Year 3 - Grand Departure Monday 10/16

 It’s bright and early Monday morning! We have assembled for the obligatory departure photo!

Linda and I came to the Mount Joy train station yesterday to ensure we would be getting on the correct platform. Amtrak has been replacing the Eastbound rails, so the Eastbound trains, up until recently, have been boarding on the Westbound platform! This could have been a costly mistake for us with our bikes if we were on the wrong platform! I watched as about 8 travelers ran from the Westbound platform up the steps, across the tracks, and down the steps to get on the train! With bikes and elevators, we would not have made this correction successfully!

Today we spread out on the platform. I heard the train horn about 6:15 as it approached. It pulled in about 2 minutes early! Next stop, 30th Street Station Philadelphia! 

It’s about 7 a.m. and we just left the Coatesville Station. The sky is just starting to get light!

Upon arrival in Philadelphia, we were looking for our next gate and were noticed by an Amtrak representative. He instructed us that we were going to be “checking” our bikes into the baggage car. So this is a new and exciting experience! Our bikes are going to be checked and placed into a baggage car instead of us having to hang them separately in a car! This was due to the train being very full. He instructed us to go to the baggage counter and get tags for our bikes! The lady at the baggage counter, who seemed to be annoyed with me, asked to see our bikes. We were not told we had to take the bike with, so back we went to bring our bikes! 

When I got back to the baggage counter, a new very pleasant baggage lady told us that nothing could be on the bikes! No bags, bottles, etc. oh my! Have you seen how much stuff we have on our bikes! Bags, bottles, lights, etc. Everything needed to come off! We were allowed to check two bags each, so three of us checked our pannier bags, She offered a box for us to collectively place our miscellaneous stuff into and check. Why a relief this person was! She was so informative and helpful! 

Bags all checked, bikes cleaned of all items, we proceeded to find a “Red Cap” to take us to the lower level to board our bikes on the baggage car. As we boarded the train, we noted that it was very full. The conductors were helpful in finding us seats close together. Now we just have to sit back and enjoy the next 9 hours on the train! Durham, here we come!

How is it that my butt is more sore from a 9 hour train ride than it gets from 9 hours on a bike saddle. Wow, I spent the last hour or so standing on the train. That is till we hit Raleigh where we picked up over 100 people from the State Fair! Amtrak makes a stop at the fairgrounds for the 10 days that the fair is active.

We are here in Durham NC. Collected our bikes off the baggage car, collected our baggage, attached everything to the bikes and rode the 1.6 miles to the hotel. It really felt great to be on the bike.




Our grueling 1.6 mile ride for today!



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