Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
View from my room at the YWCA. This is not your mother’s YWCA. One did not have to be young, woman, Christian or a member. The vending machine in the lobby sold KitKat Bars, wasabi peas, cup of noodles and condoms.
I went to Stanley Park and the aquarium. Not as good as the Chicago aquarium. But great exhibits from local waters.
After a little rest, then went to Granville island. Where the have a great market and lots of upmarket craftspeople. Splendid.
July 29 – on the train at last. I’ll do more with this on later.
Dawn’s early light in Spokane.
Finally got on the 1845 train at 2357. Hey, it was the same day! The train was supposed to get to Seattle well before noon. Giving me almost four hours before my Amtrak bus left for Vancouver. And the train ran out of food. Break out the Emergency Rations.
That is what coach folks got and a bottle of water. The sleeper people got a slice of processed cheese on a biscuit, a couple of strawberries and a juice box. The sleeper folk seemed to think we got a better meal.
The closer we got to Seattle the more it looked like I would just miss my bus. I was going to miss it by 10 minutes. But, Amtrak held the bus for me! Got to Vancouver on time. It was still daylight and I was able to figure out the Sky Train and find the YWCA Hotel without any trouble.
All is well that ends well. It was a fine sunny day and everyone in coach was a happy train rider. No worries.
After breakfast, oatmeal, I went on a little bus tour. We went on a little boat ride and “hiked” out to this nice water fall.
I had a cookie and coffee for lunch and will have an early dinner. Now, I do not need to eat early to get on the 6:45 pm train. Last time I checked the 6:45 had become the 8:48. Last night, the 6:45 didn’t arrive until 1:34 am. But it did get here. It didn’t go back to Chicago.
Back to eating today’s special is trout and I want to get some before it runs out and I end up with a veggie burger again.
I think it is nap time. This is why I am buying an extra hotel day.
The east bound train was 8 hours late. The west bound train went back to Chicago or something. It fell off the radar. It isn’t coming here. I am supposed to be on that train tomorrow at 6:45 PM. And my cell doesn’t work here. It should be interesting. Intrepid Little Old Lady Traveller may be in a pickle.
Well, just about everyday is laundry day. Today the Intrepid Little Old Lady Traveller is taking the day off. After eating everything in sight for breakfast I went on a modest four mile stroll to help giggle the eggs, hashbrowns, and toast down.
A hostel was having a yard sale of “left behinds”. Since I have been almost cold a couple of times, I picked up a sweater. It needed washing. I washed it and hope it gets dry before I train up tomorrow.
Today’s trains are 6-8 hours late. Doesn’t bode well for tomorrow. Tomorrow starts off with a morning bus tour.
East Glacier Park is inside the Blackfeet Reservation. The casino is in Browning about 15 miles away from here. I guess the elders want to keep the money close to tribal HQ so the can watch it. But, it means no sales tax. A $68 hotel room costs $68. This is a good thing.
Road all around Glacier National Park today in this fine vintage (1936) bus with 16 of my new best friends. Left at 9 am got back at 5:45 pm.
Saw a chipmunk. A one each chipmunk. Not two chipmunk. No bears. No fluffy white goats. No wooly sheep. A chipmunk.
But it was a fine tour. Just wildlife free.
It is nice at clear and sunny here at 8:15 pm. I am trying to stay awake until dark. Want to see stars.
Yes, I went on a little (6.82 miles according to the nano) hike up the Mt. Henry trail. There was a sign telling me that I would most likely be eaten by a bear. Sign said to shoot the bear as a “last resort”. OK.
Didn’t see a bear, black or brown. No sign of a bear either. Most dangerous thing I encountered was horse shit and a muddy pawed beagle.
Washed out my duds in the sink and artfully arranged them around the room to dry – which they did.
Had big breakfast. Skipped lunch. Veggie burger for dinner.
I am seriously impressed with the capabilities of the iPod Touch as a computer/phone replacement where there is wifi.
Continuation of iPod Empire Builder Notes. Tuesday July 24.
0545. Somewhere in North Dakota. Awake. Pinky dawn.
0615. Sainthood for whoever invented the Wisp. You so don’t want to brush teeth in train potty.
0645. Seatmate still sleeping. Smell bacon. Saw a deer bouncing thru field.
0725. Coming up on Devils Lake ND. About 90 minutes late.
0756. Breakfast coffee and Luna bar. In lounge car.
0830. North Dakota is starting to get lumpy.
0836. Rugby ND. Cloudy today.
0937. Had a little nap.
0900. Mountain Time. Nice stop in Minot. Had a nice walkabout. And it was state fair time.
0930. Road construction. Railroad that is. Sun is out.
0945. Approaching Stanley ND.
1049. Williston ND. Sleepy again. Had 3/4 of the Panera bagel and cream cheese that I bought yesterday.
1205. Well into Montana now. Looks like ND.
1230. Wolf Point Montana No more oil wells. But bigger farm stuff. My seatmate got off.
1300. Sagebrush. Horses.
1315. Ft Peck Indian reservation.
1333. Glasgow MT.
1350. Bathroom report. There are 66 passengers in this car. Well maybe 55 right now. There are 5 little airplane style restrooms. They are still remarkably clean. And one larger dressing room with more room. You really could fluff yourself up nicely. And it had its own restroom. Guess where I just was!
1445. Malta MT. Wetlands. Redwing blackbirds. And sheep. Still about 90 minutes late. That’s ok.
1525. On a siding in Dawson Montana waiting on the east bound Empire Builder to come thru. Finished the kindle book I was reading. No cell signal.
1625. Hanging in the lounge car. Will get off the train in Harve.
1655. Harve. Stuck on train while it gets gas. Then they will let us out for a smoke. “Just tobacco” they said. Thank goodness for the smokers. I love getting off the train. We are over two hours tardy now. Box chicken dinners are put on the train here. Think I’ll get one. Need some real food.
1756. Just finished off my box dinner. Food wise it was just so-so. But satisfaction wise it rocked. A Montana bento. Maybe in 3 hours I’ll be in Glacier.
1845. Shelby Montana. Home of 3 or 4 grain elevators and darn little else.
1915. Windmills. Lots of them.
1930. Cut Bank. A little drama just by my seat. Two sleeper ladies stop the room service delivery person how can they get their ” free” dinner since dinner is running late and they are getting off where I am. Room service lady says lots luck. She was running late too. Don’t have those problems in coach. You just have to be in line for the chicken boxes in time. Mountains starting to show up.
1950. Horses standing around in friendly little family groups.
Made it to East Glacier Park at about 8:30pm. Not too tardy. And it smells great. All piney crispy cool.
But you had to get past a lot of wheat to get here.
The train didn’t leave until 2:15pm so I had some time to spend/kill. Went to the Federal Reserve Bank Museum. Our tax dollars at work.
Then it was back on the train. This one was much bigger. More people, bigger cars, more stuff.
Notes that I made on the iPod as I rolled along on The Empire Builder.
23.July.2012
1135. About two hours before I need to be at the station. Went to the Federal Reserve Bank museum. Very nice. Also free. Plan was to get some cash and maybe do a boat ride. But I discovered this fine little park. With comfy chairs. I may stay here.
1400. on the train. Surrounded by Plain People. Mennonites I guess but they don’t speak English at least not among themselves.
1414. we are rolling. The Mennonite lady across the isle from me got a horseshoe out of her bag!!!So much for my nice window seat. They decided to move me to another car. Shit. Complained to early. Got a window, after all.
1600. Milwaukee smoke stop. Also potty break. Always go potty when the train stops. Getting new passengers. But no seatmate for me yet. Person just came running down the aisle-yelling stop the train. Seems that he was a visitor. Not a passenger. And the train took off with him on board.
1620. Announcement “checks your lower level doors. We have one open.”
1645. Getting a seatmate Oh well. It was good while it lasted. Cloudy. Rain on the way.
1700. Columbus Wisconsin. And this is where a seatmate arrives. The seatmate will be going to Glacier too. Hope I get a good one.
1735. Going thru a wetland. Saw purple loosestrife. An attractive noxious weed.
1755. Just leaving Portage Wisconsin. Seatmate is fine. She is leaving in Minneapolis.
Called Carlton.
1845. Wisconsin Dells. Had coffee and bread from lunch for dinner. Sign says Kelsey’s Annual Corn Boil. 2nd Sat. in August. Sorry miss it. Sitting here blocking traffic. Moving now. Hey the Plain Men smoke pipes.
1900. Just passed US Army Ft. McCoy.
1925. La Crosse Wisconsin. It never rained. Soon we will be in Minnesota.
1947. Welcome to Minnesota sign.
2021. Winona Minnesota. Smoke and potty.
2136. Redwing Minnesota. We stopped to let a freight train pass a while back.
Dark now.
2200. Will be in Minneapolis in 45 minutes for a last smoke and potty break.
2350. Leaving Minneapolis. New seatmate. Going to sleep now.
The reason for coming to Chicago was to visit the Shedd Aquarium, specifically , the jellyfish.
The aquarium was great. So were the jellyfish.
The hotel is in the middle of the financial district. The makes it affordable on weekends. It also means that even the Starbucks is closed. A person could starve. My room has a coffee machine, cream, and lots of k-cups. And a microwave. Lean Cuisine and coffee will be dinner. Chicago hotdog with all that stuff they put on dogs here was lunch.
Leaving for East Glacier at 1415 tomorrow.
Notes that I made as I rolled along on The Cardinal. Continued.
21.July.2012
0130 Been napping. Train going faster. Those coal-loading operations are magical in the dark. Everyone watched movies on their computers.
0215 Cincinnati crying baby arrives in seat in front of me.
0545 Indianapolis adding 2 cars here. Parked just outside Colts stadium. Says Lucas Oil Stadium in big red letters.
0603 underway. Went to potty while stopped. A very good plan. And used a Wisp. Coffee after 0630.
0700 Crawfordsville the conductor says we will be on time to Chicago. Will wait and get coffee there maybe. Who was I kidding of course I didn’t wait for coffee. Coffee and a Luna Bar for breakfast.
0908 Central Time. Stopped in Colton IL. Freight train had unexplained application of brakes. Spent the rest of the trip into Chicago talking to my seatmate – a trucker returning home to Chicago after dropping off a truck in Charleston.
Off the train. Having a smoke in Thurmond WV. Hey why should the smokers have all the fun?
On Friday I learned :
Notes that I made as I rolled along on The Cardinal.
20.July.2012
1135 Underway on time.
Train full. Isle seat. Handicapped woman in window seat.
Okay this is home for 24 hours.
1230 coming into Culpepper. Been out in the country for most of the ride so far. Too bumpy for me to read.
1415 Charlottesville got off the train for a non-smoke break. Train still full.
Saw cows horses geese chickens deer so far.
1540 just left Staunton about 30 minutes late. Saw apple trees. Ate sandwich number one.
1640 Clifton Forge somewhere in VA my seatmate spilled her Pepsi in my purse. It wasn’t diet. Will I attract ants?
1740 Greenbrier. 40 minutes late.
1815 Alders in WV cute little town on New River.
Saw wild turkeys llama
1945 got off the train for a non-smoke in Thurmont.
2030 the New River is too lovely to be in WV.
2055 Montgomery interesting looking town
2130 leaving Charleston. Moved to window. Have new seatmate. Total dark outside now. Just finished last sandwich.