Trains

I love trains. I've always loved trains since I was a little girl.

On December 24th, my husband and I boarded a Superliner. We left Albany, Oregon at 1:30 p.m. and headed for Seattle to visit with our son and family for the holidays. I've never been on a Superliner before. It was a double-decker, complete with sleeping cars, and plenty of room. We sat upstairs in one of the last cars in coach. There was plenty of leg room. In fact, the lady across the isle, said that she came from San Diego and was headed to Seattle. She said there was plenty of room for her and her husband. He slept on the floor while she spread out on the seats above. The car ahead of us said "arcade room downstairs." I didn't check it out but I did go exploring a little bit when I was searching for the dining car. It had a formal dining car with reservations and a menu with $17.50 meals. There was also the snack station downstairs with plenty of delicious food to keep you fed during your time on the train. I also found a car where all the seats faced the large picture windows so you could gaze out at the gorgeous scenery and talk with family or friends. One mother was traveling with her daughter to Whitefish, Montana, which is close to Libby, Montana where I was born.

As I was riding on the train thinking as I looked out the window, I was thinking about all the stories on the train and all the people. I was thinking about a novel I might want to ride about a woman who never leaves. The idea reminded me of a wealthy woman from England on one of the cruises we went on years ago who won the cruise miles contest because she never leaves the boat.

We learned about Whitlock, Washington that was announced as the place with the world's largest egg!

I walked by a guy reading a screenplay and another sketching wonderful art. Another young woman had her laptop reading poetry she had written. People read books, and create. Grandmothers visit their grandchildren. Businessmen travel to their meetings. Students go to universities. People attend football games. All the passengers look interesting and have stories to tell. They travel by train because they don't have to fight traffic or the weather. They can spread out and enjoy the ride in safety. It's a great way to travel and my choice.