First leg of the trip, by train from DC to San Diego by way of Chicago and LA. I left Reston at around 1:00 pm on Sept. 14, about an hour later than I had planned. I was regretting not taking Matt and Pat Tate up on their offer of a ride to Union Station. I wanted to ride with all of my gear, in part to ensure that I could carry everything, and to reduce the chances that I would leave anything behind like my helmet, gloves, etc. At one point I even thought about calling them but decided to go ahead and ride. Halfway to the Amtrak station in downtown DC, I realized I could take my bike on the local subway, Metro, if I made it to the station before 2:00. I had 9 minutes to spare at the East Falls Church station. I got to the Amtrak station about an hour and a half before the train was scheduled, enough time to wrap the bike in pipe insulation, remove the pedals, and remove and turn the handlebars. I'm not real confident that it won't arrive unscathed, especially after talking to the baggage handler, who when asked how he would load the bike, said he would throw it on like all the rest. So much for the 'handle with care' sign and the sign to keep it upright. As I watched, they did take a little more care with it, begrudgingly.
The train is nearly full. We're sitting in the top part of the car, which gives a little better view of the countryside, although it will be dark soon. I plan to eat in the dining car, then curl up in my seat for the night. Previous Next