6/5/16 - Amtrak Day 1

The last few days have been a bit of a whirlwind as I tried to get all the things done that I needed to get done to leave town for a few months.  Sometime around Wednesday I wrote down a list of about 30 "tasks" I absolutely needed to accomplish by Sunday.  Every time I was able to cross a task off the list I would think of 2 more to replace it.  In the end I was able to get 90% of them done with the other 10% being things I can either do on the train, or once I get out to Los Angeles.

The one regret I have before leaving Albany is that even though I have been active all spring, I had set myself up with a pseudo training schedule for the last week progressing from 6 to 8 to 12 to 15 to 18 miles with the full pack. Because of all the other "tasks" I left myself until the last minute I actually did zero miles with the pack all week long since Sunday on the Long Path.  3 days on the train aren't going to help me much either but I am resigned to get some mileage in on my short layover in Chicago and once I get to Los Angeles.

So the day finally came, and I was doing prep work all the way up to 15 minutes before I got a ride with my parents to the train station.  I wanted to get there early to ensure what I had been told earlier in the week was true.  I had stopped by the station earlier in the week with my full pack because I wanted to see whether I needed to check it or not.  If I had to check it, I wanted to know in advance, as so I could bring a second disposable bag of some sort that I could throw away when I got to LA.  The ticket agent didn't even hesitate and told me I was fine to carry my pack on the train.  This brought up question number two - trekking poles.  There was no way they were going to let me carry two sharp pointy spears on the train, right?  "No worries, you are all good" was the response.  I'm thankful that I have all of my stuff with me and in one place, but it makes me wonder a bit about the security of Amtrak.  It astounds me at the high level of TSA screening at all airports, but for trains here there is virtually nothing.  No metal detectors, no searches of big bags, nothing.  These major train routes carry as many if not more passengers than any airplane does.  It just blows my mind.

So anyways, as I had been previously told, everything was fine and I was able to board about 20 minutes before our scheduled departure.  Then we just sat there.  Not sure what the holdup was, but it took us until almost 40 minutes after our scheduled departure to actually leave.  I guess I was just antsy.  All these days, weeks, months, and years of planning to get back out on the PCT and here I was starting this adventure....but the damn train wouldn't leave.  

Finally we took off and were on our way.  The train hosts (conductors?) had stuck me and everyone else going all the way to Chicago in the last car.  That meant I had to walk through 5 cars to get to the lounge and dining cars once I got situated.  I finally got there and decided I needed a beer (or 4) to celebrate the start of this journey.  The premium beer choice they offered was Sierra Nevada Pale Ale at $7.50 a bottle.  Yikes at the price, but how perfect that they had that beer as one of the four they offered and in 2 weeks time I will be smack dab in the middle of the sierras.  No hesitation whatsoever.

 

So after a couple beers to cushion the system, it was time to head back to my seat and try to get some sleep.  Two more mostly full days on the train left.  At least I get a layover tomorrow in Chicago and I can walk around for a few hours. Cheers!!!