whistle-stop tour, without the whistles. or the stops.

Two blocks from our apartment, an hour on the GO train, a “Jamaican Patty” and a spilt cup of coffee at Union Station, and now halfway through the 42 hours on the Via train on the way to Saskatoon (where I’ll be when I get a chance to post this). Would be nice if there were enough trains on this route to get off each day, do a concert, get back on and head right on out to the next town for the next day’s event. With only three trains per week on a very limited route, scheduling a tour by rail (at least in western Canada) is not particularly efficient. Maybe someday.

But hey, I don’t mind. This time around the extended and enforced “rest” on the train is just what I need. The air-cushion-cast is enough to get me on and off the train with guitar and backpack and without crutches... and then lots of time to keep the ankle elevated and let it heal. Hopefully enough so that I can drive a rental car to my various Saskatchewan gigs without worrying about how much pain might be involved with a sudden stomping-on-the-brakes.

Plus the time on the train is a great chance to catch up on all kinds of other work that’s been overdue and hard to get to recently... not to mention reading time and gazing-out-the-windows-in-the-dome-car time... and chatting with fellow travelers and discovering common interests (Janice and a fascination for history and archaeology and her soon-to-be-destinations Cuzco and Macchu Picchu, Bruce who plays in a Celtic band called Fingal's Last Pint, Kay from Jacksonville Florida and a gentleman from Georgia kicking around the continent on their North America Rail Passes...).

They’re right, you know - it really is “a more human way to travel.”

UPDATE: Arrived two hours late last night (this morning) in Saskatoon... 3:00am instead of 1:00am... Darrell, bless his soul, had been waiting patiently (they have Tim Hortons in Saskatoon too!) and brought me back to his house where I luxuriated in double bed (ahh - horizontal sleep!) and a bath... now I've got the rental car, and I'm ready to go... first stop, Prince Albert tonight...