Heading east on the Amtrak.

I got on the train in Whitefish, MT Saturday morning. Check out the cute train station above.
I was glad to be traveling alone, because I really wanted to just do my own thing and visit with strangers. I enjoy meeting people from different walks of life and I knew from past experience that the train is a great place to do that.

I started off sitting next to a Vietnam vet- he told me about how he got a purple heart and lost his finger over there. He told me about his track record with marriage- 4 times- he's not going to try marriage anymore. He rides the train frequently to go visit his stepson and grandkids- it's just as cheap as driving alone and he can use the restroom as frequently as he needs without having to stop.

Next I went to the lounge car to enjoy the views of Glacier National Park- we rolled across the entire park. The lounge car is the happening place on the train. There were people playing guitar, playing cards, visiting, watching the scenery and through the park there were guides telling us about different sights and where to look for wildlife. The lounge car had a festive feel to it, in contrast, the coach car was quiet- people napping, reading, listening to headphones. It was nice to have both.

I sat next to a lady- unfortunately her camera batteries were dead- so I traded some recharged batteries for for her dead ones so she could get some shots of Glacier Park. She was a retired nurse from North Dakota. Her husband is a crop farmer. They had been to Oregon for their granddaughter's HS graduation. One of her son's is a pilot for Delta (if I remember correctly) so usually they fly. Her husband flew home earlier, but she had stayed a week with her daughter who was going through a divorce- and was taking the train home just for fun. We discussed nursing and farming, talked about her kids and my kids and about our travels.

While I was chatting with this lady, a teenage girl sat down next to us- so we all visited. This teen was from Mpls. She was on vacation with her parents and family, they were on their way home from a stay in Glacier Park. She attends a private Christian school in Mpls, so we got the scoop on that. A totally different perspective that the two folks I had chatted with on the train so far!

This post is to be continued- I have to get the kids ready for swimming lessons. Be prepared- I visited with a lot more people, and have more commentary on the train experience.

(Here is a photo of the lounge car at a quieter interval of the trip- mid afternoon somewhere in North Dakota.)