In praise of trains and ferries

Air travel kills your soul.

I am not breaking news here, I know. But really…it’s a kick in the crotch.

The cramped, ever shrinking seats. The horrid air. The delays, lines, performative security theatre. The fact that boarding and debarking accounts for 25-30% of your travel time. The damned waiting on the tarmac. And the dense, oh so dense, other passengers who can’t get their shit together.

The ONLY redeeming quality of flying is the speed.

So I find myself dreaming of alternatives, of a better way, at least until Star Trek transporter rooms come into the market.

Which brings me to trains and ferries.

Like most American boys of the 20th Century, I had a slight obsession with trains. One of my first Christmas memories centered around a shiny new model train that Santa dropped off. When riding around with my father in his truck and stuck at a railroad crossing, we would often count the train cars. An early birthday party of mine involved an actual train trip, and of course the local kids fun park had one of those mini-trains common to Zoos and city parks across the country.

And damnit, I was right. Trains are the best.

This became clear to me during my recent trip to England, where I had the pleasure of several mid-length train journeys. Now, I am not the first American to come back from Europe enamored of the train systems. But for God’s sake, can you blame us?

The trains are mostly clean, comfortable, quick to board, and connect everywhere. What’s more, you can get up, walk around, grab some food, and generally be at ease. The air is fine, the views are human scale and interesting, and rhythm of the tracks feels natural.

The word that best describes the experience, that feels most comprehensive as to the sights, sounds, and tangible aura of train travel….civilized.

It’s not the barbarity of the airport. Not the dog-eat-dog Mad Max experience of our Interstate Highways.

It’s the opposite…human and dignified. And I come away vowing to center more of my journeys around the tracks, wherever they go.

Here in the U.S. you can occasionally find adequate train travel. The Cascades line from Portland to Seattle being a prime example. Some East Coast routes are decent - like Washington to New York. I have always dreamed of riding up to Glacier National Park via Amtrak. You can also ride plenty of nostalgic, touristy trains like the Durango-Silverton railroad.

But the scarcity and inconvenience of options in this country remains a dreadful crime.

*************

Then there are ferries.

Of all the modes of travel one can experience, a ferry ride reigns supreme.

To be clear, I am not talking about a cruise ship. Those monstrosities are not about travel at all, but rather act as a floating hotel/amusement park, primarily aimed at sucking money from your wallet.

No, ferries are a specific type of water transport, meant to take you across the water to a specific destination. They carry you - and sometimes your car - from here to there.  Functional, practical, and weirdly magical.

Think of the simple geographic improbability of ferries. In most cases, a ferry is required when bridges, roads, or other common transit infrastructure don’t pencil economically. They go to odd places. Then the bizarreness of it all - you drive a car onto a boat, get out, and then ride to your destination. Maybe you sit in the cafe and look for whales. Play cards with your friends and family in a comfortable booth. Or you get out on deck and feel the cool ocean air.

Ferries feel like adventure. Almost by definition, riding a ferry denotes a special location, an exotic destination off the beaten path. Even when you are simply crossing a river, there is an peculiar allure.

I am starting to fantasize about including more ferries in my travels, even targeting some deliberately. The Denmark/Iceland ferry is high on my list, as is taking advantage of the Alaskan Marine Highway System. Just the names of ferry destinations evoke charm and wanderlust - Nantucket, Isle of Skye, Golden Gate, Vancouver Island, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Hong Kong.

Put me on a ferry and let me go! Better yet, send my by train to the Ferry terminal, and I’m on my way. (You can really do this - take the Amtrak Cascades to Bellingham, WA, and hop on an Alaskan ferry!!)

Maybe herein lies a resolution for me…a goal for the next few years:

Less planes. More trains. More ferries.

Lyrical Truth Bomb

When musicians say what needs to be said:

Farewell photo

A little slice of life, until next time…

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Disclaimer:

All content and opinions are solely those of the author (Jack), and not representative of my employer, former employers, anyone in Congress, my family, former college roommates, Baptists, the good citizens of Colorado, or my dog Mabel.