Riding on the City of New Orleans

For the first time in my adult life I rode a passenger train.  I just did not ride on the train; I slept overnight too.  And not just any train; my wife and I traveled on the City of New Orleans.  I can hear Arlo Guthrie singing the song even as I write.  We decided a few weeks back that a vacation was in order and with both the children now living on their own this would be a me and her vacation.  I mentioned some friends recently rode the train to Memphis for a weekend getaway.  Wendy liked the idea.  Before I knew it we were booked for a 6 day trip to Chicago.  Sounds like fun.

Then Wendy informed me that the trip to Chicago via train was a 19 hour adventure with multiple stops and a chance to sleep in something called a "roomette".  I should have been highly suspicious at the term "roomette".  It was small; very, very small!  But somehow, Wendy and I managed to enjoy the view, the time playing cards and visiting and we even managed to sleep on tiny little beds that fold out of tiny little spaces.

Eating on the City of New Orleans is a community affair.  We were paired off with a couple from Memphis for dinner and a fellow New Orleanian for breakfast.  Interesting to say the least. 

We arrived in Chicago this morning and it was so cool, so humidity free.  Loved it.  Chicago is big; huge.  We rented a car and began our stay in Chicago with an afternoon at Wrigley Field where the Cubs win!  I can say that singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame with everyone there was cool.  Sitting in that amazing stadium was awesome, but I actually got cold once the shadows fell.

Tonight it's deep dish pizza and some relaxation before we hit the streets, musuems and the shopping tomorrow and Monday.  And we are trying to locate the Archdiocese Cathedral so we can go to Mass there.

But back to the train.  If you have never traveled by train and seen the countryside from the window of one; do it!  It's not all easy I must warn you.  Train travel can be a little bumpy and I discovered that they position the dining car far from the sleeoing cars.  It felt like a workout.  But other than that; what an experience.

Some more updates from Chicago as the week goes by and some of the usual stuff too.

Looking forward to the rest of my trip and my return to the New Orleans area.