May 11, 2001 (Day 65)

May 11, 2001 (Day 65): Amtrak Empire Builder, Williston, North Dakota – 7.15pm

Health:  OK.

Morale: Good.

Woke up this morning to watch our progress across the Rockies, going through passes at about 5000 feet in altitude. While there was some snow on the ground, Spring is here in force. I sat entranced as the train skirted the southern border of Glacier National Park, eyes drawn to the sharp grey rocks and the contrasting swift, shallow rivers cutting through evergreen forests. It has been exciting to watch my father on this part of the trip. Taking the train across the Rockies and through Glacier is something he had talked long about doing. Like so much in life, we always find a reason not to do certain things. I am glad that we provided some impetus for him to pursue this.

Anna is making friends. There was a little boy, probably about three years old, in the observation car with his father. His father was doing a good job trying to point out various things to keep the little boy interested. At one point the little boy wandered over by us and started telling her about some of the things he had seen in particular, the red caboose just outside the window. Not long after his explanation, he and his father headed back to their seat.

Leaving the Park, the mountains turned into foothills which merged into the high plains which became the less-high plains and then segued into North Dakota. It is said that if you stand atop the highest point in North Dakota and look in every direction, your cry of despair can be heard at all points in the state. Going across the state, we saw a teen on a bike that cycled by and gave the train the finger. What was that about?  I could not think of a more appropriate response to this fellow than the fact that he lives in North Dakota.

In fairness, I know that some of the products of this horizon-filling cropland have made it into my stomach and the stomachs of many others. For that, I am grateful.

At the rail stop in Havre, Montana there were green uniformed Border Patrol officers on the platform. This is not what I would have expected. Even though the border is only 25 miles to the north, we are on an east bound train. The train official that I spoke with said that they were, indeed, checking for illegals on this train, hundreds of miles from where the point of origin. Someone else offered the suggestion of an international Peace Park in the area. Nothing says fraternal love between countries like the border patrol, except perhaps floodlights and razor wire. This park is probably the location of the famous “Bridge of Spies” where the US and Canada exchanged spies during the height of the Cold War. One can only hope that someday they will march Jim Carrey back across that thing in the near future.

We have been passing the time spotting wildlife out the window. My father is able to expertly identify numerous types of waterfowl at a glance. I can name three different types of duck and identify them in a proper zoo-like environment. Essentially, my father could be inventing new creatures and neither Anna nor I would be any the wiser. “That’s a golden-toed flint teal,” he could say. “They are good to eat and tend to self-immolate if properly frightened, which makes cleaning them a breeze.” Anna and I would nod appreciatively, unaware that we were swallowing a very large hook.

We saw quite a number of deer and a few antelope. My dad and a couple others saw a coyote. I saw some type of fox. Anna caught sight of something black and white in the glimpses of field visible between the cars of a passing train. We are not sure what it was that she saw, but my closing comment on this discussion was, “while there are 16 different species of penguin, none are known to be six-feet tall and indigenous to North Dakota.”

Spoke to the next generation this morning. My parents called my nephew on the mobile and we had a chance to talk. I think that this whole trip thing is a bit beyond his understanding. After we had a short chat, he dismissed me with a “Can I talk to Grandma?” request, spoken in a tone that suggested that he needed to speak to someone rational. Looking forward to seeing him, his sister and their parents.

Departing Minot, North Dakota –  10pm

An announcement has just been made that we will be about two hours late arriving into the Twin Cities. It is worth noting that we arrived into Minot 10 minutes early and departed on time at 9.42pm. All of these delays are due to conditions we are yet to encounter, as opposed to being already late. We suspect that this is largely due to the flooding in the Mississippi, other major rivers, and their tributaries. Up until a week ago, the flooding prevented this train from running between the Twin Cities and Chicago; a shuttle bus was run instead. This is not a major concern for us since we do not have to make a tight connection in Chicago, but this this worth keeping in mind when we leave on Monday.

I hope that my parents are enjoying this. Anna and I have our own train routine, honed over several days while crossing Asia – which is marginally more picturesque than Eastern Montana and North Dakota. There are not too many places to go on a train so we mentally cocoon. We entertain ourselves by sleeping, reading, or playing Free Cell on our Pilots. I hope our less-than-social behavior was not off-putting. As it was, everyone took a bit of a nap today.

Excerpts from Anna’s journal included

• ChasingFogg15
• Travel
• USA