Model RailRoading: Take 2

I have posted the pictures from the Model RailRoad Scavenger Hunt!

Enjoy!

The Truth About Model RailRoading

So as I am nearing the end of my visit to Kalamazoo, MI, it was realized that I had yet to visit the Kalamazoo Model Rail Road Society with my dad. This evening after dinner, my dad and I left to visit the layout while club members were running trains. We walked in and I was introduced to everyone, which I only remember most of their names, and then we began watching them run trains on the layout.

Let’s back up a second. My dad has been playing with trains since before I was born, meaning I’ve been around model railroading for my entire life. I remember when we lived in Old Town, ME, we had a layout in our basement. Yet, I never really knew what my dad meant when he was doing to “run trains.” I think I just assumed they put trains on the layout and did whatever they wanted on the tracks. But tonight my perceptions were changed, as I learned what they really do while they are “running trains.”

To my surprise, running trains is a little like role playing. There is a script and a schedule. At one point, someone even called “timeout!” Two trains had run-a-muck… they used some other word for it, but I like run-a-muck better. So there is the person in charge of it all, I suppose he’s the conductor (dad didn’t tell me his title), then there were two station masters (one on each end of the layout) and then there were people signed up to be engineers. So the conductor would tell an engineer that he was clear until a certain stop, while the station masters would manage the lights and the yards. It was a very interesting thing to watch. Especially with the run-a-muck trains.

Dad snuck the Wisconsin and Southern Breast Cancer Awareness boxcar onto the layout. I thought for sure that we were going to get into trouble when someone noticed and told the conductor on me!

The other really exciting part about the visit was that they gave me a scavenger hunt list of scenes on the layout! It’s like they knew how to sell the experience to me! There were some really cool things in the layout. I need to sort and label pictures, but I will post an update before Thursday and you’ll get the full experience!

3 Great Lakes in 3 Days!

My family and I took a tour of Michigan's Upper Peninsula this last week. We saw some really incredible places, it's a very pretty place. The most exciting part for me was that we waded into 3 Great Lakes in 3 Days!

Lake Michigan - warmest!


Lake Superior - beautiful (but obviously freezing)


Lake Huron - coldest!

Windy City

Since I'm close to Chicago, I figured it would be a good idea to visit the city... well really I just wanted to see Carson and Denise while I had the chance!


Amanda had the 8th and 9th off, so I took the train from Kalamazoo and we played all day!


Denise met us at the end of the day for a broadway show...

I finally got to see Wicked! I was SO thrilled!

Where are you?

So I've been getting a few text messages asking "where are you now?" This update will provide everyone with the events of the last two weeks.

The good news is that I'm sitting a little still until I move to CO!

6/24 – Heading towards Blacksburg, I stopped into Sweet Briar College to enjoy lunch with Alison Malloy. The area was BEAUTIFUL!

6/24—6/27 – Blacksburg!

The highlights include: Amanda Paez – Preston – Sheena – Colin – Maggie – Carl – Tricia – The MacDonalds – Justin – Gail Kirby! – Shawn – Kris – Matt Theme Housing – I’m sure there are some people I’ve forgotten.

I hiked the Cascades with Amanda and Sheena, and we’re pretty sure Amanda injured an animal on the drive home (we decided that it was most likely a mountain lion).

6/27 – 7/1 – Atlanta to surprise my family! My mom, Rachel, Abby, Julia, Caroline and Caleb were all visiting my Nana and Papa; I had told only my mom I was coming, Natalie didn’t tell anyone she was coming with me (really because she didn’t decide to come until 8 a.m. on the 27th). Natalie and I can now boast a wonderfully done surprise!

In Atlanta, I visited the Georgia Aquarium with my family, which was amazing! Everything was set up to flow really well (funny that somewhere with so much water would be designed to flow), so we saw some really neat animals.

I also got to hang out with Charles and his roommate, Matt. We had some delicious dinner and hung out at their apartment afterwards.

7/1 – I left Atlanta to head to Davidson, NC to visit Jason Shank; he had invited me to see Dave Matthews Band Concert in Charlotte that night. I stopped at Davidson by way of Clemson to visit Ms. Emily Kate; she gave me a fantastic tour, it being my first visit to Clemson. I tried to call Jon and Emily but apparently Jon doesn’t bring his cell phone to work!

Dave Matthews was amazing! As usual, I walked away saying “this was the best Dave show I’ve seen.” Well honestly, I think the Concert for Virginia Tech was the best Dave show ever, but this of course ranks a close second.

7/2 – Up early to begin the 11.5 hour drive to Kalamazoo, MI, which took me 14 hours.

Michigan decided to welcome me with open arms, or a GIANT thunderstorm. So the last three hours of my trip took me about 5.5 hours. When I got to Prairie Crossing, there was no power and trees were down everywhere! We got power back at about 4 p.m. on the Third!

7/4 – Celebrated our independence by watching Parker march in the parade and then we went to a baseball game. Kalamazoo Kings versus someone else: turns out a boy that I graduated high school with plays for the Kings! I didn’t remember him very well, but I did say hello to him after the game.

7/5 – Today, Dad and I went for a morning run and then we did stuff around the house. We’re hosting the neighborhood 4th of July Get Together.