Day 12: Leaving The Rockies/The Boring Red States 




This proves how rustic Essex, Montana, really is. That's me, above, standing on the official flag stop platform.

Now, on to the rest of today's trip:



Right now we're hurtling through North Dakota. I'm sure it's bucolic and inviting at some point during the year, but in mid-April it's a flat and scrubby blanket of brown. Random dead trees and shitty wooden railroad depots are starting to solicit photographs at this point. We left the Rockies in the distance around 11 a.m.

We rented a digEplayer knowing this would be the case, and it has served us well for the $20 and 30 hours of battery life. First we watched The Illusionist, then Stranger Than Fiction, then a crappy episode of Friends. When browsing the other content, we stumbled upon what can only be described as gay soft-core porn -- Railway Media calls it The Bill Davey Personal Workout (see below). Pay no mind that free weights or personal trainers are not available on any Amtrak train, nor in any train station that they serve. The only explanation is that some 'mo in the programming department thought this would be a much-needed option for the single male traveler of a particular persuasion. (Note to my mother: Take a deep breath and keep reading).

 

Posted: Sun - April 15, 2007 at 08:46 PM          

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