On another trip

When I was assigned to seat 13 leaving Portland, I wondered if this was a sign.  Upon arrival in Seattle I began hiaring snippets of converstions about bus rides out of Seattle do to a derailment.  How they all knew and I didn't was beyond me.  So I asked about a meal on the bus and was told in typical Amtrak fashion there would be none.  Station agents are typically unhelpful and Seattle's station is a pretty grim place, not well maintained with no services nearby and vending machines that have $3 prices for drinks.
Breakfast: oatmeal with brown sugar, grapefruit and orange juice.
Shelby, MT
Engineers changed here and apparently live in this town.  Walked to refresh.

Lunch:  Spinach salad, roll and apple pie(whew didn't need that addition)  Sat and talked to a couple from Michigan or families and lack of access to the lake...compared to Oregon's public beaches.

Havre, MT
As we travel through the big sky country of Montana the sky is partly cloudy and the temperature is unseasonably warm.  Was able to get out and walk along the train at this stop.  "you can have her" is the quote that named this agricultural town in the Montana plains.

Attendant Patrick provided me with some complimentary hand lotion that is badly needed since everything is so dry in here.

Winona MI
4 hours late, but it isn't Amtrak's fault.  We are traveling on tracks owned by the freight companies so they get priority. In this case the derailment causes a huge mess for the whole system.  Hopefully my connecting train will wait, since there are 40 of us on this train making the connection and then all the others going in other directions.  They are just announcing that they are making accommodations for all of us, bus, or overnight.  Hopefully bus or the real connection for me, since I stupidly guaranteed the hotel in DC and will pay for it regardless.

Where am I headed?  Just have to check back to see, huh!