This is what a roomette looks like. The seat I’m in (taking the picture) and the facing one fold into a bed at night. It’s quite comfy, but small.

I like the bedroom better (another shot), but it’s much more expensive.

That train that went through Crawford? Also goes through Hope, Arkansas. No kidding.

Thursday…

While in the dining car for lunch today, we sped through Crawford, Texas. Probably just as well I was in public, so I didn’t do something silly like moon the Shrub’s ranch. With my luck I’d have the Feds quite literally on my ass.

Right now, 1:30pm CDT on Thursday, we’re approaching Ft. Worth (actually, we’re in Cleburn). Once in a while, we pass by derricks which are, I believe, for drilling oil. It’s odd to see. While I’ve seen many oil pumps in my life, the derricks are something I don’t know if I’ve ever seen in real life–just in old Hollywood movies (think Giant) and Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Ft. Worth. Took us some time to get here as I think we caught every red signal en route. Once here I thought for a second that I might actually be able to connect to the internet, but alas, it was just a tease. There is a signal, but it lets you only connect to the University of Texas Arlington pages. Darn. Maybe in Dallas.

Anyway, Ft. Worth has lots of older buildings. I’m guessing the old oil boom built many of them as they look to be from the 30s, 40s and 50s mostly. I took several pictures. Also, we met up with our southbound Texas Eagle counterpart.

Now here’s an odd thing–we’re backing out of the Ft. Worth station. Why? I dunno. Maybe we have to get past some switch to get to Dallas. Hmmm. Odd.
…yup, that was it.

Friday morning, St. Louis, Mo. I had breakfast with two gentlemen from Longview, TX. One was a Baptist and the other Episcopalian, and it was interesting conversation. The Epis. (at least) expressed frustration with Bush, though he had voted for him the first time. As I have heard other Texans say, he was a good governor then something (bad) happened when he became president. This guy said he met the Shrub (when he was gov.) and that he’s short!  Anyway, even though it was clear that we differed in some significant ways (the Baptist has a kid working with Dobson!), I think these men were good proof that most Americans are decent, well-meaning, respectful folk who want nothing more than happiness and a better life for everyone.

Illinois
Farms. Looks just like home with its black earth. The trees are just barely in bud, which I noticed in MO when I got up this morning. That surprised me as I had somewhat forgotten how barren the trees look without their leaves. But many of the fields look as if they’ve been planted and when you look closely, most of the trees have that hint of green, promising leaves soon.

Frankly, it’s just great to see real trees–not stubby things that are hardly more than bushes. In San Diego, the only tall trees are palms and eucalyptus (occasionally a cedar). Even the pines are mostly twisted, stubby things and any maples or the like are ornamentals and stunted.

Corn was growing in Texas, but not here yet.

(Posted from Chicago)