picture and deserves to be finished. Even if it is mildly frustrating.

Wrapping up another loose end, I forced Cade and Lexi into a bet on the Army - Air Farce game. Loser had to wear the other's branch T-Shirt and Cap for a whole weekend.

Army won but I haven't seen any pics yet!!

I'm talkin' to you Cade and Lex!!



My Great Train Adventure

- or -

How I survived the Empire Builder. 
But the food was really good!!

OK, first off is the Sleeper Car. I've included handy little tips in the pictures below on where things were. The only thing I missed on this plan but found out on the trip was that there was, indeed, a restroom on the upper level. And it was mighty close to me. In fact, it was so close, I was able to hear a lot of the door opening, closing and locking. A LOT!!

You'd think Amtrak could have, by this time, figured out a quieter door look mechanism for the toilet door. And don't get me started on that shower!! I barely got water out of it - it came in spits in spurts - and when I did it was COLD!!

And the Roomette was roughly the size of a coffin. But it was mine and I enjoyed it. Tremendously. For three days I existed without a radio or a computer to divert myself. And it was enjoyable. Thank goodness for Lex as she kept me posted on the score of the Army vs Air Feces game. Which Army won if you hadn't heard yet.

I worked some crosswords, made sure I was at the dining car on time and stared out the window at the passing scenery and was happy and content.

The Dining Car.

The meals were GA-UDDDDD!! The wait staff acted a bit like annoyed Nazis but aside from that, every meal was a pleasurable experience.

And here, right here, is where the Big Adventure begins. Riding up to Kathy's place so she can drop me off at the Train Station in Portland.

Life is a Highway...

And such a highway. I never tire of driving through Oregon.

I mean, C'Mon!! Every time I drive this road it is beautiful...even in the rain it has a song that sings to me. And in the mist of a low fog it is magical.

Ain't this something!?!

And even on the road to my Big Adventure I still appreciated the beauty that is Oregon. Oh, and this is the street Kathy's house is on. See the red cooler? That's where she puts her fresh eggs and it also marks her house.

Kathy was gracious enough to drive me into Portland to the Train Station. Here it is...on our first go-around. Hahaha, we missed the turn into the Station and got to drive WAY around for another go at it.

I tell ya, it's fun riding shotgun and taking pictures through the front windshield.

Keen fun.

OK, Kathy was having too much fun dropping me off. She wanted a couple of pics of the start of my trip. I wasn't overly enthusiastic about it. But then, in my defense, we'd just driven through a bunch of crappy Portland traffic and traffic lanes.

And there she goes. 

Thank you!!

And here I go on the first part of my Epic Journey. At the Portland Union Station to catch the Empire Builder to Chicago. Three days and two nights of riding the rails.

I have recently been admonished to shorten my sagas to something more manageable for the "Short Attention Span" generation so I will be a bit more 'circumspect' in my writing. I will attempt to be terse, laconic, more apothegmatic, compendious, pithy and succinct in my writing.

I will try.

Since I was High-Class, with a sleeper, I was able to avail myself of the Metropolitan Lounge...the one reserved for the High-Rollers riding the line. Me.

Not on this trip would I have to wait in the pedestrian and common waiting area like the rest of the Great Unwashed. Nope, I was riding top-o'-the-line, Baby!!

And there she was...the gargantuan machine that would be riding me in comfort across two-thirds of these United States on my quest to recapture my youth and a bit of Americana at the same time.

Inside the lounge. With, ahem, free coffee and bottled water for us Hoi Pollei's.

Lovin' it!! Totally!! I felt out of place but what the hell. If they don't know, why tell them.

And the place was tastefully decorated in Northwestern Art...like this giant tree fungi with something etched in it. 

Fine art.

Since it was Amtrak, and a high-class government entity, I was given the best.

Like this hand-written boarding pass.

Yup!! High-Class.

(P.S. No ONE, absolutely NO ever checked it!)

I did enjoy the free coffee. Yup!!

And looking out the very old windows of the lounge to the world of Portland. 

I just like this...a train set for sale in the gift shop. Where, if you're truly rich...and hungry you can get one of the delectables for just...

...$7.45. That's right!! A De-luxe Egg Salad Sandwich on, I assume, artisan bread for JUST $7.45.

Wow!!

Whup!! There it is!! The Empire Builder's route across the northern part of America.

And the same and sorry accommodations for the Great Unwashed. But not me, not this time.

Waiting for the moment to whisk us all off to adventure.

Only the best!! I now have genuine Amtrak Luggage IDs.

Some of the common public boarding.

Powerful!! Impressive!! it's My ride.

The sleeper were back towards the rear of the train.

And here it is...my roomette. It's #2 on the upper level. And it were tight.

But soon enough we were moving...on the first part of my Epic Adventure. Good-bye, Portland with your gray skies and decidedly odd people.

Hello adventure and the open road to fun and excitement.

The Union Station Tower. Sight to many leaving the burg by train.

Holding up the traffic at a RR Crossing.

Since we started our journey at 1645, we were treated to a cold dinner. And, to be honest, it tweern't bad. In fact, the best thing about the whole RR experience was the food. Very good.

Crossing the Mighty Columbia River...

Sorry, but I am trying to be terse. The Columbia River. 

Guess what this is? Yup!! The Columbia River. Don't ask me how just accept that it is.

And some exploring...the top floor of the sleeper. I was nearest the steps. The door at the end there opened up to...nothing. We were the last car on this train.

And, pulling in somewhere. I got out just because I could for a couple minutes.

I didn't sleep all that well but it was nice having my own space. And I was ready for breakfast in the morning. An omelet with some delicious potatoes and sausage. It was a breakfast that truly exceeded my expectations.

And the dining car Nazis. They rule with an iron fist. You WILL sit where they seat you and you WILL wait to be seated, dammit!! Or else they'll get on the intercom and make some snide comments about you must wait at the entrance to be seated...for your own safety...from the Dining Car Nazis.

The landscape of Western Montana. We'd slept through Idaho.

I was impressed. Kinda nice. Scenic.

The less-than-stellar shower facilities. 

In my one experience it was hard to get the water to flow and said water was damn cold.

Not fun at all.

An abandoned section of the old line. This tunnel was built in 1910.

Montana, at least the Western side, was spectacular. Beautiful.

Hard and rugged.

Cold and unsparing.

You had to be hardy to live out here.

And, btw, Montana is BIG!! As we rode from west to east, the landscape changed.

Flatter and uglier. There was a hardness about the small towns I saw.

I didn't see a lot of joy out there.

Things were plain...and rugged looking.

One of the stops in Montana. I had decided to be sure to get off at each one of the stops that I was awake for.

I wanted to at least see the land without a window in the way. I wanted to stand on the earth there.

And explore when I could. 

A hard land with, I would suppose, hard people.

This place was about an hour from Great Falls where Lex and Cade are.

The smokers getting one in while the getting was good.

Sinclair...a small blast from my past. Long ago riding with my Mom and Dad, I'd know we were moving on down the road and out of California when I'd see Sinclair Stations.

The mountains and the trees gave way to the Plains.

And a isolated life.

But inside was the dining car. And good food.

I tried their Angus Burger. It's as good as the one I got at Aces Sports Bar and Grill.

Wandering about in Montana.

My car was the end of the train.

You can tell it is Fall in Montana. Just bare and rough with the idea of the cold to come.

Flat, stark, unyielding. I kept going back to the thought that the people who live here must be rugged individuals. Hardy.

A cold land.

And again I was struck by how unhappy the cities looked. I am sure I am wrong but it was that impression I carried with me the whole way through the eastern two-thirds of the State.

Moving along...and keeping track of our progress on the score card.

And being grateful I wasn't surviving out here.

I'm sure I could do it but I don't know about the happiness thing...especially in the Winter.

A lonely truck pulling a car through the hard country of Montana.

Meanwhile I was relaxing in my spacious (hahaha) Roomette. Watching the world go by.

Pensive Jackie.

That's it for now. My computer is going south on me. Won't let me download any pictures, grab any shots or work on Pages.

So I stop here. I am going to get it erased and then reset to factory setting again. I hope It will be useable then...if not, a new one is in order.

I had a great time and I'm looking forward to writing SHORTER Chapters of my on-going saga.

Bear with me and let me know if it is better. Being terse and all.

Hooah!!