Airfares are high, so we went low and long with a 21-hour train ride

The first 10 hours flew by.

When I boarded Amtrak’s Cardinal train in D.C. on a sunny Wednesday morning, I said farewell to the fresh air and freedom of movement as if I were the fifth Artemis astronaut. That evening, I emerged from the coach compartment in Charleston, West Virginia, my final destination. Standing beneath a dome of pale stars, I watched the train vanish into the night, marveling at the magic of rail travel.