Going Off-line For A Few Days

[hitest]

I'll be off-line for a few days, I should be back late Thursday evening or Friday morning. We are going on a short train trip and staying in a nearby town which is about 100 miles away. We'll be staying in a hotel, rent a car, and make the obligatory pilgrimage to Walmart.

I'll see you folks soon. Take it easy:-)

hitest

[thesidekickcat]

We'll miss you!!!

Enjoy the train trip. Sounds like a great way to relax before Walmart shopping session!!! I love to travel by train though haven't done so for about 20 years. Sigh!

Pat

God bless everyone

[blim]

Have a great trip and travel safely, Hitest! Thanks for giving us the headsup so we won't worry about you when you don't show up here!

Walmart! Soaps, drugs, cereal and dogtreat Heaven, happy stocking up!

Liz

[hitest]

Hi Pat and Liz,

Had a good shopping trip, it is good to be back home again. I had a quite relaxing time.

Happy New Year:-)

[robroy]

Welcome back

[shanenin]

Hi Pat and Liz,

Had a good shopping trip, it is good to be back home again. I had a quite relaxing time.

Happy New Year:-)

a nice relaxing time. what more could a person want :-) Welcome back

[hitest]

Hi robroy and shanenin!

Thanks for the welcome home, it is good to be back:-) I haven't traveled by train since I was a boy, it was a very pleasant experience. We traveled through a snowy mountain wilderness over rugged terrain. My three year old found the experience to be very engaging.

I think I'm going to travel by train again; you don't have the stress of long distance driving.

[Pete_C]

I'll be off-line for a few days, I should be back late Thursday evening or Friday morning. We are going on a short train trip and staying in a nearby town which is about 100 miles away. We'll be staying in a hotel, rent a car, and make the obligatory pilgrimage to Walmart.

I'll see you folks soon. Take it easy:-)

hitest

I guess I am just accustomed to thinking in Texas Terms these days.

It is almost fifty miles just to get out of the urban sprawl around here.

A hundred miles is just an hour and a half drive; hardly worth the bother of trying to find a train.

Well they do have the trinity railway express between Dallas and Fort Worth, but that is only about thirty miles each way. Amtrack may still be available for some longer runs, but I remember them discussing discontinuing the Texas service a couple years back.

Walmart? They are now the biggest grocery store chain in Dallas as well as the regular walmart and super walmart super centers. You can find the big ones within ten miles of each other; and the little ones are no more than about five miles apart.

[hitest]

I'll be off-line for a few days, I should be back late Thursday evening or Friday morning. We are going on a short train trip and staying in a nearby town which is about 100 miles away. We'll be staying in a hotel, rent a car, and make the obligatory pilgrimage to Walmart.

I'll see you folks soon. Take it easy:-)

hitest

I guess I am just accustomed to thinking in Texas Terms these days.

It is almost fifty miles just to get out of the urban sprawl around here.

A hundred miles is just an hour and a half drive; hardly worth the bother of trying to find a train.

Well they do have the trinity railway express between Dallas and Fort Worth, but that is only about thirty miles each way. Amtrack may still be available for some longer runs, but I remember them discussing discontinuing the Texas service a couple years back.

Walmart? They are now the biggest grocery store chain in Dallas as well as the regular walmart and super walmart super centers. You can find the big ones within ten miles of each other; and the little ones are no more than about five miles apart.

Hiya Pete:-)

Happy New Year:-)

The main reason that I took the train other than the fact that I'm a lazy SOB is that at this time of year the 100 mile trek inland is along a river which is very treacherous, deadly, it gets iced up a lot. Many people have slid into the river losing their lives. I'm a bit on the conservative side so I tend not to drive this highway until the spring thaw.

I highly recommend taking a train, it is an enjoyable experience. You get to slow down, enjoy the ride:-)

Cool. Good to hear that the Walmart infestation is plaguing Texas as well, heh-heh.

[bar5]

I'm glad you had a good time on your train trip. That sounds like a great idea. You can sit back and enjoy the sights that you could not if you were driving.

Welcome back Hitest

Happy New Year

Barb

Edited January 1, 2007 by bar5

[hitest]

I'm glad you had a good time on your train trip. That sounds like a great idea. You can sit back and enjoy the sights that you could not if you were driving.

Welcome back Hitest

Happy New Year

Barb

Thank you, Barb! It is good to be home:-) Happy New Year to you too!

Yes, I highly recommend train trips, there is no stress from driving, and as you said you can enjoy the scenery instead of focusing on the nutty drivers around you.

We will do this again!

[Pete_C]

I'll be off-line for a few days, I should be back late Thursday evening or Friday morning. We are going on a short train trip and staying in a nearby town which is about 100 miles away. We'll be staying in a hotel, rent a car, and make the obligatory pilgrimage to Walmart.

I'll see you folks soon. Take it easy:-)

hitest

I guess I am just accustomed to thinking in Texas Terms these days.

It is almost fifty miles just to get out of the urban sprawl around here.

A hundred miles is just an hour and a half drive; hardly worth the bother of trying to find a train.

Well they do have the trinity railway express between Dallas and Fort Worth, but that is only about thirty miles each way. Amtrack may still be available for some longer runs, but I remember them discussing discontinuing the Texas service a couple years back.

Walmart? They are now the biggest grocery store chain in Dallas as well as the regular walmart and super walmart super centers. You can find the big ones within ten miles of each other; and the little ones are no more than about five miles apart.

Hiya Pete:-)

Happy New Year:-)

The main reason that I took the train other than the fact that I'm a lazy SOB is that at this time of year the 100 mile trek inland is along a river which is very treacherous, deadly, it gets iced up a lot. Many people have slid into the river losing their lives. I'm a bit on the conservative side so I tend not to drive this highway until the spring thaw.

I highly recommend taking a train, it is an enjoyable experience. You get to slow down, enjoy the ride:-)

Cool. Good to hear that the Walmart infestation is plaguing Texas as well, heh-heh.

I can understand that. Winter is no time to travel either in unknown territory or outside of town where you can be stranded or lost. Letting the train handle it is a wise decision. Like I said, Texas thinking. Here if it snows, it is just a dusting and gone in a day or two.

Walmarts latest is the $4 for a monthly prescription of many common generic drugs. Their next move will be to have walk in clinics where you can be seen for under $49 (well, between $25 and 75 depending on what you have and need. Non emergency walk in treatment only) . The idea is that you can sign in , and then go shopping and they will page you when it is your turn. You turn in your prescriptions and do some more shopping and they will page you again when it is filled. Not only that, but their employees can be seen right there without having to go home sick.

[martymas]

hi hi test

good to see you back

for some reason train travel

is very popular in nz and ozzy

we have a interisland train that travels from one end of the country to the other

as nz is mad eof two ialands

it is devided by a strait strip of water

and it has a ferry that runs between the islands

but the passengers do not have to get off the train

the train enters the ferry

\at one end and drives off at the other destination

and carrys on until it reaches the northen part of nz

then it returns vica versa

many tourist use it

ive trvaeled on it my self drink amd food are served

on it so it is like a home away from home

it has dining cars

and sleeping cars

luckly they are short spurt journeys

not big like the usa

marty

[hitest]

hi hi test

good to see you back

for some reason train travel

is very popular in nz and ozzy

we have a interisland train that travels from one end of the country to the other

as nz is mad eof two ialands

it is devided by a strait strip of water

and it has a ferry that runs between the islands

but the passengers do not have to get off the train

the train enters the ferry

\at one end and drives off at the other destination

and carrys on until it reaches the northen part of nz

then it returns vica versa

many tourist use it

ive trvaeled on it my self drink amd food are served

on it so it is like a home away from home

it has dining cars

and sleeping cars

luckly they are short spurt journeys

not big like the usa

marty

Hi Marty,

Thanks for the welcome back:-) We enjoyed the trip so much we're going to go on a longer trek this summer into the interior. The trip to the center of our province is a one day train trip, a distance of 725 km, or about 450 miles. That should be fun!

[Bubba Bob]

Pete, I have a feeling a "patient" would leave a Walmart clinic sicker than when he or she went in

Hitest, that sounds like a good way to travel. I didn't realize people really used trains for transportation much anymore. I guess with the roads messed up it's a blessing.

I wish I could see some of the as-described scenery. We hardly had a cold Christmas, much less a white one.

Now you should get your kid a train set

[irregularjoe]

God do I hate Walmart!

When they have the walk-in clinics I'd have to check in due to the massive headache that just going to Walmart causes.

[hitest]

God do I hate Walmart!

When they have the walk-in clinics I'd have to check in due to the massive headache that just going to Walmart causes.

LOL

You and me both, man! I absolutely hate shopping, but, my wife on the other hand, she raises the art of shopping to an Olympic level sport. She loves shopping and is very good at it; she will examine many items and get the perfect buy. I know exactly what I want before I enter any store and I'm in and out in five minutes or less.

[garmanma]

God do I hate Walmart!

When they have the walk-in clinics I'd have to check in due to the massive headache that just going to Walmart causes.

LOL

You and me both, man! I absolutely hate shopping, but, my wife on the other hand, she raises the art of shopping to an Olympic level sport. She loves shopping and is very good at it; she will examine many items and get the perfect buy. I know exactly what I want before I enter any store and I'm in and out in five minutes or less.

My daughter seen a scary sight the other day. A U-Haul pulls up and parks in the Walmart lot and the whole family gets out to go and do their family shopping. Wonder if they were planning to fill up the truck

Mark

[thesidekickcat]

hi hi test

good to see you back

for some reason train travel

is very popular in nz and ozzy

we have a interisland train that travels from one end of the country to the other

as nz is mad eof two ialands

it is devided by a strait strip of water

and it has a ferry that runs between the islands

but the passengers do not have to get off the train

the train enters the ferry

\at one end and drives off at the other destination

and carrys on until it reaches the northen part of nz

then it returns vica versa

many tourist use it

ive trvaeled on it my self drink amd food are served

on it so it is like a home away from home

it has dining cars

and sleeping cars

luckly they are short spurt journeys

not big like the usa

marty

Hi Marty,

Thanks for the welcome back:-) We enjoyed the trip so much we're going to go on a longer trek this summer into the interior. The trip to the center of our province is a one day train trip, a distance of 725 km, or about 450 miles. That should be fun!

Well here is my second try at writing this post, lost the first one into that great black hole of internet space. I wonder if the bits and pieces just float around and careen into each other like so much cosmic dust? And what if some alien beings in a galaxy or two far far away are trying to find out more about us, only they just run into all this flotsam and jetsom of internet lost bits of space debris...what a terrible first impression it would make!!!

As I was saying... I read both Marty's and hitest's posts to my hubby and he said he'd love to sightsee by train travel around the USA as he had a taste of it during the service. I added let's do Canada too, and of course just to be funny said if we win the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes maybe we can even add in the NZ trip too.

So ok it is New Years week with a pile of sweepstakes entries on my desk to fill out and send in, oh dreamer that I am.

Anyhow Marty's description of the NZ train/ferry combines two of my favorite modes of travel...trains and ferrys. (There are caravan trips to Mexico that combine train travel with my other favorite.. Motorhome travel... by piggybacking the motorhome onto flatbed trains for trips to special hard to get to places that only have train access as I understand it)

Of course I would want to redo some of my old favorite ferry trips in Puget Sound section of Washington state, and also ones through the San Juan Islands to Vancouver Island British Columbia, and hopefully add the ferry trip up to Alaska.

Yeah I'd better win the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes (Marty I'd better tell you what Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes is...it is a 10 million dollar grand prize to anyone who enters with the winning numbered certificate, but their real business is to sell you magazines subscriptions but I will give them credit they do have really good rates on most new subscriptions and I do order magazines once in awhile from them but enter alot of their contests...which is a national thing to say in order to do something really expensive 'when/if I win Publishers Clearing House' as nearly everyone knows instantly what is meant) to do all that, and more of what we'd like to do in this new season of our lives.

Gee whiz I think my first (lost)post was easier to understand than this convoluted one. Sorry about that, I went back to clarify this and it got worse so will quit while we are all ahead...Ha!!!

Pat

God bless everyone

Edited January 4, 2007 by thesidekickcat

[hitest]

My daughter seen a scary sight the other day. A U-Haul pulls up and parks in the Walmart lot and the whole family gets out to go and do their family shopping. Wonder if they were planning to fill up the truck

Mark

Whoa, they must be professional grade shoppers like my wife. Shopping with a vengeance.

[hitest]

Well here is my second try at writing this post, lost the first one into that great black hole of internet space. I wonder if the bits and pieces just float around and careen into each other like so much cosmic dust? And what if some alien beings in a galaxy or two far far away are trying to find out more about us, only they just run into all this flotsam and jetsom of internet lost bits of space debris...what a terrible first impression it would make!!!

As I was saying... I read both Marty's and hitest's posts to my hubby and he said he'd love to sightsee by train travel around the USA as he had a taste of it during the service. I added let's do Canada too, and of course just to be funny said if we win the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes maybe we can even add in the NZ trip too.

So ok it is New Years week with a pile of sweepstakes entries on my desk to fill out and send in, oh dreamer that I am.

Anyhow Marty's description of the NZ train/ferry combines two of my favorite modes of travel...trains and ferrys. (There are caravan trips to Mexico that combine train travel with my other favorite.. Motorhome travel... by piggybacking the motorhome onto flatbed trains for trips to special hard to get to places that only have train access as I understand it)

Of course I would want to redo some of my old favorite ferry trips in Puget Sound section of Washington state, and also ones through the San Juan Islands to Vancouver Island British Columbia, and hopefully add the ferry trip up to Alaska.

Yeah I'd better win the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes (Marty I'd better tell you what Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes is...it is a 10 million dollar grand prize to anyone who enters with the winning numbered certificate, but their real business is to sell you magazines subscriptions but I will give them credit they do have really good rates on most new subscriptions and I do order magazines once in awhile from them but enter alot of their contests...which is a national thing to say in order to do something really expensive 'when/if I win Publishers Clearing House' as nearly everyone knows instantly what is meant) to do all that, and more of what we'd like to do in this new season of our lives.

Gee whiz I think my first (lost)post was easier to understand than this convoluted one. Sorry about that, I went back to clarify this and it got worse so will quit while we are all ahead...Ha!!!

Pat

God bless everyone

Hi Pat,

Thanks for the great post! Yes, I think that you and your husband would enjoy traveling by train. I'm totally hooked now. My parents live very far away from me in the southern part of my province, near Vancouver, a distance of 1525 km.

I'm thinking that a train trip all through our province would be sublime.

[macmarauder]

*jumps up and down*

OoOoOoOo road trip! road trip!

*grabs space goggles and towel, runs out the door, hops into the car and slightly bounces in place with excitment*

ROAD TRIP!

[hitest]

*jumps up and down*

OoOoOoOo road trip! road trip!

*grabs space goggles and towel, runs out the door, hops into the car and slightly bounces in place with excitment*

ROAD TRIP!

LOL

I enjoy reading your posts, my friend! You rule!

[macmarauder]

thanks, it feels sooooo good to be posting regularly again. and now that i've got some of my life in order you'll be seeing more of me. OOOh and speacking of which my GF and i have agreed on a massive road trip someday. we're gona travel all over the country in a couple of years or when ever and visit all of our online friends that we've know for years. so canada is defiantly on our list i've got alot of people from BestTechie that i wanta meet.

Road Trip!!

[hitest]

thanks, it feels sooooo good to be posting regularly again. and now that i've got some of my life in order you'll be seeing more of me. OOOh and speacking of which my GF and i have agreed on a massive road trip someday. we're gona travel all over the country in a couple of years or when ever and visit all of our online friends that we've know for years. so canada is defiantly on our list i've got alot of people from BestTechie that i wanta meet.

Road Trip!!

Let me know if you ever head North to B.C., mac:-) It would be very cool to meet you in person. Yep, road trips are fun.

your buddy,

hitest