Ohio Part I:Train and Pittsburgh

So, if you haven't heard, traveling is expensive. And since Kurt and I have the mother of all trips coming up very soon, we decided the most economical way to get to Ohio would be by train. Amtrak has a route from NYC's Penn Station to Pittsburgh, PA. The only downside is that the trip is 9 hours long...

Kurt was pretty excited though. We set out from New York a little before 11am on our trek across the entire state of Pennsylvania. The scenery was beautiful but can only occupy one for so long. Even with books, magazines, music, naps, and deep, meaningful discussions, I got a little restless from being cooped up for so long.

Luckily, we packed some snacks....

and refreshments. The rest of our entertainment was provided by a little boy sitting in front of us. At one point, he and a few other kids were getting a little rowdy and were told to settle down by the conductor. The little boy comes up to his grandmother and says, "Can I go to the bafroom...umm...bathroom, so I can calm myself down?" Momentarily adorable.

The ride was great but I was excited to finally make it to Pittsburgh around 7:30. The train was actually early! Little did we know, this would be the only easy transportation of the trip.

Everyone should take a train ride sometime. It may be slow but it's a nice, relaxing way to get from A to B. Plus, the system is never going to get better if people don't ride. The demand needs to be there, so get out and see the country!

The old train station in Pittsburgh was amazing. They have converted it into apartments, and the new station is a little dinky addition on the back. People don't appreciate grandeur like they used to.

Pittsburgh is a steel city (Birmingham, AL is often referred to as it's little sister...or cousin...some type of relative) and there was this awesome building really boasting its use of the material. Kurt took this picture as the sun was setting. He's so artistic, isn't he?!

Mr. and Mrs. Martig, Erik, and Silvia came to meet us in Pittsburgh. We did a little walking around and then stopped for dinner. We ended up getting out of the city pretty late. We were in two cars, and unfortunately, Erik and Silvia got a flat tire along the way. Needless to say, it was a bit of a setback and we didn't arrive in Salem until late. We went straight to bed to get ready for our big day of touring!