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When I was 7 or 8 years old, I was taken on a train called the Super Chief. I was told that it was one of the best trains in the world and the only way to get to Chicago in style.

The train was incredible, like a rolling hotel, except this hotel had a continuously changing view of Arizona, New Mexico, and other states. Their beauty and sheer vastness were revelatory for a kid from L.A..

My online friend Detlef recently said something about opening new rooms in life. This was more like opening a new planet.

When we got to Chicago, it was snowing, also something new. My parents told me years later how everyone in the restaurant was having a good time watching how excited I was to see this. (Presumably in Chicago, they would have been more excited to take this train out to sunny L.A.. :-) )

What they didn't tell me was how lucky I was. Not very long afterwards, they got rid of all these old trains. You just can't do this any more, for any amount of money. Amtrak still has the route, and I've ridden on it, but it's not anywhere near the same.

Apophysis.

Apophysis.

Uhh... it's square...

Side aisle of First Congregational Church.