Spent the Day on a Train

How to spend the day on a train:

• Squirm and fidget, because you've never been able to successfully sleep on a train.
• Read an entire book.
• Scratch notes on a small notepad about the book.
• Play 6 games of Hangman and 8 games of tic-tac-toe.
• Listen to favorite songs M through Y on your MP3 player.
• Start reading another book.
• Appreciate son's post-it-note art (now stuck ALL over the train window) and the stories that go with post-it-note art.
• Watch the world pass by.

Even though I've done it a few times now, I think train travel remains more romantic (and relaxing) in my head. The truth is, I like being at the wheel. I like driving. I like stopping every hour -- if I want to -- to check out the world's largest pecan or some off-the-road covered bridge.

I have this image of myself kicking back on the train and just letting my mind wander, be still, or whatever it pleases. But as soon as I got seated this morning, the voices in my head started saying, "Well here you are, stuck in this box for the next 7 hours."

I wanted to watch the sun rise, but we were stopped behind Union Station in Kansas City for what must have been the most picturesque point of the morning.

Now that I'm out of the box again, I'm glad we came by train (I think). My sister took us the scenic route to her house -- via an old cemetery, a covered bridge, the world's greatest sundial AND a stop at Sonic for a Hazelnut Java Chiller.

Today I decided my next trip by train is going to be a LONG one... where I get a room in a sleeper car and I travel a great, great distance. Will it be an improvement? I don't know. But I want to try it before I swear off train riding all together.

I should take the time to load some pictures, but my sister has a piano here that is begging to be played.