Mount Pleasant, Iowa

We stopped in this town last year during RAGBRAI, and again on our return to Ottumwa to retrieve Princess TinyHouse and store her in Lincoln again. Thus it feels strange to be here without a bicycle.

48 hours in Coach on Amtrak is a long time. I finished _Anathem_. It reminded me of _Godel, Escher, Bach_, which is to say, of a somewhat tiresome book that is slightly too pleased with itself.


The scenery throufh Nevada, Utah, and Colorado was calming.

Typed via smart-o-phone.

Amtrak notes

The openings on the newspaper and aluminum can recycling receptacles were all tidily duct-taped closed.

If you bring cream with you onto the train, it will turn into butter.

The first seat I wanted, the chair back ratcheting mechanism was broken. The second seat I tried, the footrest mechanism was stuck with the footrest up.

They are trying new things with the diner car menu, but this has little benefit for vegetarians.

Only about a 1-hour delay this time.