"I lost my shoe!" A railfan adventure.

"I lost my shoe."

 Grandpa (pronounced BaaPaa, at least for now) and Jack, all two years and three weeks of him, set out on an epic adventure of questionable sanity.  Just the two of us.  The goal, a first train ride for Jack.  

Jack and his parents were on vacation with us in St. Augustine for the week.  It seemed like the thing to do.

Here was the play.  Drive from St. Augustine down to Deland and ride one stop and back on Sunrail.  Then, maybe if the stars aligned and Amtrak cooperated, watch a couple of Amtrak trains between Deland and Palatka - more or less on the way home.

First, some background.  Jack, like all good babies and toddlers, is fascinated with trains.  Was it him? Or did we feed the habit.  Can't say, but we did start early.

Here he is as a baby.

Infant Jack checking out the engine servicing facility

Some indoctrination by his mother - ice cream and trains at Chamblee.

Some Brio trains. 

Even some help from Uncle Dan.

Atlanta Modurail Club layout at NS building, December 2024

This is just a sampling.  

We often watch train videos of all kinds on my phone and computer.  

This week, the first thing he wanted to do was get the Brio trains out and have me play with him. Every day.  All week.  So game on.

I looked at the Sunrail schedule.  We could catch a 9:40 departure at Deland, ride about 15 minutes to Debary, get off, wait 15 minutes and ride back.  Perfect.  Don't really want to risk trouble with a longer ride or shorter connection.  So, we packed a bag with all the necessary supplies, snacks, diapers, change of clothes, snacks, water and everything mom and grandma thought we'd need, and headed out.  

The plan worked perfectly.  We arrived Deland 15 minutes early, bought our ticket, and boarded.  The train left on time and quickly got up to track speed.  Jack didn't quite know what to make of it but he paid attention to what I was saying as I pointed out the things the train was doing and sights along the way. 

Boarding at Deland

After getting off at Debary

Our train departs Debary

We got off an Debary and the first word out of his mouth - "More!"

On board

About half-way back, he starts exploring on his own.

We arrive back at Deland and he wants "more trains".  Okay!  I check where the Florida Amtrak trains are.  If we drive back through Palatka, we can catch the southbound Silver Meteor and a very late southbound Floridian.  Perfect.  I have no idea where we'll stop but the railroad is more or less parallel and along side US 17 most of the way, so off we go.

We cruise up US 17 about 20 minute or so and find a nice place on the side of the road to wait for the Meteor.  As it gets close, I get him out of his car seat and hold him as the train goes by.  Jack says "Whoa!"

Silver Meteor in Seville FL

We're parked just off the shoulder on the road and I have to take care getting him back into his car seat.  The Floridian is just approaching Palatka, so I decide to get a bit closer and stop in Satsuma which is just south of where the railroad crosses the St John's River shortly after the Palatka station stop.  Off we go!

Now, Jack often takes his shoes off for entertainment or comfort or fun, and this trip is no exception.  We find a place to park in Satsuma and I go to take him out of his car seat.  No shoes. Okay, Jack, where are they?  One is on the floor next to him.  The other one is...by the door?  No.  Under the seat?  No.  On the ground by the door?  No.  Behind the seat?  No.  Next to the other door?  No.  After double checking and triple checking, no shoe. I tell him, "I think we lost your shoe."

The train is coming.  We get out, Jack in one shoe and I carry him trackside.  Jack says, "Whoa!" again.  I think he likes this railfanning stuff.

We get back in the car and I buckle him in.  He says, "I lost my shoe."

We head back to St. Augustine in time for lunch and a nap.  He busies himself looking at a Thomas the Tank Engine book.

Later, we are looking at pictures from the day on my phone and every time we see the one with the Floridian, he says "I lost my shoe."  

Every. time. 

Epilogue.  New shoes were ordered and delivered by Zappos.  Where did the shoe go?  My best guess is that while watching the Silver Meteor, one shoe fell off or got knocked off while I was putting him in his car seat.  As it was by the side of the road, I was concentrating on the task at hand and not paying attention to much else.  

Oh, and when looking at the pictures of the train ride, he drags me to the front door and want to go and do it again.  This train thing just might stick.