olivermoss | (no subject)

* I've mostly finished booking NYC. Nearer to the trip I will need to book tables at restaurants and see if anything else I want to do has timed entry restrictions. I am doing this trip a bit differently as I am not staying overnight in Chicago. I am just trusting that nothing gets too delayed? I have refundable tickets, so if anything happens to Amtrak in the next few months it will be easier to make changes. Also, I am just assuming I'll be able to pick up food in Chicago and NYC, so I am not bring much.

You know what would make this all so much easier? Do you what would save me so much money and time? There is a fast food chain I can eat at and there's one in Chicago O'Hare Airport. The problem? It's Chick-Fil-A.

* There is another trip I am planning, so take the Mt Rainier Scenic Railroad. I've been following the org that runs it for ages, but didn't know they'd gotten actual trains! Their main social media presence is on FB which was showing me fake railroad events, but never told me that that one railroad place got trains ages ago.

Without trains, how did people ride the rails? Railbiking:

For years I tried to gather a group to do this with me, so I could get places you can only get by rail biking. Never managed it. Don't know why it was a hard sell. When I found out they got actual trains running on those rails again, they were already fully booked for 2024. So, right when 2025 booking started I nabbed a ticket for their whiskey train and also a basic excursion run on the same day.

Now, how to get there, how to get around and where to stay? I'm probably going to have to rent a car. There is no way else out there besides just walking from Tacoma. Also, a lot of places to stay around there look to be sold out already, but maybe the 2025 rooms haven't been released yet? Sometimes room that aren't bookable yet appear as 'sold out' because of how reservation systems work. I'm probably going to grab a room over in Packwood soon just to be safe. I really hope Packwood has tourists T shirts that say Packwood on them. I'll also do a test run on renting a car and going somewhere just because I haven't driven in so long.

I'd like to avoid driving, but I don't see another way.

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Yeah, wish I didn't know I can eat their shit. A lot of my trips dating back years would be cheaper and easier if I was willing to give them money. I mean, if it's them or fainting I'll go with them, but it's my goal to never be that desperate.

There's railbiking all over the country on abandoned rails. I'd love to try it sometime. But, at least I can get out to where the rails around Rainier go, and hopefully finally explore Rainier National Park a bit.

It sucks that of all places, it has to be them! (Though yes, it IS good that you do at least have a potential emergency food source. It's better than being in danger!)

Everything I've heard about Rainier makes it sound gorgeous. I hope you do get to explore it!

It drives me nuts for there to be a cheap, hot meal right there, but we live in a terrible timeline

Yeah, I am looking forward it! I might do a few road trips to knock things off my someday list.

That does really suck. I AM glad that it's a last-ditch option for you if you're in a bad spot. But man, why'd it have to be them? Terrible timeline indeed.

I hope you can knock many fun things and locations off the list! You've gotten to go on some really wonderful trips, and I hope for many more!

Thanks! Yeah, gotta do stuff while I can and hope nothing goes too sideways!