In the past, I’ve written about being a low-key traveler. I wrote about my plan to take the Amtrak across the country solo. I ended up going:
- through upstate New York to Chicago
- Chicago along the northern US border to Portland
- Portland to Sacramento along the California coast
- continuing along the coast to Los Angeles
- Los Angeles to Chicago through New Mexico
- and then back home through upstate New York from Chicago
And it remains, several years later, one of my favorite trips. I had a great mix of exploring and pushing my boundaries. On the train, particularly the three day stretches from Chicago to the West Coast and back, I was able to chat with my various dining mates, and then relax, cross-stitch and read on my own. In between legs, I explored the various cities, dining alone, walking the streets, and exploring the local history.
But it wasn’t until my latest trip on a canal boat that I realized how much I love having a mode of transportation as my main destination. It’s perfect for my low-key style.
For my birthday, I gathered my sister and a few friends to get on a canal boat along the Erie Canal. Never having driven a canal boat, or navigated a lock system, we had some learning to do. After a couple of hours, we were let loose on the canal. This isn’t as wild as it sounds though. The boat is limited to a maximum speed of 6mph.
To prepare for the trip, we bought a whole bunch of groceries from Costco, very tentatively planned a route (that was promptly tossed out the window), and packed for maximum laziness. It was perfect. We saw the canal from a totally different perspective and gained a new skill. The locks along the Erie are such an impressive innovation to experience. The leaves were just beginning to change color. We had space to hang out as a group and to spend some time doing our own thing. While we had the option to explore the towns we docked in, it was kind of lovely to be able to cook for each other and stay on the boat for the evenings.
And, really, the meals and the freedom to socialize or not are some of the reasons I love these travel modes. In the end, it was my time on the train that I remember from that trip. The lessons I learned from the couple I met from Wisconsin, my neighbors from Dallas, and the crew on the trains stay with me. The views from the boat, the experience of the locks, and time with my friends are what will stay with me from this latest trip.
I could go on and I’m sure I will for anyone who speaks to me in person. Truly, I recommend trips to modes of transport. I’m going to be looking for more options, that’s for sure. And I’m already thinking of ways to be on sleeper trains or canal boats again.
