Bubba's Road Trip - Day 2

Breakfast with a couple of Swedes and then Chicago.  This was how my day started.  Definitely the top bunk of the sleeper is out of the question.  Too hard to get in and it seems too small or perhaps I have gotten too big for it.  Since I had a 5 hour layover in Chicago till the next train, I was able to wander all over the train station and partake of my favorite activity ... watching people walk by.  Chili and Cheese hotdog for lunch and I am ready for the next leg of the journey.  The train was 30 minutes late leaving because of mechanical problems to which we made up by Ottumwa Iowa.  Dinner was great and I shared it with a gentleman who was a oil pipeline welder.  Funny thing was half way through dinner he received a call wanting him to come and repair a piece of pipe in Alaska.  So he will be off as soon as he gets home.  Of course his stories of life as a trouble welder for 43 years was very interesting and might I say highly profitable.  Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, Africa, Middle East, and Chile were a few of the luxury spots he has worked at.  Tomorrow we should be in the Rockies and have lots of wildlife to see.