In taking this first leg of our 2x cross country train trip I have learned a few things which I will apply on any subsequent trip (starting with our trip back next week):

1) Bring a GPS unit with you. Your trip will be greatly enhanced by knowing where you are when you spot those amazing bluffs, that adorable little ski village, and that incredible canyon.

2) Bring slip-on shoes or slippers. You’ll want to take your shoes off to put your feet up in your cabin or in the view car, and you’ll want to put them back on again to go out to the bathroom, to dinner, etc. And you’ll want to be able to do it easily. Bring slip-ons.

3) Bring plenty of extra-rich moisturizing lotion. I can’t believe how dry my hands and other skin got, and how quickly. I was often parched too, but they provide unlimited bottled water.

4) Don’t plan on making connections that depend on your first train being significantly on time, especially if your spouse is flying out to meet you at your final destination and missing that connection could cause you to be late by… oh …. a full day (oops…. hi, honey).

5) The trip and the scenery really are spectacular and well worth it…as evidenced by these pictures… just casually snapped out our window at various times along the way:

The view out the window from the California Zephyr isn’t terrible.

Remember the lady with the screw stuck through her head?:

I’d figured that some maintenance man had..issues.

Now I figure that some one else saw it too, and, well, payback is…

Am I the only one to realize that this is clearly client development of the most overt kind?:

This is just so wrong!

I walked into the music store today and there, smack in front of me, assaulted mine eyes..

…. a pink Hello Kitty guitar!!!

As I fell to the ground, clawing at my eyes, I cried out “Dear God in heaven, the only thing that could make this travesty worse would if it were a Fender!”

Oh dear God no.

Yes.