Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010, 7:35 AM
Holy crap! Pre-Christmas/snowstorm rush at the Greyhound bus station on Keo. The joint was full of travelers and more kept showing up. It may only be 90 minutes to Ottumwa, but it looked to be a hell-ride.
Overheard at bus station… "Just get the wedgie out."
Aboard the Burlington Trailways bus bound for Ottumwa, my fears were founded. It was indeed hot and cramped. I latched on to a window seat and held on to my bladder for the duration.
1:07 PM – Made it to Ottumwa only a few minutes behind schedule. Purchased my train tickets and spent the morning tooling around with Siegel shopping for last minute Christmas items.
Eventually we settled down for lunch at Taqueria Los Cactus, where I ordered up a surprisingly good chile relleno [see blog post].
Friday, Dec. 24, 2010
Narrow, over-cushioned couch I slept on not good for the back. Can't wait for the thin, unforgiving mattress I'll be resting upon tonight on board Amtrak.
"Cat Killa"
Kevin
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Pictured at right is “Cat Killa” Kevin. Currently residing in the home of my pals, the Siegel family, Kevin is not right in the head. I could try to go into particular details, but it would just be the petty ramblings of an angry old man.
I will relate the tale of when I went out to shovel the front walk in the midst of a heavy snow on Christmas Eve day, and that little rat bastard nosed his way through the front door left ajar by yours truly. ZING! Kevin was off like a bullet looking to cause trouble in the neighborhood.
Trouble indeed. Eventually Victoria found him inside a neighbor's dilapidated shed having a showdown with one of the local cats. Alas, the shed was so piled upon with junk there was no way of getting inside to retrieve the little bastard, barking and growling madly with the cornered cat hissing away.
And this all coming down just as the family was preparing for a trip to Cedar Rapids to hook up with the Siegel boys and grandkids residing there.
Many minutes were spent holding vigil outside that ramshackle shed by Vicki, Chris the youngest Siegel, and yours truly.
Eventually the little cretin comes out and makes for a familiar hiding place underneath another neighbor's back deck. After a short time, Kevin pops his head out from underneath and Chris latches on and carries his wet, dirty hide back home.
At that point the family passes on the trip to Cedar Rapids. Concerns over the weather was their stated reason, but I still can't help but think that little son-of-a-bitch just didn't tire them out.
Either way, the roads did suck. And the Siegels eventually got to their destination the next day.
Merry Christmas, Kevin!
6:13 PM – Waiting for the California Zephyr. Freight is slow passing through. Inside the Amtrak station is the bustle of families. I prefer to stand outside instead. Families give me gas.
11:23 PM – Woke up as the train left the Omaha Amtrak station. Dreamed strange, weird-ass dreams across Southern Iowa. Hope I wasn't screaming in my sleep.
Saturday, Dec 25, 2010, 12:26 AM
In Lincoln. After being zonked out from Creston to Omaha, I had been awake since. Perhaps listening to Gary Numan's The Pleasure Principle will lull me to sleep. That and the rocking of the train.
I love the smell of elf in the morning. That smell… that gingerbread smell. Smells like Christmas.
7:06 AM – Denver. Had shredded corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast. Time to stretch legs before post-breakfast poop.
10:01 AM – Arrived 10 minutes early in Fraser. Seemed like a good time to watch all six episodes of The Walking Dead in the relative luxury of my wee sleeper.
5:15 PM – So far, so good. On time, along the banks of the Colorado between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. Now in the land of no snow.
No time for a sit-down meal since I was close to disembarking, so my car attendant brought me dinner to my room. w00t!
6:16 PM – Green River, Utah. Yikes! The town is DEAD on Christmas night. Nothing open, not a soul walking about, almost nil for traffic down the main drag. Silent night indeed. Nothing to do but settle down for the evening at the Robbers Roost Motel.
Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010, 5:28 AM
Insomnia. Crappy cable. Cell phone alarm that keeps going off. Celebrity Bowling on ESPN Classic. This is what had become of me.
Phew! All of a sudden it smells like skunk in my room. Turned off the heater to stop drawing in air. Soon a thirty minute walk with luggage to the other side of town where I catch my bus to Vegas.
6:33 AM – Sat down at the West Winds Restaurant for breakfast. Feeling the effects of inadequate sleep.
Country gravy for chicken fried steak is peppery as it should be. However, it’s what they also use for biscuits & gravy with the addition of chopped sausage links. I would have preferred a proper white sausage gravy. Still it beats going without breakfast before a long bus trip. Service was most accommodating.
Once on board the Greyhound bus I was surprised to find WiFi, electrical outlets, a boatload of legroom, and cup holders!
10:46 AM – Richfield, Utah. Back in the land of snow. I-70 was in pretty sorry shape through the high passes.
1:43 PM – More crappy road on I-70 heading south to Sevier. How severe!
Gal sitting in front of me reads the outside of a box of Russell Stover chocolates. What's to read? Open the box and EAT THEM! But instead she eats a mango. She must not be 'Merican.
Break time at a McDonald’s in St. George. Give these Greyhound passengers the opportunity to eat, and they pounce en-masse.
Why do people traveling by bus eat all the time? That means you have to defecate and bus toilets are just plain gross, even if I have to pee. And that's with the benefit of a penis. Women are screwed.
You know you've been on the bus long enough when you start spending an inordinate amount of time adjusting your junk.
The Virgin River Gorge. Doesn't sound like much of a virgin if you call it a gorge.
4:00 PM – Arrived Greyhound bus station, Las Vegas.
| Photo from the Picasa Web Album: Holiday trip 2010 |
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