Train Ride

Getting on the train was a bit of an ordeal. 

Little did I know, in my attempts to pack everything into 5 pieces of luggage (Amtrak lets you check 3 and carry on 2), I packed one bag that was 15 lbs over the weight limit.  The person behind the counter was mean (and not just because he enforced the rules; he also berated me.  Repeatedly).  I got about 5lbs of stuff moved from my overweight bag to some of my other bags and some of my carryons.  In the end, I had to just take stuff out and carry loose clothing with me onto the train.  When I texted my roommate, his response: “You must look like quite the vagrant.”  Indeed.

I also slept during normal hours on this train ride.  Normally, I read, watch videos, and do other things on my computer until the early morning and then sleep for a few hours.  This time, I slept right after getting on the train, I woke up at about 6am (I didn’t feel very rested), and then I found an electrical outlet and finished my train ride. 

Normally, the Coast Starlight trains have electrical outlets in their café.  This one didn’t, though, so I had to hole myself up in a luggage compartment in the arcade car.  Not the most ergonomic seat, but it wasn’t bad.  I also met someone on the train ride.  He had the same idea as me: find an outlet.  He climbed into the luggage compartment directly under me.  We didn’t see each other until we neared Eugene and I climbed out of mine.  Apparently, he’s interested in computer science and will be applying to Stanford soon.  Small world.

Looking out the window, I was very struck by the greenness going north.  Even though Stanford has massive investments in landscaping and water such that its campus is much more lush than the surrounding area, it is still drastically greener in Oregon.  Probably fresher air, too.  Certainly better water.

Getting off the train, I forgot my luggage cart at the train station.  Darn.