Ric Golding said: Boy this “having fun” stuff is hard work.
Ric, I know it is hard work.
This past weekend, starting with Friday, Devon and I traveled across the State of Washington, from Spokane to Kirkland, to operated on Dave Goodson’s Colorado Consolidated Rail Road. 5 hours of driving from Spokane to Kirkland, only to discover that I had forgotten my map. Of course I failed to put Dave’s address in my phone, along with his phone number. Who needs that, right? I did have his email address, though, but that was not much help. So, a phone call to my lovely bride, who fortunately was right by her phone instead of out in the garden, solved the problem. She finds the map that also has Dave’s address and phone number written on it (I’m old school) Dave’s address is inputed into Devon’s phone, because I am of the generation that just doesn’t understand this stuff. (Note to self, have grandson explain this new computer stuff to me) That takes 15 minutes. Then the phone proceeds to take us on a grand tour of the residential areas of Kirkland. We passed the same bank at least twice. It took us at least 45 minutes to travel a distance following SIRI (from Eastside Trains in downtown Kirkland to Dave’s home) that only took 10 minutes the last time I traveled it, following the map that was left at home in beautiful Deer Park. So much for modern technology.
We were prepared for rain. It didn’t. The first time in 5 or 6 times that I have run at Dave’s that it hasn’t rained. Sweet. Craig is there with his GP 9. We put our trains on the track at Mound House, and begin the run by picking up a reefer at Ice Station Zebra. It takes about an hour and a half to deliver the goods and return to the shed, so we have time for another run. After the second run, the shadow’s are getting long, and I’m getting tired, so I call it a day. Devon’s up for another run. I park my locomotive on a siding and kibitz with Craig.
Photos? You want photos? Sorry, I was too busy running to worry about that. I think Devon may have taken some.
The next day, Saturday, we went to the Pacific Northwest Prototype Modeler’s Meet in Monroe, WA. This was an HO and N scale meet, Craig and Devon were the only Large Scalers there. We were not too well received initially, until it was explained that Devon actually scratch built his locomotive, and Craig was scratch building a spreader and was showing a highly detailed proto29 turnout. Then they were impressed, as Devon and Craig seemed to be the only ones showing scratch built stuff, the rest of the folks were showing either weathered kits, or out of the box stuff that had been weathered. Strange where this hobby has gone. There was no 0 Scale there at all.
Sunday, on the way back, we stopped in Skykomish, Wa, and the 7 1/2 inch gauge Great Northern and Cascade RR, to see their operation. If you travel US 2, I highly recommend a stop there. The ride is free, as is a visit to the small museum. Skykomish was the western terminus of electrification on the Great Northern, so there is a huge history. They even have a fully functional former GN/BN/BNSF SD 9 that is being restored to the original GN pumpkin scheme. I did take some pics here, I’ll see what I can do.
We got home Sunday evening. I crashed early. Devon says he slept in on Monday morning. Now you know wye.
Monday was a catatonic day for me, I did nothing.
