That's what Tom and I said to each other this morning as we parted on the DC metro platform, he off to work, and I off for the last leg of my Amtrak journey. For as many hours as we spent on those trains (66), it really doesn't feel like it took very long. I think we were so busy giggling and Twittering and thinking and reading and napping and negotiating toilet-showers and splashing water out of tiny sinks--basically having fun--that we didn't seem to notice the time passing.
But without a sense of humor, we would've been hosed. Put simply, Amtrak sucks. The systems, the equipment, the rails, the food, the personnel - it's all miserably antiquated, terribly designed and tragically underfunded. The days my Grandma Elaine describes, when first class was actually first class and people wore fancy hats in the dining car, are long, LONG gone.
It's a shame too, because Amtrak has so much potential. We should all write our congressmen to lobby for more rail funding and especially some new management.
But I do think I'll take another long train trip with HCB at some point - preferably in another country. There's something about all those miles and all that scenery (and all those hours and all that Tomfoolery) that can't be replicated in other modes of transport. Ultimately, this trip became a wonderful opportunity to bond with an old and dear friend, and I wouldn't have traded it for all the cheese in France. I already miss you, Tommy P!
Here are some more photos, though I'll admit I missed a lot of opportunities, including all of Omaha and all of DC. Oops.
2 comments:
As happy as I am to be sleeping in a bed that doesn't need a safety net, I actually kind of miss being on the train. The passengers are a little odd, the plumbing a little difficult to manage, and the food a little indigestible, but having all that time with nothing to do but reconnect and make new memories with an old friend (and proud small business owner) is more than worth it. I can't thank you enough for including me in the adventure.
I've always liked taking the train from LA to San Diego for Comic Con; it makes me wish there was a viable train route from San Francisco all the way down.
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