Whoo whoo!! Train time!

Dana's Travelblog returns for a short jaunt

After an easy flight to Milwaukee on Friday, we had a lovely visit with Wendy and Alan over the weekend. They took us to the Milwaukee Art Museum designed by Calatrava. Fantastic standing collection as well as a great visiting exhibition of photography by Larry Sultan. We also went to a Martin Luther King Jr tribute that Wendy's friend Lisa was singing in.
So nice to catch up with family, especially when it's been a couple years since we've been out. They overfed us on wonderful food and we got to play games and relax together a bit.
The temperatures were impressive! This morning we tried to leave but it was only 1°! Took over 30 minutes to scrape, hotwater wash, defrost and muscle the ice off the car. Doors frozen shut as well as the frozen water sheet on the inside and outside of the windshield making driving visibility impossible.
I guess I don't need to say how grateful it made me to be a wimpy Californian now. It was fun to visit but tough to live in I would guess.

Our first train this morning was easy and very uncrowded from Milwaukee to Chicago. Only about an hour and a half trip but cold. We had time in Chicago's Union Station to eat lunch and thaw out in the Metropolitan Lounge for a bit(for passengers in first class and with sleeping cars). We then boarded train 3 at 3:00 pm in roomette #3.  I guess 3 is our lucky number right now.
The train is the Southwest Chief and goes from Chicago to LA and back. We are only going one way though. Kim joked because he saw some Amish, (or Pennsylvania Dutch) that we were on the Amish train.  Turns out we kind of are! Our steward says there's always some big groups on this route.
Most of the views out the window is of snow and white snowy covered... well, everything.
It's a bit after 10pm and we've made it to Kansas City so far. I expect to sleep well tonight, as I've always loved sleeping on trains. Besides, I only had a small half hour nap before dinner. The rock and sway tends to knock me out.
Tomorrow is a full day on the train and one more night before we get to Los Angeles.