Confessions of a One-Track Mind

Tonight, I stopped for gas on the way home (it's gone up 20 cents a gallon since the last time I filled up---a week ago!), and as I finished and was squeegying my windshield, the train came through the crossing across the street.

Forthwith, I got into my trusty Honda and hit the highway, because paralleling the northbound train gets you green on all the left-hand traffic lights (which is most of them until you get to north Rockledge). I made good time, but was stymied when the light at Viera Blvd went red as I approached, until I glanced left and realized I'd outrun the train. I laughed for the next couple of miles and paced it carefully until I started getting caught by those right-hand triggered lights north of Eyester.

My timing was absolutely flawless, though, because I made the left onto King Street with the green and approached the tracks just in time to see the last car clatter past and the gates go up.

Such are the small victories of my daily commute!
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Tomorrow's post will have all the shiny details of the gem show---I'm quivering with eagerness, since it's been a very long time since I've had cash to properly pillage an event like this. Then lunch with AI, and GK is in town Sunday and Monday, so I have her delightful company to look forward to, although we haven't formalized plans yet. Probably a thrift store or three or four....

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....