Picto-diary- 06, 07, 08, 09 October 2020 - Amtrak
Above: Ducks. McLeod Creek Trail. Park City, UT. 06 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Deux Magots Walkers
Preparing for the long flight. We saw these ducks in Spring, a day or two after they hatched. The circle of life. The ducks, and other birds, will be around, long after humans are gone, post Sixth Extinction (coming between right at this moment and a couple of million years).
"The land is the appointed remedy for whatever is false and fantastic in our culture." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Above: Decoration bookshelf. Happiness Within Coffee Shop. Helper, UT. 06 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr 06 Oct 2020
I agree with the sign on the pictured book shelf. Apparently owners, having named their coffee shop "Happiness Within," are also philosophers of the upbeat. I know that mental illness, chemical disorders, and genetic markers are to depression, said to be an illness and not a willful condition, of choosing to be unhappy. I also know that I am impatient with those who see obstacles as opposed to possibilities.... barriers as opposed to doorways... who seem to "seek" the shelter of unhappiness as an excuse for avoiding facing up to life's challenges. What is it that causes some people to always try to turn lemons into lemonade, and others to see only the negative? Is happiness really a choice?
Indelibly imprinted in my mind is the sight of a twelve year old boy seated beside an old fashioned, lever powered, water pump on a Calcutta street corner, circa 1990. TIMDT, Mwah (sic), and our two kids were seated in a taxi waiting for a street light to change. I looked over at the boy. He was dressed in nothing but a dirty, white loin cloth. The boy's only possessions were a metal bowl and a short stick, with which he was brushing his outrageously white, perfectly formed teeth.
While we were stopped, the deeply bronze skinned, black haired boy looked over at us and gave us the biggest possible grin imaginable. My immediate reaction was, "here we were, living a life where we could live in the comfort of Calcutta's luxurious Oberoi Hotel, fly from city to city in jet planes, and otherwise live a life in what most in the world would consider to be living in unimaginable comfort. And, here was this kid, who appeared to have nothing... cleaning his teeth at a city water pump, seemed positively joyful. How could this be?
Prosperity is good and important... but, it doesn't correlate with happiness. Happiness is a state of mind that impels one to be aspirational, loving, helpful, selfless irrespective of one's standard of living. Where does it come from? I don't know why some people have happiness and others don't. For most of us though, I think its a choice... and, therefore many who are unhappy have decided to be that way.
12 tour participants:
Peterbilt
Mom Squared
'Cake
Maui
777
Fast Lane
The Commodore
KAT
Maharajah
Comic Mom
Bishop
TIMDT
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries" Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Above: Balance Rock Cafe and Pub. Helper, UT. 06 October 2020
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr.
Eatin' good in the 'hood with CJ., budding Helper artist. C. J., Miles, Helper artist, from whom we bought a painting a couple of months ago, gave the group a tour of his gallery, "Unnamed Gallery," (kind of like No Name Saloon in Park City) and of his working studio.
We also visited the Vintage Motor Company, a fabulous vintage motorcycle and vintage car museum, created by some very energetic and creative SoCal motorhead immigrants. Outside the museum, housed in a wonderful restoration of Helper's 1920's vintage Lincoln Hotel, there is a hot dog stand with tables and chairs on a patio indented beside the building, of Main Street. Some of the party couldn't resist a pre dinner hot dog washed down by forbidden nectar camouflaged in ice filled paper Coke cups.
The [California Zephyr] is the appointed remedy for whatever is false and fantastic in our culture. Ralph Waldo Bishop
Above: UP Locomotive. Amtrak Station. Helper, UT. 07 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour.
Out and about on the California Zephyr.
'Cake preens by UP locomotive. "Building America," UP's highly apropos motto, appears on the side of each of its locomotives.
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries."
Above: Amtrak Station. Grand Junction, CO. 07 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr.
Junction of the Grand River (Renamed Colorado River) and the Gunnison River.
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries. " Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Above: Lunch. Patio, Hotel Colorado. Glenwood Springs, CO. 07 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr
Atavistically, authentic lunch. Throughout our stay in Glenwood Springs, our twelve strong group spent a lot of time in this courtyard area of Hotel Colorado. TIMDT correctly noted that one of the principle contributing reasons for the success of the railway jaunt was the positive ambiance shared amongst the group. The lovely - atavistic - Hotel Colorado setting contributed greatly to that ambiance.
"The land is the appointed remedy for whatever is false and fantastic in our culture." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Above: Glenwood Hot Springs. Glenwood Springs, CO. 07 September 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr
Bishop takes the waters with KAT on arrival day, and then, again, with Maharajah next day, departure day. Seeks cure for itchy scalp. Bishop channels Andrew Lincoln as he maneuvers to avoid The Walking Mask People. Interestingly, masks weren't required as you lolled in the bathtub warm water in the hot spring pool. I guess the pool itself was free from disease and the outside of the pool was not. It would seem to me that the knowledge of how to keep the pool safe from disease could be transferred to other areas, thus obviating the requirement for people to wear masks altogether.
I'm not a hot spring junkie yet, but, my first experience in a hot spring at Thermopolis, six weeks or so ago, was so pleasurable that I was looking forward to trying the Glenwood hot spring. This spring had less of a sulfuric smell than Thermopolis but the positive effect of the 104 degree temperature water on my sensitive skin areas was wonderful. In addition, I discovered that sitting on one of the underwater benches lining the perimeter of the pool while jabbering with a friend was nice indeed.
Because I did the spa on the second day of the trip with Maharajah, I missed the excursion taken via hotel van by most of the rest of the group to Glenwood Spring's supposedly famous do-nut restaurant and to the cable car that rises 1500 feet to a promentory above the town. All spoke well of this excursion.
Bishop was "boulverse" by $25 price tag, especially considering the $2.50 entry fee for Thermopolis. Bishop declares Thermopolis as his hot spring of choice.
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries." Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Above: Hotel Colorado. Glenwood Springs, CO. 08 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr
TIMDT meditation.
The Colorado Hotel is a work in progress. The 120 year old structure, formerly a "grand dame" type of hotel which housed people from around the world, alighting the train to stay a few days to "take the waters," would have been torn down but for the initiative of a wealthy, Aspen based investor, to restore the hotel to its former glory.
To bring the hotel to a world class standard, requires modern ducting for air conditioning and heating and full re wiring. They are not there yet. Rooms and closets of that era were tiny too. So are they today... as, so far, there has been no indoor gutting so as to expand room size. If you are staying there today, you might have to wait a few minutes for the hot water to come out of the tap; you might not be able to run your hair dryer without a fuse blowing; and, if you are a bit oversized, squeezing into the nook where the toilet is situated could pose a problem. Its going to cost a lot of money to get all these things fixed. The staff and service are also "interim..." willing, but, untrained.
Likely, the investor knows that his Hotel Colorado project is a labor of love that won't pay off economically. However, all of our group viewed these short comings as "first world problem" in nature, choosing to focus on the plusses of the experience, including the positive vibe ambiance among group members about doing a funky rail trip. The hotel courtyard as a place to dine and to socialize was fantastic...particularly in the 70 degree, sunny equable climate. The food and drink were adequate plus. Access to the town was easy, with a short walk on a footbridge across the Colorado River to the town. Both train station and hot springs spa were right down town.
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries." Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Above: California Zephyr Amtrak. Glenwood Springs, CO. 08 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr
Not "The Spirit of New Orleans," but pretty magnificent views on the return.
Look. It is what it is. A government run train line. TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have taken bullet trains in Japan and Spain. Both train systems were magnificent with excellent food and general, overall professional service. The California Zephyr is not a bullet train, but it can roll on pretty smoothly at speeds approaching 80 mph. Still, unlike the Japanese and Spanish trains we have ridden, California Zephyr service levels are mediocre. Dining car food is kind of like... microwaved frozen dinners served on a plastic tray. Oh.... and, "sorry sir we're out of salad dressing... do you still want your salad without dressing?" The train cars are twenty years old and pretty scruffed up. The windows of the observation car are unnecessarily dusty. The interior accoutrements look like a hotel premises that has skipped its every six year rehab.
Unless you are in your private compartment, where masks are not required, there is polite mask wearing enforcement in other areas of the train, including the observation car and the snack bar/bar. The enforcement comes via a conductor when he/she walks through the car... and, via the PA system, where the chief conductor gives a spiel on the efficacies of mask wearing. Most people in public areas of the train complied willingly with the mask wearing requirement.
The snack bar/bar is on the lower floor of the observation car. In back of the bar is a staff for staff to relax. When I was there, there were six or seven train employees in close proximity to one another none of whom were wearing masks. Why have a mask rule for the passengers if the employees are not following the same rule?
The bar menu has a list of basic spirits available. Members of one group I noticed in the observation car ordered bourbon and scotch. The bartender said they were out of those drinks. The drinkers, eschewing the rum and the vodka which was available, not being able to enjoy their preferred drink, pulled out their own secret stashes of bourbon and scotch and poured it into clear, ice filled ice tea cups. To disguise their perfidy, they placed a bottle of partially opened ice tea on their table to throw the liquor police off the scent. "Hey! We're just drinking iced tea!" But, no... their stratagem failed miserably. Within minutes, blaring over the PA, the female, assistant conductor announced that consuming private liquor stashes on the train was forbidden... and, that anyone who persisted in the pernicious practice would be thrown off the train at the next stop. Well, I agree with Amtrak that private stashes shouldn't be consumed in public areas of the train when there is a full service bar available. But, when the bar has no product? What then? These poor people... who were having a good laugh at the conductor liquor nazi's anti personal stash diatribe, were in a bit of a Catch 22, not caused by themselves, right?
This is not to say that the train ride itself was so bad. The views of the landscape were spectacular. The aspen showed in full gold display. The ambiance amongst the group continued great. Overall, the employees were helpful and friendly. Everyone who participated loved the train ride. Amtrak defines comfort down, I guess. But, as I noted earlier in this diary, "happiness is a choice." And, I'm happy to say that notwithstanding the somewhat tarnished train, our group chose to be happy during our train ride experience.
"The land is the appointed remedy for whatever is false and fantastic in our culture" Ralph Waldo Emerson
Above: Helper, UT. 09 October 2020.
In Search of Authenticity Tour
Out and about on the California Zephyr.
Post breakfast at Balance Rock Cafe.
Maharaja, the group's comic, taunted the Balance Rock waitress about her not wearing a mask. Not knowing Maharaja in context... that most of what comes out of his mouth on first meeting is a tease... or a double entendre of some kind, the waitress started to bristle. "Well, there are other restaurants you can go to if you'd like." Maharaja, seeing her reaction, told her he was just teasing, and within two seconds Maharajah and the waitress were getting along just fine. A few weeks ago, while on a motorcycle ride, TIMDT and Mwah (sic) stopped at a small restaurant in Worland, Wyoming. On the door it said, "One of our employees has asthma and doesn't wear a mask. If you are not comfortable with that, we suggest you find another restaurant."
I was struck with the differences in mask wearing protocol from area to area.
In Helper and Worland, mask wearing was outwardly required... health department signs on entrances to restaurants and retail stores, etc., but compliance was lax.
In Glenwood Springs, CO, mask wearing was de rigueur, indoors and outdoors. Where in Helper, social pressure to wear masks was nil, in Glenwood Springs it was ubiquitous. Just prior to my departure to the train station yesterday, I was having a sandwich in Hotel Colorado's beautiful outdoor, courtyard eating area. The masked manager came by to see how things were going and we entered into a chat about the hotel restoration. Of course, as a customer eating in the outdoor eating area, I was not required to wear a mask. After getting up to leave, I bid adieu to the manager and reached over to grab my wheeled bag to start my walk, alone, mask-less, outdoors, across the Colorado River foot bridge, to the train station. As I was departing, the hotel manager reminded me that I must wear my mask throughout my time in the city... indoors and outdoors. In other forays about town, it was pretty clear that behind ever mask - even outdoors - was lurking a self appointed member of the mask police.
Park City seems somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. While out and about, walking and hiking in the area, most people are not wearing masks. Even on Main Street it seems that half or more, when outdoors, are mask free and so far as I've been able to see, little shaming going on. Indoors, in public or retail establishments, masks are required with most people complying willingly. Or, if you're like me, you don't go into those places
In March 2020, when masks were a topic of discussion, but, not yet required, I penned an essay in which I wrote that I would not go any place where masks were required or where mask shaming was going on. I said that I had too many other options. I could go to rural areas, motorcycle in uncrowded areas, and order stuff by Amazon or grocery home delivery. I wrote that there is ongoing controversy over the efficacy of wearing masks offset by likely serious, unintended social consequences of wearing them. Over history, robbers and terrorists wear masks. It was common knowledge among motorcyclists that to wear a full faced motorcycle helmet into a convenience store was a threatening act.
Six months later I haven't changed my views. With only a very few exceptions (hospital, say). The only times when I wear a mask are to enter a restaurant. Of course, when seated at the table, at least in Utah, there is no mask requirement. I don't go into retail establishments or to indoor public areas. For other needs, I am keeping Amazon.com in business.
And, the social consequences of mask wearing that I surmised in March, are now coming into full view.
Recently, while walking, unmasked, down Park City Main Street, a man and a woman, about my age approached, sans mask, each walking identical little mutts of some kind. On seeing us (I was with a friend) the people stopped in their tracks and hurriedly reached below their chins to bring up their masks. While doing so, they lost control of their dogs, one of which rushed over to me and started pulling on my pant leg. They apologized and moved on.
On that same walk, further down on Park Avenue, a fifty something man walking from the opposite direction, walked out into the road as he passed us, while covering his nose and mouth with his cupped hands. What kind of bizarre act is that.
These are two little examples of a much more wide spread syndrome seen more and more today... that of acting strangely opposite others. Not infrequently on a trail I'll be approached by masked people who on seeming me will walk off the trail and turn their backs to me. What is this? There is no evidence showing that fleeting encounters outdoors give rise to coronavirus contagion. Think of the adverse impact on social interaction on kids, who are required to wear masks in schools.
From the very beginning of the coronavirus phenomenon, back in March, I tried to understand risk in the context of odds. I took the then ominous looking Italy ratios and applied them to Summit County. I determined, using the Italy assumptions then current, that there would be seven corona virus deaths in Summit County over the following year. In seven months, there has only been one corona virus death... out of a population of forty thousand. During the last ski season, truncated as it was, there were three ski deaths. There were three traffic deaths in Summit County in 2019. Even at my forecast death rate of seven as a worst case, that didn't seem to me like The Spanish Flu. We didn't close the ski resorts because of three ski deaths. We didn't shut Summit County Roads because of the two traffic deaths.
There have been 200 thousand coronavirus deaths in the United States since the "pandemic" started. One hundred thousand of those deaths have been plus 80, nursing home, multiple co-morbidity cases. Lets assume there are sixty million people in the United States that are over the age of seventy. Lets assume that sixty percent of the remaining 100 thousand deaths come from that cohort. So... sixty thousand of sixty million people over 70, under this assumption, have died of this disease... that means that there is a 0.01% chance, or one chance in one thousand, of a 70 year old dying of coronavirus. Continue the shut downs?!!! Leave it to the individuals to use their own judgement about risk. Get the economy... the skiing... the competitive sports... going again. What? You got Corona virus? You, even as an old person, have a flu like mortality risk of a 0.01% chance of dying. And you're wildly altering your life because of this?
The intense shut down pressure early on was based on fear that the hospital systems would be overloaded... then, two million, not two hundred thousand, deaths were predicted... so, that was a justifiable worry. The hospitals overall through out the country didn't come close to maxing out. Even New York City, which suffered the highest rates of contagion, had field hospital excess capacity in spades.
So, what do we do in the face of this faux crisis where we have a disease that seems to be no greater than a bad flu year? We force everyone to wear masks, we curtail normal school activity and ignore the serious "unforseen" consequences of an excessively draconian response.
The Swedes and the Stanford guys (Rau, Atlas, Ionnedes et al) seem to have it right. They say more responsibility should be placed on the individual to evaluate their own risk factors and adjust (or not) their lives accordingly. Otherwise, the economic engine, life as we once knew it, should be pursued with full vigor.
Look. Coronavirus or not, I think its a good idea for any senior to avoid large gatherings, crowded night clubs. Staying home or outdoors, travelling in rural areas is a good idea for any kind of disease avoidance. Maybe you can't be a purist in this, but, you can reduce your exposure to risk. Its like losing weight. Maybe a dish of ice cream a week won't hurt you, but, a dish every day will. Take responsibility for your life. Just sayin'.
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries." Jean-Jacques Rousseau
ADDENDUM
The wonderful world of construction even though it’s a small project that delays at the shipping area Long Beach etc. you can imagine what retailers are going through many inventories are low of course many are extremely high due to no business in any event it shall be done can’t wait to see the finished product😎
Thanks,
Mr. Z3,
Oxnard, CA
I agree with your Trump endorsement...
Hill Climb,
Columbia, SC
You sir, have good judgement.
DrummerJ
Lehi, UT
Hi Steve,
👍👍👍! You hit the bullseye with those comments about Trump. My retired CPA stopped out to visit a month ago from Minnesota on his way to his winter home in Arizona and asked me about my support for Trump. He asked whether his course talk and behavior bothered me. I said I look at the man more for what he does than what he says ....politicians promise a lot but many times deliver little or what they deliver is self serving and not for the best of the country. When you list all of Trump’s accomplishments over the past four years, he’s done a lot for this country! I can overlook anything he stated that may be considered course when you weigh it against his actions and accomplishments.
I forwarded Ronnie W. your email from a few weeks ago on your tour around Utah. He’d had possession of one of my BMWs that was used on the Northeast BDR we road in August with his Texas group. This bikes had been shipped back to Texas from Pennsylvania so it was decided to meet In Utah (a few days after you sent our your trip report) and do a week ride there when I retrieve my bike.
We hit a few of the same spots you highlighted.....meeting in Blanding, riding the backroads to Hanksville, then Salina via Cathedral Valley, Mount Pleasant via the Skyline Drive, Price, back to Hanksville and final day back to Blanding on blacktop before we parted. Utah is underestimated in its beauty.
By he way, I showed my wife your Sprinter project......she thinks it would be a blast. Hope you enjoy......
Take Care,
R 1250 GS Adventure
Colorado Springs, CO
Steve,
I’ve much appreciated you providing unbiased opportunities for voices in our community but this is not one.
Harley Cop,
Park City, UT
My diary is not a "community send." Only friends are included on the diary list, most of whom do not live in Park City. Though maybe I should circulate it on my community lists considering the high number of high level Park City/Summit County officials are virulently anti-Trump on their widely read social media postings.
Steve,
I am told that many friendships have been destroyed by extreme opposing positions on this years election. I still consider you a friend, and I do hope the feelings are reciprocated. Thus said, I must respond to your Endorsement email.
I am bit surprised that you have chosen your email list platform to become a social media type platform for political expression. I do not see a list of addressees so I can't tell if this is your LSDM list or Picto-diary list, or another list. I could not cc all who received your email, but if you choose to do so, you may forward this to all who did receive your email. I suggest you do, so the reader can see two sides of the conversation.
I will comment on your positions seriatim. But, first, I am disappointed in you that you have stooped to name calling. Previously you referred to me, and those who might have similar beliefs as do I, as Marxist/Leninist Terrorists because we happen to believe in the BLM movement and their posters and we happen to believe there exists many cases of unfair, unequal justice based on race. Now you call me a useful idiot, in the Leninist sense. If you want to call me something, how about Patriot, having served six years in the military and four years as a civilian working for the US Government in Korea and Laos in the 1960’s. I did not dodge the draft with phony letters from sham Doctors about bone spurs. And, I do not consider my self a Sucker or a Loser for having served.
Now, specifically. I have cast my ballot for the Biden/Harris ticket. Colorado provides for mail in voting and I got my ballot today and submitted it. There is zero evidence of voter fraud in the Colorado mail in voting system.
2nd Amendment will not be abolished nor curtailed. Unless you consider background checks and the prohibition of fully automatic rifles designed for the military to be curtailment. There will be no rounding up of long guns and automatic rifles the way John Howard did in Australia following a horrible mass shooting. Having lived in Australia, you may remember that.
You already have an activist Supreme Court, and if Judge Barrett is confirmed, it will be more so - but in your favor. Of anecdotal interest is that Neil Gorsuch is Kay’s cousin. Kay’s Mother was a Gorsuch. Her family was old school Republicans but since Clarence Thomas savaged Anita Hill in the confirmation hearings, she has never voted Republican again
Taxes. A Biden Administration will try to overturn the Trump “tax cuts”. I put tax cuts in inverted commas because only the very wealthy and corporations got their taxes cut. It increased our National Debt and did nothing for the working class. You and I may have got a slight benefit, but those who really needed help did not. I do believe that taxpayers with gross adjusted income in the top 10 per cent should pay more to help ameliorate the huge economic disparity that is one of the major socio economic stresses in today’s America
Increased Fed Regulation. Not sure all regulation is bad. I think the FDA is helpful to us. I think catalytic converters was a good idea. I think a carbon tax or carbon exchange would be a good idea. Some Banking Regulation helps to prevent chaos and bank failures. Some consumer protection is good. FDIC is good. I will admit, some regulations are too severe and some are self serving of strong lobbying interests. Let’s check in with each other in a few years if Biden wins and see if your worries were well founded.
ddd
Reduced military spending. Don’t know. Perhaps not reduced, but maybe smarter given how warfare has changed over the decades.
Global agreements, trade and otherwise. You lived in Australia and Asia. Do you not see the values in ANZUS, ASEAN, SEATO? I do not believe that America's best interests are served by going it alone. I believe in the value of multinational agreements that have been well structured and well negotiated so that both, or all, parties benefit. It is possible.
Coerced carbon suppression. One either believes in the science of climate change and the effect of Co2, or not. Think of your Grand Children and their children. Let’s take care of this planet on which we live and pass it on to those who follow. In your last Picto diary, you groused about no idling ordinance and RV coaches belching diesel exhaust. Carbon? Regulation?
Domestic Policing. I am opposed to Defunding the Police. I do believe money should be spent on recruiting and training to help to address the issues we face. All the good Cops do not want to serve with the bad Cops.
Redefinition of Love. No government needs to define love. We humans know the meaning of love and know when we feel it. No government should prevent love from flourishing wherever, whenever and with whomever.
Back to me being a useful idiot because I seem to vote against my own self interest. It depends on the meaning of self interest. If it means selfish interests, then you would be right. I define my own self interest to involve more than just myself. My self interest is in the shared best interests of my self; my neighbor; my friends; my colleagues; my fellow human beings; those not as fortunate as you and I. In short, Love Thy Neighbor, Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You. Isn’t that what we were taught?
So, let’s remain friends, but certainly agree to disagree.
Manila Pal,
Aspen, CO