The Real Trip Home January 9 A Day Late

January 9

A good night's sleep at the hotel, and again the smart phones, iPad, computer searches, and…Interstate 80 opened up at 8:00AM going east.  We could not purchase a Greyhound ticket in Roseville but we packed and Ubered over to the bus station anyway to try and at least be in the right place a the right time.  There is no Greyhound bus station in Roseville, but there is a Bus Stop.  The driver, a wonderful lady, agreed to let us on the bus, and we purchased our tickets in Colfax.

Now 11:34AM  Currently, we are about 15 minutes out of Colfax and the driver has just finished putting on chains (Caltran is stopping and inspecting vehicles) and so we start driving up into the mist.

Now 12:15PM  Snowing lightly going over Donner Summit, and the roads are snow packed on the eastern side.   Very treacherous going down the grade. The highway had not been sanded which adds to the slippery nature of the snow packed roadway.

1:20PMAnd as we came out of the canyon at Verdi. There was blue sky, and dry roads.  Time to get the car from the valet, pick up the dry cleaning, Costco stop, gas, and we’ll be home by 5:00, when the rain is supposed to start.

Reflections:

I see now that from the time we found out the train was going no further and we were headed back to Emeryville, we had become utterly consumed with getting back on our intended itinerary…back to Reno, back to pick up the car, back home…so much for delays and the unaccounted for time, suddenly it was time to act.  And act we did.  Single focused, a complete change of attitude from when we were on Amtrak time.

When we got on the bus in Roseville, there were no two seats together, and the driver called over the speaker system to make room for the new passengers. I looked around, saw a pile of stuff (coat, back-pack, etc) sitting in the isle seat, and telling the person sitting next to them to move them I dropped into the newly vacated seat beside him.  Granted he had been sleeping and I woke him up, and was probably rude and abrupt, but I should have said something more than thank you. 

I learned long ago that people are people, and everyone has a story to tell, and an hour of interesting conversation, if we take the time to talk to them, and ask few questions about their journey.

I missed an opportunity for interaction that morning because I was so wrapped up in my issues, and I’ll never havethat chance again.  On the other hand I did end up speaking to a person across the aisle who had been on the same failed Amtrak train ride.  We had recognized each other and shook hands on entering the bus.  We ended up talking all the way to Colfax about trains, munitions, the military and other things we had in common.  I do not recall his name, but the experience I will always remember.