Travels in the 2nd half

http://history.amtrak.com/archives/lake-shore-limited-poster-2000s   Let’s start here – a roomette on an Amtrak train is small, maybe 3’ x 6’. So you are going to be very cozy with whomever your traveling partner is. That being said, it is your space, so enjoy it and make it yours. Stow your gear and get comfy. Having your own space is much more comfortable than the bustle and noise of coach seating. The Amazing Ms. D. and I got to do just that on the first leg of our journey – The Lake Shore Limited from NYC to Chicago.  Lake Shore sleeper car in Penn Station The Lake Shore Limited is one of my favorite trains. It travels from NYC up the Hudson River to Albany. In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful train rides in the country. The route was originally run by the NY Central Railway as the Exposition Flyer and started in 1893. Its original advantage over other routes was that it is a “water level” route. It follows existing rivers, c...

Athens City Hall I have not spent a lot of time in “The South.” 3 months of basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia; a couple of trips to New Orleans; a trip to Nashville and Memphis (BBQ and Blues); and a few trips to southern Florida. It is not that I have had no interest in that part of the country, but as someone who grew up in the 60’s/70’s and who is in an interracial relationship, I have to say that I have also have had my reservations. It is not that I believe that there is no racism in NYC, god knows I have seen it, and done what I can to oppose it. But I know where I can go in the north, in NYC, and what areas to avoid. So when The Amazing Ms. D was invited to speak at the University of Georgia I was really looking forward to seeing the city of Athens GA, but I wasn’t sure what I would find. What I found was an interesting mix of old and new. A city that definitely has a past, and that is looking ahead to its future. One of the things that impressed me was ho...