Come on, ride the train

I discovered a new love this weekend. Having decided to buy a car last weekend while I was 8 hours away from West Virginia, I had to leave a car in Indianapolis while I drove my new car back to W.V. Thus, I found myself on a Friday night riding a train back up to Indianapolis to pick up the car I left there. It was a great way to spend a Friday night. Seriously.

Yeah, sure it took eleven hours in a train (by way of car, only 7 1/2 hours) but I whole-heartedly still recommend it - travel by train if you can, whenever you can. Think of the gas you will save by not taking your car!

My favorite parts about the train:

• Knowing that there's a good chance the conductor is wearing a funny-looking hat.
• Not having to worry about keeping your eyes on the road - somebody else is doing that for you.
• Living in the mountains by a river is even better when viewed from a fast train.
• Way more leg room than a plane or car
• You can bring all the snacks you want!
• Time to think...lots of time to think
• Arriving at a train depot in the middle of the night with other dreary-eyed passengers and knowing that everybody feels exactly how they look...including yourself.

Every day, I hear trains pass by my house 2-3 times an hour. It carries coal, not passengers, to the rest of the world. I have always liked them, and have gotten used to their engines rumbling past. Now, I'm hooked. I don't know when I'll ride the train again, but I hope it's soon.