Plans For Future
7 hours ago
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Plans and other plans
My lovely wife and I have been looking at the predicted storm path. Last year parts of the Southeast coast got torn up pretty good. This year might be a repeat of that action. Not only that, there’s still a fair bit of hurricane season left. My Intra Coastal Waterway trip might get messed up again.
With that mind, my lovely wife starting plotting. She came up with an idea that we could maybe go out to California for a couple weeks -by train.
I’ve got to ask, has anyone of my blog readers crossed the country by train before? Any tips, hints or suggestions? A cross country train trip is something we’ve talked about now and then but never too seriously. The tentative plan would be to leave at the end of October and come back right before Thanksgiving. After the holiday we would hook up the boat and make our way south.
I never can tell what my lovely wife might be planning. One year she booked a short cruise over to the Bahamas. That was a surprise as she hadn’t even asked me. I gave her a lot of grief about it, but ended up having a wonderful time. Once of the places we spent time at was Freeport. Hurricane Dorian stalled out over it and it must be awful there now. Disasters on the news are a lot more real when you’ve been to the places where they are taking place.
In the mean time, I’m still sorting out the boat and getting all our gear ready.
-Sixbears
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Hi there Sixbears... I have gone cross country between Portland OR and Boston a number of times by train, and while it isn't as wonderful as it was years ago, it is still plenty nice. I would definitely recommend that you pay the extra and get a sleeper, as the difference between coach, where one has a semi-reclining seat, and the First class (sleepers), with actual, if not very cushy, horizontal beds, makes a huge difference in being able to sleep, at least for me. Being rocked to sleep on the train I found surprisingly soothing. I usually get a "roomette" which is basically a bunk bed, where the lower bunk converts from a bed, to two facing chairs with a mini table between. There are toilets and a shower either down the hall or downstairs. WHen I traveled with my sister, she wanted a "private" bathroom, which meant getting an actual room, which is slightly larger, has a different layout that includes a small in room shower and toilet.
ReplyDeleteAlso the sleeper tickets, while expensive, include all your meals. In the past, all the food on Amtrak was of equal quality and pretty decent to darn good. In the last two years they have eliminated the dining car service on all the trains east of Chicago. (Chicago is the Amtrak hub, and almost all their trains go through Chicago, and one changes trains to continue in either direction) The western trains currently still have a proper dining car with a full menu and cooked food. I love the Amtrak steak dinner! The eastern trains, sadly, have box meals, and an incredibly severely limited menu which I found appalling and unappetizing. On my next cross country trip I will bring my own food to supplement the unpleasant boxed food for that leg of the trip.
My most recent cross country trip I was joined by my kid sister, who usually travels in a more conventional style and I was much relieved that she also enjoyed the trip. You really get to see how very vast the USA is, and see scenery *urban, rural, and wild) that most folks never view.
The other advice I have is that if you decide to go by train, that you purchase your tickets as early as possible, as the price for tickets increases the closer you are to your departure date. Good luck with your travel plans!!
Thanks for your very in-depth response. Very useful information. You gave us a big jump on our research.
DeleteNever done that, but I have considered it a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt's on the list, so to speak.
DeleteMy Brother, Mom and his kids went by train from San Antonio TX to California. They enjoyed it very much, but had to spend some $$$ on a rented car once they arrived at their destination.
ReplyDeleteBut the trip itself - lots of empty spaces, the ride was relaxing too. They still speak of it highly.
Sounds good. We would be vising relatives with multiple cars so probably wouldn't rent one.
DeleteHusband, kids, in-laws and I went to a reunion years ago from Michigan to Kansas City. We all enjoyed it and yes, do go the extra mile and reserve a sleeper. The kids were I think 8 and 10 and had a blast. And for us too there was the expense of the rental car to reach our final destination but still fun!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear. We are doing our research. Bumming rides with our relatives looks like a huge cost savings. :)
DeleteI come from railroad families. My Mom's Dad was an Engineer and my Dad's Dad was a conductor, but not on the same railroads. That was back in the time of steam engines.
ReplyDeleteTrain travel really was something special back in the day.
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