CT Pet Expo Adventure: Part 1 - Amtrak

Banners for my book and the Weimaraner Rescue I put up

Over the weekend of Sept. 10-11, I (Rob) took an Amtrak train up to Bridgeport, CT to the Connecticut Pet Expo to give a talk about "Pets and the Afterlife", represent the DC Area Weimaraner Rescue, sell my books, and also pitch my friend Nadine Poper's children's books about Dachshunds (check them on Amazon). Tom stayed home with the kids, so they were in good hands.

A Basset Hound at the Expo

   AMTRAK - If there's a way to travel, Amtrak is a great way to go. Trains are usually on time (within 5 minutes) and are clean. I had no issues with the train rides. Just a couple of notes.
1) CUSHION EXPERIENCE - The seat in the front of the car where I sat (because I had a very heavy suitcase packed with books) was apparently a common seat used by heavy people, because there was ZERO padding left in it.  - When I later moved I found the cushion was supposed to be 3" thick, not 1/2" thick! :)
 2) PACK FOOD AND BOTTLED WATER- I packed crackers and cookies. Getting up when you travel alone is not a good idea because your luggage sits there. Fortunately, I also sat near the restroom end of the car.
3) NICE RIDE- From Baltimore to Bridgeport, Connecticut the ride was about 6 hours.
4) CONVENIENT - What was convenient about the Pet Expo is that it was 3 blocks from the Amtrak Station, so I walked with my suitcases (I had 2). The hotel was just another 4 blocks away, so that was also easy to walk to, and there were both a DUNKIN DONUTS and an Italian Restaurant called "Ralph and Rich's"  (best Italian food!) where Tom and I got married in 2009, btw. So it was all convenient.

Ralph and Rich's in Bridgeport Great Italian Food

- After I got off the train I went right to the expo and set up my booth. I checked in the hotel and then had a nice Italian dinner at Ralph and Rich's restaurant.  The next day was the Pet Expo.

NEXT: THE PET EXPO 
THEN: THE CRAZINESS AT THE HOTEL