You’re Doing What? Trains, Planes and Automobiles (and Us)

It's pouring in Chicago.  We arrived early this morning at the end of Phase One of our Great Adventure.  So you don't feel uninformed, here's the story:

1. Our son is getting married next Sunday in San Francisco.
2. My husband has a (we hope recently repaired) detached retina and can't fly until we know the repair worked.
3. If we had waited until we were sure the surgery was successful, it would have been too late to drive if we had had to. 
4. We are already fairly broke from tuition and the slow economy so why not spend even more money and take the train? 
5. (really 4b) it turns out that the train is very expensive. 
6. We don't have a choice so why fret about 4a? 
7. There were no seats on the train until Chicago. 
8. I drove 700 miles yesterday to get us from DC to Chicago to get on the train (retina detachment makes it hard to split the driving.)
9. Our family doesn't know we took the train because the groom was worried about his dad's eye so our early arrival will be stealthy. (don''t tell)
10. At least all this is distracting me from the sentimental squishiness that keeps sneaking up on me. 
11.   You are now ready to return to the present where 

Rick and I are in the Metropolitan Lounge at Union Station in Chicago waiting for the Southwest Chief.  You can see the route above.  Actually I'm more excited than annoyed – it is something we would have never done if we didn't need to.  I can't picture the accommodations – I'm betting on a cross between all those black and white thrillers where people were always chasing each other up and down the aisles and flirting in the bed-sitting rooms and who knows what.  We'll see.  Meanwhile we're in the lounge with about a billion people on an "America by Train" group, with some smoker's coughs, name tags for all, and a pretty friendly environment.  I'm too tired to be friendly though.  Unusual for me.