One thing I heard frequently when I told people what I was up to:
“Hey, I want to do that too. I’ve always dreamt about taking a long journey on Amtrak to see what’s out there.”
General
I’m Back. What Did I Learn?
I’ll be answering that question for some time to come. What I didn’t learn is that the American people are open, kind, generous and willing to tell their stories of their lives and the places they come from. I didn’t have to spend 10 nights in hotels and 8 nights sleeping coach on Amtrak to figure that out.
The Way Back Home Starts In Portland
Here I am in Portland, OR and latter this afternoon I’ll be heading east to Chicago for 2 nights. After that it will be homeward bound.
Right Out Of The Gate
An hour or so before boarding the Lake Shore Limited from NYC to Chi I was waiting outside Penn Station when a homeless man started talking too me.
Leaving In One Hour
In sixty minutes I'll be leaving my home and will be gone for 18 days. That is the longest time I've ever been away from home since I was 17 in 1970.
But Will I Have WiFi On Amtrak?
That's the question which has spent a lot of time in my mind this last week. After all, I'm taking more electronics on this trip than clothes and what good is all of that if you don't have a connection.
America Lost
One of the things I’m looking forward to on the trip is seeing old train stations. Most were built at the height of The Industrial Age and represent an era now long gone. As I start I have only seen Penn Station, NewarK Penn Station and Philadelphia’s station.