Train Trip Day 4: Destination Chicago

I woke up this morning with several messages on my phone. Some of you were inquiring about Nick and his ashes. I am sorry, I failed to mention him to you. Nick is the friend I mention in my first blog “Introduction.” He was a couple of years older than me when he passed away this September. His father gave me a jar of his ashes so that I could bury and scatter on my trips. So technically I am not alone on this trip. Nick has been at my side the entire time. To not scare passengers, I wrapped Nick’s jar in a Japanese cloth his dad gave me and tucked the jar on the side of my backpack so that he would be secure and – not to sound crazy – have air. Nick is a wonderful person who has a loving father, Merle. Before my trip, Merle and I spoke at great lengths about Nick and about being a parent. Merle: your son Nick is a wonderful person and I hope you know that he got all that from you.

I had better rest on the train than I did in my hotel room. Call me crazy, but things in motion tend to put me to sleep. Several of you have witnessed me dozing off in mid-sentence on car rides and airplane trips. Sometimes I laugh before I doze off. A mid-laugh is a sure indication that I was not listening to your story and that I am going to fall asleep in .05 seconds.

West Glacier Park, Montana

Today, I woke up at 7am, went to the restroom and cleaned the drool off my face – another indication that I had a good night rest. I went over to the dining lounge and grabbed a bowl of cereal and headed back up to the observation deck. There I found an empty row of seats. I slid myself as far to the side as I could to make room for any other passengers who would like to join in the spectacular view. No longer than 5 seconds after I seated myself I was greeted by a male’s voice, “Wicked boots.” I looked up and there was an average sized scruffy man who looked like he could be in his 40s. He asked if the seat to my left was taken. I said no and he plopped down in the seat next to me.

Browning, Montana

Shelby, Montana

I continued to open my bowl of cereal and poured the two small cartons of milk in my bowl while the scruffy man talked about how he almost missed his train (this train). I nodded in acknowledgement that I was listening to him while mixing my cereal with a spoon. He then asked if he could talk to me about his girlfriend woes. I was taken aback by this, but didn’t mind. I mean, what am I going to do for the next hour or so? I don’t have anywhere urgent to be and sitting there listening to someone is one of my favorite things to do. So the scruffy man started telling me how confusing women are and how they take advantage of guy’s jealousy to get what they want. About 1 hour into his rant a very attractive European family sat down next to the scruffy man and I. The scruffy man found less interest in me and started to strike a conversation with the European dad and I started to converse with the European mom and 10-year-old daughter. They are from Lafayette, Lufthansa. We made small talk about the weather here and why we were traveling during the holiday season. I then felt tired from all the rocking the train was making so I excused myself and headed back to my seat. As I approached my chair, I was greeted by my row mate who was on his way home after visiting his daughter in Washington. He lives in Montana and knows every nook and cranny in the state. During our train ride he would nudge me and give me a bit of natural history on the landscape and towns in Montana. I didn’t mind, and he knew I didn’t mind because I would engage in conversation with him. He got off at Shelby, Montana and I had no row mate for the next few stops. I like this train route better than the one from California. Passengers are more open and friendlier on this train.

Malta, Montana

\Traveling through Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota will conflict with my cell phone signal so I will try to post my blog at any chance I get a 4G signal. Thank goodness for technology because my smart phone acts as an internet router and gives me a hotspot for internet service. I look like a tech geek on the train, but it gets me through the long solo rides! Also my tech devices make me more resourceful than anyone else on the train – besides my row mate from Montana. I am going to dine in the fancy dining car later this evening. Reservations only, does that mean I should dress in a gown?