We were "only" about five hours late getting into Edmonton. I debated whether or not to go out for the 20 minute break (which actually turned into 40 minutes). The weather was forecasted at being 23 degrees below 0 and the VIA station in Edmonton is particularly borinng but I was hoping to check my email etc so out I left the train. It actually was not that cold which was just as well - there was no WiFi available. While five hours is a lot of time to make up, if we don't lose more time and if the break in Jasper is reduced to 40 minutes, then perhaps we will not be too late getting into Vancouver.
I was speaking to a woman who is heading towards Victoria and we were both sharing concern for the amount of energy it takes to get from the train station to the island. I am trying to remain optimistic about arrival times if for no other reason than there is nothing I can do about it. We were late getting into Jasper last summer and yet we arrived on time in Vancouver.
For quite a few people, including at least two of the families and three of the chronic "coughers" Edmonton was their destination. While some new folks got on, the car feels quieter than it was. I think quite a few folks are getting off at Jasper. Apparently Jasper is a destination to go to celebrate New Years Eve. Perhaps I should get out there and party with the young people.
It is interesting to note that while there was relatively little snow across much of the Prairies, certainly west of Edmonton there is a bit more. I would imagine that there will be a lot more by the time we get to Jasper.
By the time we got to Jasper, it was past 4:30. There were still some glorious looking mountains to take pictures of. People were rushing back and forth between the left and right side of the train looking for the best views. In spite of the fact that this is my third trip across in the last six months and probably my fifteenth trip in the last eight or nine years, I still marvel at the mountains. However by the time we were in the station it was dark and for the people who were new to Jasper, they did not get the full sense of the gloriousness of being in the mountains. We were told very clearly that the train would be leaving at 6:00.
I made my usual run to Subway - bought two six inch subs, went to a coffee shop/bakery and picked up a couple of muffins and was back at the station by 5:30ish. we didn't get back o the train until almost 6:30. They had to move the train back and forth to get water. I wondered out loud why they didn't get a longer hose. Some one else who was standing near me wondered if they couldn't afford to buy two hoses.
What ever the reason for the delay - it was blody cold outside. The waiting room was jammed with people including those who had been waiting for five or more hours. People were starting to become a wee bit unhappy. When we were finally allowed to load, the economy seat folks had to walk what felt like miles (I am only slighty exaggerating) against a strong and cold wind to get to our car. The upper class folks had to walk a far shorter distance with the wind at their backs and could get a ride if needed. Life sometimes feels a bit unfair.
Friday, January 2, 2015
On the Road (sort of) Again 2014 # 1
It is just after 6:00 AM. I just got on the train to Vancouver. The train arrived and left Sudbury on time (surely a first for this train and me). I am excited to be making this trip. While I would have preferred to have my granddad's dream of seeing all four of my grandchildren the same day come true at least one more time, it was nice to have a more relaxed Christmas (and a few days after) in Sudbury.
The really neat thing about travelling by train is that I will be able to see the same parts of Canada as I did last June and again in August but this time in the full grasp of winter. I am curious to know how much the views will be changed when there are no leaves on the hardwoods; how different will some of the valleys and lakes look when frozen and covered with snow; if the land between Winnipeg and Edmonton is covered by snow, will it just be miles and miles of unchanging landscape or will it present itself visually as a brand new land; and perhaps most exciting - how neat will the mountains look covered in snow. I think I am looking forward the most to our stop in Jasper. I have passed through the various mountain ranges that most Easterners lump together as the Rockies a number of times but to see them covered in snow will be truly different.
Of course all of the above possibilities will be shaped by the difference in light. In June, by 6:30 it is light outside and there is a lot to see. At 6:30 at the end of December it is still dark outside and unless the train is passing through a town, there is nothing that can be seen.
I have never seen the Sudbury Junction train station as busy as it was today. In fact it was so busy that there were two staff on duty. I was surprised. Who in their right mind would want to travel by train this time of year? I guess I am not the only crazy one. I could not see how long the train was but my sense that it was not as long as usual. On the other hand there are as many "cheap seats" cars as usual. There is however no dining car for economy class. When I asked the conductor about a dinning car, he said that there was one six cars back that I could use but it was a really long walk . They were clearly encouraging the economy class people to use the takeout kitchen. As I have said before, travel in Canada is one place at least where social classes are still separated and no more than on the train. However it appears as if this time, as opposed to just handing prepared snacks, one can order a meal so I might be able to get hot food which would be nice.
While we left Sudbury Junction on time we have been sitting a few miles outside of the city for thirty minutes......perhaps I was being too optimistic about being on time. On the other hand I would rather be sitting in the train than in the waiting room.
The really neat thing about travelling by train is that I will be able to see the same parts of Canada as I did last June and again in August but this time in the full grasp of winter. I am curious to know how much the views will be changed when there are no leaves on the hardwoods; how different will some of the valleys and lakes look when frozen and covered with snow; if the land between Winnipeg and Edmonton is covered by snow, will it just be miles and miles of unchanging landscape or will it present itself visually as a brand new land; and perhaps most exciting - how neat will the mountains look covered in snow. I think I am looking forward the most to our stop in Jasper. I have passed through the various mountain ranges that most Easterners lump together as the Rockies a number of times but to see them covered in snow will be truly different.
Of course all of the above possibilities will be shaped by the difference in light. In June, by 6:30 it is light outside and there is a lot to see. At 6:30 at the end of December it is still dark outside and unless the train is passing through a town, there is nothing that can be seen.
I have never seen the Sudbury Junction train station as busy as it was today. In fact it was so busy that there were two staff on duty. I was surprised. Who in their right mind would want to travel by train this time of year? I guess I am not the only crazy one. I could not see how long the train was but my sense that it was not as long as usual. On the other hand there are as many "cheap seats" cars as usual. There is however no dining car for economy class. When I asked the conductor about a dinning car, he said that there was one six cars back that I could use but it was a really long walk . They were clearly encouraging the economy class people to use the takeout kitchen. As I have said before, travel in Canada is one place at least where social classes are still separated and no more than on the train. However it appears as if this time, as opposed to just handing prepared snacks, one can order a meal so I might be able to get hot food which would be nice.
While we left Sudbury Junction on time we have been sitting a few miles outside of the city for thirty minutes......perhaps I was being too optimistic about being on time. On the other hand I would rather be sitting in the train than in the waiting room.
On the Road (sort of) Again 2014 # 4
It is 7:30 local time and here we are stuck on yet another siding somewhere between Saskatoon and Edmonton. At some point last night (I think it was around 4:00 AM) I remember being stopped at Saskatoon for quite awhile as there were a surprisingly large number of people wanting to get on. It must be hard to get on the train in the middle of the night especially when it is so cold and one has been waiting in an uncomfortable waiting room for at least five hours. On the other hand perhaps they were so tired of waiting that they were happy - perhaps even grateful for the chaos of having to get themselves organized in the dark.
The VIA attendants are surprisingly well organized in terms of finding seats for everyone especially the family groups. And there are a lot of families on the train - more than I have ever seen. In fact the train is far more crowded than I would have anticipated. The fact that the waiting room at Sudbury Junction was so crowded should have been my first clue that it was going to be a busy train. I really thought it would be a near empty train. While I still have both seats to myself, there was a point last night where it looked as if I might have a seat mate.
It has been a strange trip in that I have not really spoken to anyone. Lots of chit chat about the weather and the lateness of the train- but I have not had the opportunity for a longer conversation. Part of that may be due to my laziness and generally contentment to listen to music and read, but some of it is due, I think, to who is on the train. As noted above, there are a lot of families with young children. Some of these families have taken over the dome car. It is a great place for kid to play and if I had kids I were certainly take them there to colour etc. But it has meant that I have not hung out there at all. Secondly there are quite a few couples travelling -couples who seem quite content to just talk to their mates. Thirdly, at least in this car, there are almost no young single travellers looking for a conversation. And finally, because there is only take out - most of the people get their food and take it back to their seats so that there is no chit chat possible over breakfast.
While I occasionally have flashes of concern about arriving really late into Vancouver and being stuck there on New Years Eve, I am not complaining - it is just a different trip than I had envisioned.
The VIA attendants are surprisingly well organized in terms of finding seats for everyone especially the family groups. And there are a lot of families on the train - more than I have ever seen. In fact the train is far more crowded than I would have anticipated. The fact that the waiting room at Sudbury Junction was so crowded should have been my first clue that it was going to be a busy train. I really thought it would be a near empty train. While I still have both seats to myself, there was a point last night where it looked as if I might have a seat mate.
It has been a strange trip in that I have not really spoken to anyone. Lots of chit chat about the weather and the lateness of the train- but I have not had the opportunity for a longer conversation. Part of that may be due to my laziness and generally contentment to listen to music and read, but some of it is due, I think, to who is on the train. As noted above, there are a lot of families with young children. Some of these families have taken over the dome car. It is a great place for kid to play and if I had kids I were certainly take them there to colour etc. But it has meant that I have not hung out there at all. Secondly there are quite a few couples travelling -couples who seem quite content to just talk to their mates. Thirdly, at least in this car, there are almost no young single travellers looking for a conversation. And finally, because there is only take out - most of the people get their food and take it back to their seats so that there is no chit chat possible over breakfast.
While I occasionally have flashes of concern about arriving really late into Vancouver and being stuck there on New Years Eve, I am not complaining - it is just a different trip than I had envisioned.
On the Road (sort of) Again 2014 #3
34 degrees Celsius below 0... that is what the attendant announced before we disembarked for our layover in Winnipeg. That was a bit colder than I planned on. But it had been a long night and I was ready for a change of scenery and of people. At some points during the night it sounded as if there were four or five people close to me who were coughing almost non-stop. Deep throaty sick type coughs. One would start and like a well trained chorus the rest would join in. I wanted them to stop coughing or failing that to find some sort of mask so that I would not inhale one of the viruses that were drifting in droplets along the aisles.
I had had quite a few cat naps throughout the day and so I was not that tired, but the lights were dimmed by 8:00 and most of the people seemed to be getting ready for sleep. I suppose with nothing to see out the window most (including me) were bored. while I may be slowly shrinking, it is still difficult for me to fold my body into any sort of configuration that is truly comfortable. I can find positions that are good for an hour or two, but as soon as I move a limb or my head a few inches, I need to sit up and go through the whole process again of rearranging my limbs. My wrist had also gotten quite sore since my fall and kept me awake until I took a pill.
There were at least three families in my car. The kids generally behaved well all day and except for the occasional cry during the night, I think they slept well Once again I admire parents who can travel well with their kids. Even the ones who bring crafts and activities to do, it is still a boring trip for the kids. Their natural energy could exhaust a saint. - that energy needs to get directed somewhere and there are not a lot of places on a train for it go.
While in Winnipeg, after psyching myself up to face the cold I waked across the road the the Forks , a collection of small stores, restaurants and takeout places. It was a bit early but fortunately a few restaurants were open. For less than $8.00 I had great breakfast. I then went to a sandwich place and bought a few sandwiches for lunch and perhaps supper. Shopping done I headed back to train station. While it had not felt that cold on my five minute walk over to the mall, the wind was against me on the way back. It was so cold that even with a hat pulled down over my ears my forehead was almost numbed in the five minute walk back. It is not surprising that as I look out the window heading through the outskirts of Winnipeg that there are few people out and about.
On previous trips the WiFi has been slow to non-existent in the Winnipeg train station. This time it worked well and I managed to check my email, Facebook, send a few messages and post two blogs. I got back on the train just before 10:00. I could have waited in the train station but the seats in the train are more comfortable and there was no way I was going to go for a walk again outside.
The train left 15 minutes late and then we sat outside for another 15 or so minutes. I don't understand why the schedule is so hard to follow.
The heating system in the train is a bit inconsistent. While it is warm enough for me to walk around in sandals, there are times when it is almost too warm and I want to take of a layer of clothing and other times when it is just a bit cool. I suppose it is hard to keep the consistent in such a large vehicle.
I had had quite a few cat naps throughout the day and so I was not that tired, but the lights were dimmed by 8:00 and most of the people seemed to be getting ready for sleep. I suppose with nothing to see out the window most (including me) were bored. while I may be slowly shrinking, it is still difficult for me to fold my body into any sort of configuration that is truly comfortable. I can find positions that are good for an hour or two, but as soon as I move a limb or my head a few inches, I need to sit up and go through the whole process again of rearranging my limbs. My wrist had also gotten quite sore since my fall and kept me awake until I took a pill.
There were at least three families in my car. The kids generally behaved well all day and except for the occasional cry during the night, I think they slept well Once again I admire parents who can travel well with their kids. Even the ones who bring crafts and activities to do, it is still a boring trip for the kids. Their natural energy could exhaust a saint. - that energy needs to get directed somewhere and there are not a lot of places on a train for it go.
While in Winnipeg, after psyching myself up to face the cold I waked across the road the the Forks , a collection of small stores, restaurants and takeout places. It was a bit early but fortunately a few restaurants were open. For less than $8.00 I had great breakfast. I then went to a sandwich place and bought a few sandwiches for lunch and perhaps supper. Shopping done I headed back to train station. While it had not felt that cold on my five minute walk over to the mall, the wind was against me on the way back. It was so cold that even with a hat pulled down over my ears my forehead was almost numbed in the five minute walk back. It is not surprising that as I look out the window heading through the outskirts of Winnipeg that there are few people out and about.
On previous trips the WiFi has been slow to non-existent in the Winnipeg train station. This time it worked well and I managed to check my email, Facebook, send a few messages and post two blogs. I got back on the train just before 10:00. I could have waited in the train station but the seats in the train are more comfortable and there was no way I was going to go for a walk again outside.
The train left 15 minutes late and then we sat outside for another 15 or so minutes. I don't understand why the schedule is so hard to follow.
The heating system in the train is a bit inconsistent. While it is warm enough for me to walk around in sandals, there are times when it is almost too warm and I want to take of a layer of clothing and other times when it is just a bit cool. I suppose it is hard to keep the consistent in such a large vehicle.
Monday, December 29, 2014
On the Road (sort of) 2014 #2
It must have snowed in the last twelve hours or so as the tree branches are layered with snow. I am a little bit disappointed that one can not see any more now than in the summer. But the bush is still just too thick and the three or four inches of snow on the branches and unused telegraph wires blocks more than leaves would ever. But it is gorgeous out there. While it has been dull and grey with a hint of fog, every once in a while the sun almost shows itself and then forest just glitters. It is quite clear that it has not been that cold as there are still small creeks that are still running and few of the lakes still have wide open channels.
The few villages that we have passed through, even with wood smoke rising above their chimneys, have looked even more isolated than usual. I am sure there are some months when living up here would be remarkable, but between the bug seasons that must last three months and the winter that lasts four or five months I am not sure if that would be enough for me. I suppose one either gets fully engaged with winter in terms of snowmobiling or else one just hunkers down beside the woodstove and waits for the good months.
By 3:30, the sun which has steadily been on our left side has started to sink behind the trees and low hills. I think that by the time we get to Hornepayne it will be dark. It will be a different town in the dark than on a warm day in June. I have no reason to go out. I have enough food to easily get through the evening especially if there is still some vegetarian chilli at the take out left when I get hungry. It would however, be good for me to get out and about for thirty or so minutes; stretch my legs and breath some fresh air. Either a lot of people in the car have a cold or the air is really dry. Regardless of why there seems to be a lot people coughing . On the other hand it looks cold out there. While the sky is generally clear and therefore it looks nice out, the wind has picked up sufficiently to blow the tops of the trees free of their snowy mantle.
A few minutes after typing the above, an announcement was made stating that we would be arriving in Hornepayne in fifteen minutes but due to the fact that we were running late we would only be there for fifteen minutes. We were reminded that if we missed the train that the next one would be through in three days. I was surprised that we were running a few hours late.We left on time and it did not feel as if we were stopped for long periods of time waiting for fright trains. Perhaps we we just going slower than normal.
I went out for a quick walk, it was cold and the path was slippery. I fell down and in true fashion I have hurt my wrist. Not badly but it is a touch uncomfortable. I am glad that I did not plan on walking up to the store.
Almost as soon as the train started up one of the attendants walked through the car and announced that there were some musicians playing in the dome car. I thought it would be a good opportunity to hear some live music and get some chilli. The music (a fiddle and guitar duo) was just fine; the chilli....the best I could say was it was interesting. I had envisioned a waxed paper bowl filled with some somewhat spicy chilli and a couple of pieces of French type loaf of garlic bread. What I got was a cardboard container with a large spoonful of mashed potatoes, 10-12 pieces of green and yellow string beans, some scraps of lettuce along with a chunk of tomato and one of cucumber, some red stuff that had beans, carrots and other vegetables that I didn't recognize in it and one piece of ordinary bread, toasted and buttered with garlic butter. It was an insipid meal at best. I don't mean to brag, but my chili is a hundreds time better. Hopefully I will not try it again although tomorrow night there will be a different crew on and perhaps it will be better. But for now, I am really sorry I tried it....but at least the music was nice.
The few villages that we have passed through, even with wood smoke rising above their chimneys, have looked even more isolated than usual. I am sure there are some months when living up here would be remarkable, but between the bug seasons that must last three months and the winter that lasts four or five months I am not sure if that would be enough for me. I suppose one either gets fully engaged with winter in terms of snowmobiling or else one just hunkers down beside the woodstove and waits for the good months.
By 3:30, the sun which has steadily been on our left side has started to sink behind the trees and low hills. I think that by the time we get to Hornepayne it will be dark. It will be a different town in the dark than on a warm day in June. I have no reason to go out. I have enough food to easily get through the evening especially if there is still some vegetarian chilli at the take out left when I get hungry. It would however, be good for me to get out and about for thirty or so minutes; stretch my legs and breath some fresh air. Either a lot of people in the car have a cold or the air is really dry. Regardless of why there seems to be a lot people coughing . On the other hand it looks cold out there. While the sky is generally clear and therefore it looks nice out, the wind has picked up sufficiently to blow the tops of the trees free of their snowy mantle.
A few minutes after typing the above, an announcement was made stating that we would be arriving in Hornepayne in fifteen minutes but due to the fact that we were running late we would only be there for fifteen minutes. We were reminded that if we missed the train that the next one would be through in three days. I was surprised that we were running a few hours late.We left on time and it did not feel as if we were stopped for long periods of time waiting for fright trains. Perhaps we we just going slower than normal.
I went out for a quick walk, it was cold and the path was slippery. I fell down and in true fashion I have hurt my wrist. Not badly but it is a touch uncomfortable. I am glad that I did not plan on walking up to the store.
Almost as soon as the train started up one of the attendants walked through the car and announced that there were some musicians playing in the dome car. I thought it would be a good opportunity to hear some live music and get some chilli. The music (a fiddle and guitar duo) was just fine; the chilli....the best I could say was it was interesting. I had envisioned a waxed paper bowl filled with some somewhat spicy chilli and a couple of pieces of French type loaf of garlic bread. What I got was a cardboard container with a large spoonful of mashed potatoes, 10-12 pieces of green and yellow string beans, some scraps of lettuce along with a chunk of tomato and one of cucumber, some red stuff that had beans, carrots and other vegetables that I didn't recognize in it and one piece of ordinary bread, toasted and buttered with garlic butter. It was an insipid meal at best. I don't mean to brag, but my chili is a hundreds time better. Hopefully I will not try it again although tomorrow night there will be a different crew on and perhaps it will be better. But for now, I am really sorry I tried it....but at least the music was nice.
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