How I *Might* Spend My Summer Vacation

Blame it on teresa_c. She's the one who posted a challenge by the founder of NaNoWriMo, instigating us to do Big, Scary Things this year. (Details here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=31111&forum=359)

The idea has crawled into my brain and made a nest. Here I am, forty-something years old, and I've never been west of the Mississippi. I haven't had a vacation in this century, and I've always wanted to take a trip on a train. Add all these factors together (combined with an invitation from karaokegal to come visit her in San Francisco), and you get 'Fluffy perusing Amtrak schedules and mumbling to herself.

It takes FOUR DAYS each way, and would cost almost $500 just for the round-trip fare. It involves a train from Orlando to DC, DC to Chicago, Chicago to Emeryville, CA, (51 hours!) and a one-hour bus ride from there to SF. (Reverse to return.) There ARE stopovers of about four hours' duration at DC and Chicago, which might allow for a quick bus tour or shopping or at least a meal....

I'm not sure how much vacation time I'll have. Maybe I could take the train out and fly back...? I'm sure it would be cheaper, would buy me more time in SF, and I'd still have an adventure on the journey there. I want to *see* the country, not just fly over it.

I know, this is a crazy idea, but it definitely falls onto the list of big, scary things I've always wanted to do....

How I *Might* Spend My Summer Vacation

Blame it on teresa_c. She's the one who posted a challenge by the founder of NaNoWriMo, instigating us to do Big, Scary Things this year. (Details here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=31111&forum=359)

The idea has crawled into my brain and made a nest. Here I am, forty-something years old, and I've never been west of the Mississippi. I haven't had a vacation in this century, and I've always wanted to take a trip on a train. Add all these factors together (combined with an invitation from karaokegal to come visit her in San Francisco), and you get 'Fluffy perusing Amtrak schedules and mumbling to herself.

It takes FOUR DAYS each way, and would cost almost $500 just for the round-trip fare. It involves a train from Orlando to DC, DC to Chicago, Chicago to Emeryville, CA, (51 hours!) and a one-hour bus ride from there to SF. (Reverse to return.) There ARE stopovers of about four hours' duration at DC and Chicago, which might allow for a quick bus tour or shopping or at least a meal....

I'm not sure how much vacation time I'll have. Maybe I could take the train out and fly back...? I'm sure it would be cheaper, would buy me more time in SF, and I'd still have an adventure on the journey there. I want to *see* the country, not just fly over it.

I know, this is a crazy idea, but it definitely falls onto the list of big, scary things I've always wanted to do....