Here are a few pictures of the bucolic views we passed the entire route from Milwaukee to St. Paul. One disappointment - not one dairy cow was spotted during the entire trip across Wisconsin, the dairy state!
Luckily, the sun had not set before we crossed the MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI. The river was high and wide and more rain expected. At LaCrosse we crossed the river into Minnesota and followed the Mississippi into St. Paul. As night fell, thunder and lightning provided a great show outside the observation window, then the rain, rain, rain. Near the train station underpasses were flooded, glad we would leave the driving to those who knew the city.
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I'm a pretty positive person, especially when I'm traveling and Bob always is up for a new adventure. And, until yesterday, we had nothing to complain about . . . only gushes of what we saw, heard, and did on our 45-day trek so far. I thought it might be prudent to point out some of the not so wonderful realities of travel - that I'm sure many of you have experienced.
1. Arriving and departing in the wee hours of the morning or late night, i.e. arrival to St. Paul, 11:00 pm and departure will be the same, so we have reserved a room for the last day and will leave about 10:00 pm for the train. Not too fun for people who like to be out to the world by 10ish.
2. Fresh fruit and veggies hard to find. Markets sometimes difficult to get to without a car in city centers. Exception: Chicago we found a wonderful market a block away and Trader's was two blocks from the hotel.
3. Doing laundry in the room or carrying dirty laundry - I'm now all for disposable underwear. Since we are in the vicinity of Mall of America - maybe a disposable wardrobe would solve my dilemma.
4. Best Western accommodations have not been the best. Bob chose two, Milwaukee and St. Paul locations because they were close to the train stations and city centers. They haven't had laundry facilities, exercise room, and in Milwaukee did not offer the continental breakfast.
We checked in here last night and once in the room immediately called the front desk because to report a whooshing wind sound that flowed through the air vent. The clerk came and confirmed the sound and found us a 'silent' room. The importance I'll explain in #5.
5. Noisy train companions. Usually we like to observe and listen to our fellow passengers, but last night we had had enough. Truthfully, most passengers are dull like us i.e. quiet, do their own thing, polite, etc.
The train was FULL. We sat across and behind from an east African family - 9 members. Initially, the 6 children were happy, then bored. The father who was across from Bob and the mother who sat in front of him, so he was in the middle of the two, conversed (Bob said "jabbered") for six hours. True, they did not stop talking - the language, maybe Arabic or Ethiopian, was not easy on the ears - like machine gun fire and spoken loudly - so loud we could not hear the announcements of stops or other information train travelers need to know. They decided to talk louder. Impossible to read, then to think.
I found my way to the quiet of the observation car. Bob decided to stay. He had stopped a porter to ask that the conductor turn up the loud speaker so we could hear the announcements.
When the group's cell phones continued to ring without answering it, he pulled out his phone, put it on speaker phone and called his daughter, Laurie, to carry on his own loud conversation. He said it didn't work. I had figured there would be some reprieve when they went to the dining car, but no joy. The father bought a few sweet rolls and soft drinks that they ate in their seats for dinner. Although, by the time I made my way back to Bob's side, the family was silent - a few minutes from our departure point. Their departure point, St. Cloud, a few stops down the track.
We will be leaving St. Paul this weekend and enjoy our 24 hour ride across the Dakotas in a sleeper car - I really pity those who spend their entire overnight trip in the coach seats. Fine for the short trip, usually - last night was the exception. Since the trip was full, people who had booked late and had a long way to go, had to ride coach all the way. I talked to a woman who was going from Chicago to Seattle - three days to go in coach. Ouch!
Well, those are some of the inconveniences we've collected. As I write, it's time to remember our motto, "An inconvenience is an adventure, rightly viewed." I won't remind Bob, he's not ready for another adventure, quite yet.
In Chicago I heard a wife remind her husband, " . . . manage your expectations."
I won't remind Bob of that adage either.
After Bob had rested most of the day, I thought it would be a treat to go to the Artisit's Quarter, a jazz place owned by musicians. Sounded good. I checked out the bus routes --big problem we waited on the wrong side of the street so we missed the bus. The Best Western we are staying at is out-of-the way (not an exaggeration) Plan B - ordered sandwiches to be delivered. Plan C will try again tomorrow. I need to reverse this gushing of complaints. Where is that adventure?
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