The daily prompt asks – You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
Now that life grants me time to be choosy about transportation I would like to take the train. Yes, it’s a longer journey than by plane but I’d like to see more of this country and I’m not going to do it from 35 thousand feet.
I would never go by bus. I love to drive so a car is possible. If I was a young man again, I would consider a motorcycle.
We went to Kenilworth Mall to meet the family today and look at the train garden.
I love watching the kid’s reactions to trains and the villages created.
There were a few fathers who seemed to take a keen interest in the sights as well.
A way to see the circus in the middle of winter.
Nice work to the people who set this one up.
Oh, if you’re hungry may I recommend Italian Gardens Restaurant. Very good pizza, flatbreads and salads and wonderful service.
It’s so funny to watch the kids get lost in looking at the displays and then realize mom or dad isn’t next to them and the panic in their face till they see you. Well in this case seeing Papa made him happy.
Photos by Mike Hartley
My better half and I took a trip to Western Maryland this week. Allegany County to be specific. It’s quite the contrast to the Maryland Eastern Shore trip we took last week. The thing they have in common though is they are both beautiful.
The colors were out on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad we took on Wednesday. It’s very near peak season for the trees to change.
The contrast of the lower eastern shore’s recent visit accentuated the height of the mountains we traveled on our way to Cumberland.
One thing I love about the eastern and western parts of the state is that they are rural. There are open spaces. Well Ocean City itself hasn’t an inch of open space but everything on the way there is.
I know we will be heading west again, probably in the spring. They do have a Winter Express train which sounded nice but driving out there in the dead of winter won’t be as pleasant as this ride was this week.
We stayed a night at Rocky Gap Casino Resort and Golf. No, I didn’t play golf. I did casino and resort though. Some nice firepits outside at night, beautiful views of the lake, and surrounding grounds and state park.
This was the second train ride I’ve taken this year. I like it.
It rained, misted, and was mostly overcast the entire day with a few precious peeks of sun. But it was a very nice day and ride, one we will take again. I’ll make sure to do one in the summer when the ice cream stand at the top of the station will get some of my business.
I’ve got some more pictures I’ll share later.
I’ve got to get on a schedule, like the trains. Predictability is good. I never had the time to make that a part of my blogging. Just time to pull together an image and a few words while working and living was a goal I had trouble doing daily.
Now, without a full-time job, I can crank out a few posts a day without much issue. So why not try to start a routine for this mess of a blog?
This train will run 7 days a week. Track maintenance (doctor visits) might affect the schedule. There will be multiple trains each day that may run anytime day or night. The engineer has a weird lifestyle and many other loves, passions, chores, and obligations.
This train might go off the rails at times. It might seem to be more off-track than on.
This train has many different speeds and will go at whatever is inspiring it, or slowing it down with negative vibes.
This train has many unscheduled stops along the way. If the conductor or engineer feels the need to stop and look at something beautiful, then enjoy it.
This train may be an express at times and only a start and reach its endpoint.
This train has a dining car. For Food Reviews of course.
This is also an auto-train. Yep, it stops and we get off for some 4-wheel adventures.
This train hauls freight so some baggage might be unloaded from time to time. But also some important presents here and there.
This train may go through tunnels of darkness but don’t worry, we always emerge out the other side.
This train has many stations and new ones, constructed all the time.
I read that trains are symbolic of progress, destiny, change, and transitions. Maybe some of that will rub off here.
Random Thoughts of the Day