Steve, Simon, Chase and I adventured down to Eugene on 12/30/19 for a dads and kids getaway. We made some fun memories and had a mix of painful, silly, joyful, and extremely ordinary moments that combined to make for a great couple days.
- Steve and I and the boys met at the train station around 9am on Monday for a 9:45am train. For 40 minutes the kids were obsesses with viewing the model train going around in circles at Union Station. In fact, after the trip was over, Chase said that watching that train had been the highlight of the trip for him. "What was your favorite part of the trip Chase?" "Watching the little train."
- When it was time to actually board the train and we walked outside, Chase's excitement turned to terror because of the low rumble and hissing noises of the train. He covered his ears and started saying "no no no". Once we got on he was much better.
- On the train ride down, we were on the Amtrack Cascades train and had a nice 4 seat setup with a chair in between. Simon liked to yell "All aboard!" regularly. Chase mostly wanted to climb around in the seats.
- We got to Eugene ("we're going to you jeans!") in the expected amount of time, and began the slow journey to the airbnb, about 0.9 miles away. Our travel included the following strategies, ranked from slowest to fastest.
- Both kids "walking" with no prodding. Basically this means they stop constantly and often go back the way we came
- Simon walking extremely slowly, me carrying Chase on shoulders
- Chase pulling my big rolling suitcase by the handle, with me holding the suitcase up by a second strap, and Simon trying to push the suitcase from behind.
- Simon pulling my big rolling suitcase by the handle, with Steve holding the suitcase up by a second strap (while also carrying his duffel bags), and then me carrying Chase on my shoulders.
- Steve running ahead pulling my rolling suitcase (still carrying his duffel bags) while I carry Chase on my shoulders and shout "Simon, Simon, your dad is running away with the suitcase, go chase after him! Go catch him!"
- Our airbnb was perfect. A nice older couple, Deborah and Frank, with a black lab named Dakota. We had the whole upstairs, with 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and a common space. They said they'd had 400 airbnb guests in 6 years, but that we were the first dads/kids pairing. There were lots of toys. The boys' favorite was a big plastic logging truck (pictured).
- We walked (slowly) over to the park in the afternoon, then up to a brewpub for dinner. Steve and I split a 6 beer sampler and the kids got grilled cheese and hot dog. Chase at almost the whole dog!
- From there we went a bit further, past a Lego brick store, where the kids were enthralled by the display in the window. "I want this train to go" said Chase looking at a lego locomotive. We couldn't make that happen, but did go inside and let the kids play with an oval train track for about 20 minutes, which they loved.
- The kids went to bed pretty well, around 8pm. Steve and I had a few beers, played some cribbage, and chatted.
- Kids slept well and were up at 7ish. We took a long walk to a bakery where the kids could be themselves and be loud and get messy. Simon spent some time in a carved out tree, and Chase did not like him in the tree.
- We returned to the bungalow - oh yea, the kids loved saying bungalow, bungalow, bungalow through the whole trip - hung out for a bit, then left around 11:15am to head back to the train station for our 12:36pm departure. I hour later, we arrived at the train station and found that our train was delayed 90 minutes. We went to a good lunch place and then boarded.
- Good train ride back, divided between our regular seats and the observation car, both on the upper level of the Coast Starlight train.
- Total cost - ~$180 per person. $90 train, $60 lodging, $30 food.
- The train trip was successful! It was a funny combination of how and high ambition. High ambition to deal with the train travel and staying overnight. Low ambition because we didn't have a single "must do" items to complete beyond getting to Eugene, staying over, and getting back. So, we spent a lot of time moving between locations (train station, airbnb, dinner restaurant, bakery) at the pace chosen by two 2-year olds.
- If one measure of enjoyment is whether Chase now asks if he can go on another train trip every single day, then I'd say he enjoyed it.
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