Trying to Take the Train to Maine

We’re going to the Beach but not on the Train

We had a grand plan, it involved heading into Boston and taking the 11:25 am

Downeaster Train all the way up to Old Orchard Beach, Maine.  It was a great idea, and all of the times worked, until track improvements meant that the 11:25 train from Boston was cancelled with the next train coming at 5:40 pm. Nope, can’t do it.  So we decided to do the sensible yet less sexy thing–we’re driving.

I try to avoid driving as much as I can in life. I am sick of the anxiety, the road rage, and simply having to pay attention. I want to loll next to the window and look at out the world passing by. This is why I take so many trains and enjoy traveling.  We have a fun little getaway planned that Amtrak’s tracks won’t stop. No, we are proceeding to the route and our first stop will be a little nature stroll in Salisbury Beach, Mass.  Then on to the enclave where Quebecois love to vacation, OOB.

This will be a different year, however, because most of these Canadians are boycotting the U.S. after Trump threatened tariffs and has generally been treating Canada like a punk. They are sick of this, and the Canadians I met said they are done coming down here for the summer.