Santa Fe, New Mexico train ride
Sue and I got tickets to the Santa Fe railroad for a two and a half hour ride.
We have felt like two high school kids playing hooky from school all day.
We went to the train station early to park the truck, then walked to old town, to shop and eat a bite. We saw this quaint little eatery on a corner, and went in. The small restaurant had a Chef behind the upscale buffet style counter, he pointed out the different dishes, there were stuffed artichokes, Salmon, Almond Chicken, grilled peppers and some wonderful creamy tomato and shrimp soup. They sold by the pound, it was $9.95 per pound of food. We were loading all the wonderful food up, piled high. I paid for the two plates and found my bill was $44.50. I asked the owner, is that really $44.50? He stated my plate was pretty heavy. (You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto!)
We paid, and feasted on possibly the best buffet style food ever. I was prompted by the wonderful fare, to go back inside and compliment the Chef and the owner, I told them it was money well spent. The owner asked if I ate it all, I sheepishly said yes. (Us K.C. BBQ eaters know how to put it away.)
We shopped around the area for an hour or so, and then walked to the train station. There was a good crowd of mixed people, ladies with children, singles, and older couples. All were eager to experience the train ride.
We met two fun young ladies form Albuquerque, one was treating the other birthday girl to the train ride, they were there to have fun! We took their pictures for them together, and befriended them for the ride. It was laughter and fun times for the trip ahead, we could see.
The conductor (Nick) took our tickets at the appointed time and we all boarded. The train had the Engine, then a passenger car, then a flat car with a sturdy steel railing, then another passenger car, and the caboose. When the train started up, Sue and I immediately went to the flat car to see the sights, I am anything but timid. Everyone came out also. The train ride employees must pay the people of Santa Fe to wave and smile at the train, everyone from the construction men along side the tracks, to the people in cars waiting at the crossings ,were waving at us, waving at them, like crazy people.
There was a young mother with her two small children out on the flat car. She was sitting holding a young boy, fast asleep, her arms must have been aching, her daughter was laying on a blanket sleeping near her, comforted by the rocking back and forth of the train. She was such a good mother, she sat for the longest time with her son in her arms. I went and got her two bottles of water, as the Sun was intense. The birthday girls were taking pictures, drinking Margaritas and laughing at everything. I talked with a young couple from Wisconsin, she worked as a server in an eatery, her husband a mechanic at a car dealer, great people having a great time away on vacation. The train wound through town, then went into the countryside, past nice rural homes, all Adobe, same general Tan color, blending perfectly with the surrounding terrain. Men and Women jogging on remote trails paralleling the tracks. You wonder how they got the energy to travel out in the middle of nowhere.
Sue and I stood on the rail car for the entire 2 ½ hours, you couldn’t have got us off there with a stick of dynamite. The bar in the first passenger car, got a pretty good work out I must admit. It’s amazing the bond people develop when having a great time, and having something in common on this rail trip, much like the bond we develop as RV’ers. We can look back on this day and remember so many fun times, it’s why we all travel.
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