August 7, 2012:
Southern couple, like my family. Overweight wife, purple sweater, mouth open. Thick makeup, thick glasses, hair died to hide the gray. Aggressive: leans out with her cell phone to ensure she gets the shot, so that everyone behind her has her fingers in their photos. "Spittin' image" of my grandfather's wife. In quotes 'cause it's the phrase she'd have used.
Cold! I'm underdressed for an open air train that climbs to 9000 feet. Teeth chatter through smiles.
Beautiful valley, beautiful stream, beautiful mountains. Beautiful to be away from home.