The Benefits (and Perils) of Rail Travel

I just got back from a long train trip. We took the train from Worcester, MA to Fullerton, CA and back again. Three and a half days each way. I must say that for a knitter rail travel is much better that air travel. I had a big roomy seat, plenty of free time, I could take my scissors and I was treated to views like this.

The best morning was spent in the observation car. I woke up before the family so I grabbed my knitting and headed to the observation car. This was sunrise somewhere between Kansas and Colorado.

Sure beats television!

I took two projects with me on the trip. For times when I didn't want to think about I pattern I grabbed the red lace weight mohair I had in the stash and decided to make a birch shawl for myself. I cast on after I got on the train and I have now finished 6 pattern repeats. I think I have enough red mohair to put an edging on the shawl so it will be fun to pick a pattern for that when the shawl is finished.

I also took the Civil War Shawl. I got quite a bit of progress done on it. There are 161 rounds before the edging and I am now on round 141! The rounds have over 1000 stitches now and average about an hour to do.

Now for the perils of train travel. After we changed trains in Albany, NY I realized I had left the magazine with the Civil War Shawl pattern on the other train! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!

We called Amtrak and told them what car and seat we were in and they said they would look we the train got into NYC. Even if they do find it I suspect they will not be too quick at getting it back to me. I did a little checking. I can get a back issue of the magazine from TKGA for $9.00 or I can get a copy of the pattern from the designer for $5.00 so all is not lost, just a little delayed. I suppose I can wait a little longer after all this project has already spent a good amount of time on the back burner.