Maxfield is addicted to trains. Like all good addicts he has “dealer”. The dealer is Lauren’s Uncle Fred, who is a train enthusiast, and sends Max all types of train videos, toys and pictures. Recently Uncle Fred sent Max information about Strasburg Pennsylvania.
Lauren and I reviewed the information and decided traveling to Strasburg (Lancaster PA, "Amish Country") would make a great long weekend. Let me tell you, taking Maxfield to Strasburg was like taking a crack head to a Crack Convention. We went to places like the Choo Choo Barn, The Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania and the Toy Train Museum.
They have two stores in Strasburg, seriously two, that sell nothing but Thomas the Tank Engine Stuff. Thankfully Max is not really into Thomas. He likes the fact that Thomas and friends are trains but does not really get into the different characters. Which is great for me because I don’t have to remember all of their different names (that space in my brain is reserved for knowing all the alter ego’s of every member of the Justice League).
There were many highlights to the trip but there were two that stood out for me. One is that we stayed in the Caboose Motel. We slept in an actual caboose. The place was not really that nice, somewhat of an old tourist trap kind of place, but Maxfield loved the fact that we stayed in a caboose.
The other highlight was riding the Strasburg Rail Road. We boarded a historic early 1900’s steam train that took us through the beautiful countryside. Max could barely contain his excitement. He moved back and forth on the train trying to look out the open windows. Every now and then Wyatt would try to climb up to peer out and Max would try to push Wyatt out of the way. I was a little paranoid that one of them would fall out of the open car.
Lauren could see that I was stressing and urged me to relax. “Bill, relax. It’s not like Max is going to push Wyatt out the window.”
“Lauren, their brothers,” I said. “And if I were on this train with my brothers I am sure one of us would have been pushed out the window.”
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23 comments:
Looks like a great time!!
I'm glad no one went out the window.
The Mayor is also a train enthusiast. I know more about trains now than ever before in my life.
love, Love, LOVE that last picture!
That, my friend, is awesome! I love it. Mia would love it too because of her affinity for trains.
I had to keep harping...but could it be that LW has been pushed out a window of a moving train? Where the heck is he these days? By the way, that last picture? Priceless.
Do you get your eyebrows waxed?
That is one happy face (the pusher)! And one pouty face (the pushee).
If you ever get out to Northern California, make sure you visit the Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento. It's amazing ...and offers train rides during the summer as well.
Oh wow! Buddy would LOVE that trip, too! His love of trains is fed by Grandpa Rich AND Grandpa Choo-Choo. :)
Ah I'm so happy to have boys. At least I'll be able to see them abusing each other unlike the psychological warfare of girls. Sounds like a place Liam would LOVE. Even the not-quite-Quality-Inn caboose.
I got a really good laugh driving through Intercourse, PA. Stayed in a Mennonite Farm B&B which was also a pig farm, once when visiting Amish Country.
The little guy looks so freaking ECSTATIC! And I love that last photo.
my 2-1/2 year old is nuts for trains too, but he is starting to get into Thomas. For him it's just about any machine, plane, train or automobile. He must see them all!
And I think my sisters and I would have been trying to push each other out the window too. I mean, why not?
And I second the vote for the trains in Old Sacramento. My grandparents live up that way, so I've been there a number of times.
You were right to worry. One of Big Daddy's little bothers, who is now 27, still gets the shakes when he is around Big D and his older brother G. They tortured him so much when they were little. Also, I had a cousin threaten to cut my arm off once. You gotta watch the kids...you'll turn your back and then BAM, one is missing an arm and smoking at age 7.
I'm not a train addict but I would have been jumping around, too. That looks like a great getaway!
Gee, would it kill you guys to do something your kids could enjoy for a change?! ;) What an awesome trip for Max!!! And that last photo? That's perfect!
Oh good! We did a similar trip on a train and like you say, with those open windows, I was terrified that someone would fall out or jump out!
Cheers
wow. this post reminds me that I can not.. and WILL not take rhena to something like this any time soon. seriously. we've come so far with the whole potty thing... I'd hate for her to shit herself from excitement.
glad you guys had a wonderful time.. the pics are great!
We love Strasburg! Never stayed overnight though.
It's so cool that you guys took a mini vacation based on Max's love of trains.
Cute picutres!!
I never knew you were a caboose kind of guy. I always took you for more of a coal car man.
I love taking my kids to see trains. We've ridden the Train to Nowhere (highly recommended if you're ever near Baldwin, KS—and the Midland Railway there hosts Thomas from time to time), and KC's Union Station has brought in some cool steam engines and passenger cars. It's great to show the kids what noisy, smelly transportation it was, even if they're not enthusiasts.
I loved reading every word! Especially the part about having a "dealer". My son is also addicted to trains and Thomas. We don't have Thomas only stores, but there are plenty with a lot of Thomas stuff. And now next month we are going to see Thomas in person at the railroad museum.
And of course if we ever make it out to Pennsylvania we will have to stay in that Caboose motel too.
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