Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Ridin' on a train

One of the things on my bucket list is to ride a train. I rode a train in Panama from one end of the canal to the other, while in the Army, but that's been a long time ago.
Also when I worked for The Community News in the mid-1970s I did a story about trains and I had the opportunity to ride with the engineer in the lead engine of a freight train. But I want to ride a train to New Orleans with Jilda and dine in the club car while the countryside glides by through the windows at our table.
We had friends who did this trip recently and they loved the experience.
A while back when we play in Kosciusko, Mississippi, there was a train caboose behind the newspaper office.
My nephew James snapped this photo of Jilda and me with the caboose behind us. I thought it might light a fire under my behind to make the train trip happen, but so far that hasn't worked.
Here's to wheels clacking on steel tracks as the train wobbles south to New Orleans. Perhaps we'll take our guitars and play the Steve Goodman song Ridin' on the City of New Orleans made popular by Arlo Guthrie.

14 comments:

  1. Make it happen for you and Jilda, Rick. What an incredible trip of a lifetime for you both.

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  2. Or 'City of New Orleans' by Willie Nelson. Go for it, Rick!!

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  3. I think you should make the plans... take the trip and put up lots of pictures for us :)

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  4. Just buy the tickets.

    Go to Chicago, get on the train with the guitars and sing the song.

    Do it now.


    Ms Soup

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  5. Rick - make it happen man!! Sounds like it's something you've been wanting to do for a long time. It shall make for an awesome memory and a cool blog post :)

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  6. Check it off your bucket list and JUST DO IT. You'll be glade you did.
    JB

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  7. I agree - get it done!! I love, love, love trains. Used to hop freights when I was much, much younger between Salt Lake and Pioche, NV.

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  8. Just do it...you will love the experience! You have to go out and grab hold of your dreams or they'll stay dreams forever! It's better than saying, "I wish I had...."

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  9. I also love trains. I wish more people would use them as it is relaxing to sit listening to the clickety clack while passing through scenery, we might never otherwise see driving a car.
    Living by a train track is also nice and I never understood why a train whistle would ever bother anyone. I still like to stop by the tracks and look down them as they fade away into the distance. Some things just never grow old. Love laugh and enjoy.

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  10. I love train rides. Of course I grew up in Europe where it is a little more common. :)

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  11. I've taken that train ride and it was great fun. AND, it seems you meet some of the nicest people on a train!

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  12. Make it happen! I've taken train rides into the city when I lived in Chicago and I've taken a train to Chicago from Ohio..I love them! We did a train ride in Alaska that was a ton of fun and the best food we had on the whole trip! I love that Arlo Guthrie song...I have the album..yep the round plastic things!

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  13. When The Hurricane was a senior in high school, she came home for spring break and brought along her British boyfriend. So he could see more of America, I took them on the train from Springfield, Illinois, to Chicago. I don't want to be a downer, but it was kind of boring. I felt a little interested in Joliet prison. They took reservations for the dining car. The prices were unbelievable, so we ate when we got to Chicago. No doubt a train trip with Jilda would be a lot more fun and romantic than a train trip with two high school kids who can't stop making lovey-dovey eyes at each other.

    Love,
    Janie

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  14. I hope you can make the trip come to be. We have always wanted to take the trip across Canada. Maybe someday.

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