Bike Trip 2019, In Transit 1

As I write this I am on board the Empire Builder. We just cut through the bluffs along the Mississippi, to be greeted by the golden glow of the setting sun through the early summer foliage. It has been a long, but basically successful day, travel-wise.

I left Glen Arbor at 5:45 am, heading south. I parked my car in the ample parking lot in Dowagiac (SW corner of Michigan), and heaved my 48 lb suitcase/bikecase and my 35 lb. duffle onto the Blue Water. It was a relief to have that first obstacle out of the way. I had been fretting about the great schlepp for several days. After my agony of luggage on my Portland, ME, trip, I was worried about having more than I could handle again.

It mostly worked, although when I got off the train in Chicago and marched down the platform, I had misgivings. The duffle is really too big and heavy to ride on the top of the roller suitcase. I was quite uncomfortable by the time I reached the very crowded lounge in Union Station. It clearly needs some rethinking.

But at least everything fit in the luggage rack, and no conductor said, "Sorry, Pal. That's too much luggage." 

There certainly was no trouble with luggage on the Empire Builder, since I have a sleeper car in which, if necessary, I could put one of my bags. It wasn't necessary, of course. The bags fit nicely into the luggage rack.