Day 1: Aboard the train!

What are your questions for me? I would be happy to answer them... and not bore you with info that doesn't interest people other than me! Email them to me at JKatzChristy@gogreenstreets.org.)

Q from Julia: What did you finally decide to pack in?

I picked the slightly heavier, stands up on its own, smelled slighty musty/moldy one. To try to get rid of the smell, I put it out outside to air out. While that was a slightly good idea, a cat or other animal may have found it and left its mark, as it no longer smelled musty but now a bit like cat pee.

So then I asked my amazing, trusty neighbor whose cats have peed all over her house and furniture if I could borrow something to take care of it. She was out of her favorite remedy but loaned me a spray bottle with something citrus-y in it that she thought might do the trick... So then it smelled faintly citrus-y. I think. (I have a terrible sense of smell, unlike my sisters and other family members, for which I am thankful but it could be dangerous.) Anyhow, not perfect, but I was very happy with the decision and still am!

As this picture shows, I packed everything in airtight plastic bags, something I have always loved to do anyhow. Kind of OCD, I realize, but very satisfying! I have socks in one bag, dresses rolled up and stored in another, etc. Presumably this will keep my belongings free of bad smells!

It was very exciting to pick a few of my recent gleanings from nearby "Little Free Libraries! After I took this shot, I pared down the clothing and other items to lighten my load.

Q: What do you see of MA on the train?

I wish I could show the lovely countryside we are passing out here in Western MA! It is LOVELY!!! Cornfields (I can recognize them b/c I have seen them later in the season when the corn is almost ripe!), rivers, farms, towns that sometimes look like archaeological ruins, etc.

Further east it looked like industrial archaeology. Can you guess what this is? It's part of Springfield, MA's train station, which seems very sad.

Q: What do you do for food?

While I have almost never, in all my years and especially as a mother, traveled without a lot of food, I did not do so on this trip. When traveling by train, it's really nice to bring food along, especially things like fruit and veggies that provide moisture, as trains can often have pretty dry air. However, at least now, Amtrak has snack bars and dining cars which sell quite decent quality and variety of food, though the dining car especially, can be quite pricey. Some people who travel long distances on the train bring coolers on board, and have perfected the art of packing appropriate travel food that tastes good, has variety, and can not perish too soon!

Three full dining car meals a day are currently included with the cost of sleeper cars.

My surprise to myself!

I booked my trip in early April, ie. a while ago, so when I boarded the train in June, I thought that, because sleeping berths can be expensive, I misremembered that my first of three nights on the train was to be in a coach seat. I very happily learned from the conductor who came to look at my ticket that, actually, I had booked a sleeper for all three nights on this trip. So, after walking back through 7 coach cars, a cafe car, and the dining car, I found my “roomette”.

Here's a picture of the hallway for the roomette on the Lake Shore Limited, which I rode from Albany, NY to Chicago, IL.

View from the seat opposite the one you see. The cabin and entire car look like they were designed in the 1970's space age style, which I believe they were. See the controls above the seat, the stairs which become a sink and toilet!

Picture at L shows the roomette with one of the two beds made up. Such luxury!

If a second person shares the room, the other bed is lowered and also has a window view!

Q: Who takes trains?

I really enjoy meeting people and learning about their lives, as well as seeing the countryside I am passing through. Trains are perfect for that, and meeting people are a highlight of my trips. While I liked my room for sleeping, I much more enjoyed the community dining cars (and, west of Chicago, the observation cars), where I met these two great folks, and shared huge panoramic views with them! Here were my first train pals:

One was a very cool Afro-American former Mississipian and Astrophysics PhD who ended up being the former budget director for the state of NY, had been an undergraduate at Cornell University where he played football and baseball and was president of his class. He was a great storyteller, and currently works for the new mayor of Rochester, NY.

And the other was a Portland, OR woman who was just returning home after spending her annual 5 months caring for her grandkids while their mom teaches at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. It was interesting and fun to hang out with them both. She was the first of many grandparents -- grandMOTHERS, usually -- taking the train to or from helping their kids and grandkids.

What are your questions for me? I would be happy to answer them... and not bore you with info that doesn't interest people other than me! Email them to me at JKatzChristy@gogreenstreets.org.)

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