There we were, on the back porch of the Compound about to say Evening Prayer when I looked up and lo and behold, hundreds of buzzards were flying overhead. Wow, there they were, gliding overhead into the West.
"Is this," I thought in wonder, "the Eschaton?" No fooling, I've never seen such a thing here, and yet there they were. Harbingers of apocalyptic doom. Perhaps. That in mind, it's all going on everywhere and you can Gaza read about it on the Information Superhighway.
Has this, dear readers, all eight of you, made us more or less informed. As we reflect on this, consider the omen witnessed in the expansive blue skies of the North Central Texan Free State this evening. Terrifying, eh?
In totally different yet related news, can any of you recommend a luxury, old skool, sleeper train ride.
Seriously, a luxury, old skool train and sleeper to boot, preferably with an outdoor observation deck and windows must open, which I think counts out our appalling Amtrak. Totally open to suggestions.
Haruspex,
LSP
21 comments:
I think they offer some of those in Colorado and Wyoming. Well Seasoned Fool would know, or at least be able to point you in the right direction.
I always wanted to take a Chicago-to-LA train. I could pretend I was Cary Grant in North By Northwest!
We have NO passenger rail from here. We'd have to drive or take the bus to Denver to catch a train.
I saw one of those buzzard gatherings one time, working in the oilfield somewhat south of LSP's AO. Over by Lake Somerville, if I recall correctly, about 1983 or so. Late evening close to dusk, winter with no leaves on the trees, I was pumping a load of salt water onto my truck when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye, looked up and the sky was full of them. Apparently, the hill the tank battery was on was some kind of buzzard roost. There were dozens, maybe hundreds of them.
It was, in point of fact, a very spooky thing to see. I've seen buzzards gathered up before but nothing of that magnitude before or since.
Colorado has several train trips but all are day trip venues. No old fashion luxury cars but Alaska Railroad has some interesting passenger trips as does BC Rail.
Try https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/bus-train/luxury-trains-in-the-usa
Thing about the train cars, you can buy old school ones, fix them up and pay Amtrack or some cargo trains to drag your car around the country.
As to buzzards, yeah, we get huge flocks, like over 40, in my area. You have to be careful where you go or you'll get pooped or barfed on (it's how vultures lose weight in order to do a quick exit.)
And "Kyrie Eliason" is my favorite Mr. Mister song. Used to sing it when I was in the SCA around the witchy-twichy people and they didn't get it.
Of course, the same nitwits who didn't get Kyrie Eliason also didn't blink an eye when I wished them "Via Con Dios" as they left.
Modern pagans, geez, soooo stupid.
It used to be that a good classical education would inform you, even if you didn't believe.
The Orient Express offers a Pullman car experience and still runs. I had intentions of doing that run before Covid, and the invasion of Ukraine. I'd still like to do it in the summer months. You want to be able to travel in comfort.
The Durango Silverton train ride is fun but it's a day trip, not a sleeper. Worth the effort to get to Durango, though.
There is a train experience that mirrors what you ask about that does the Highlands. Edinburgh, sleeper to Loch Ness, creeps up through the Highlands and down the Western Coast. Check it out.
https://www.myluxurytrain.com/journeys
Tomorrow's VM blog will include an entreaty to LSP to simply rent the train for a couple of weeks to take his buddies (all of us) on a trip through the Scottish Highlands. If he's being generous he'd also include air transportation - upper class - from our points of origin to Edinburgh.
I know that I'd be willing to make myself available.
I'd even pay my own way to make that scenic excursion. Just no *&^%$#@! haggis!
Buzzards. I came across a gathering one time. Back in the early 80's, out in west Texas north of Sanderson, roaming around on the ancestral family stomping grounds. Came up to the crest of a low hill, and a literal cloud of buzzards erupted into the sky. They had all been perched on low trees and branches in a bowl on the opposite hill side. This was at high noon on a clear day.
Trains. Lovely idea, afraid I don't have any suggestions, just dim memories. As a young lad, slept in a Pullman over night with my mother and grandmother, riding from San Antonio to the above mentioned Sanderson. At breakfast in the dining car. I had "Griddle Cakes".
Same here, drjim, I think I'd have to drive to Dallas and that's too bad. All these little towns had stations and it'd be way more pleasant catching a train than messing with I35.
Very spooky, Wild. Man, there were hundreds flying overhead yesterday evening, never seen such a thing.
I'll check it out, WSF, thanks for the link.
Whoa, Beans, I didn't know about that train option. Good call, your own personal car. I like this idea.
Modern pagans? Yes.
And there was some truth in that, Ed.
LL, I saw the Scots journey, which looked interesting, and the Orient Express looks neat too, though some say it's not worth the $$.
And yes, a Virtual Mirage sponsored train sounds like a very good idea, we could ride in style from Arizona to... anywhere at all.
Ha! It's true, some don't like haggis, Wild.
RHT, I've never been on a sleeper and think I need to make up the deficiency.
You should've seen those birds yesterday, there were lots.
I don't think anything with Amtrak rates as "luxury" today, though some of the trips are supposed to be beautiful.
Hmmm... Just how armed and armored would an LL Excursion Train be?
That's my take too, Zenda. Mind you, I think it'd be neat to take the Dallas to Vancouver trip via the West coast. You can get a "roomette" and maybe better... Then maybe Royal Canadian Pacific through the Rockies to Calgary/Edmonton via Banf/Lake Louise. The latter's pretty luxe.
Now that, Beans, is a very good question and worth a post of its own.
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