We made it to Denali! Our first train up to the park is complete.

I was a bit anxious the night before. Worried about getting food that was gluten free and also the employee housing. It’s hard for me to get comfortable there.

I slept good and was up in time to take my time getting ready. It was nice to not have to wait for an Uber like we did last year.

We arrived at the rail yard and got our car assignments. As I expected, Derek and I were not on the same car. This happens at the beginning of the season to help train other employees. I missed working with him. We play off each other well and we get better tips too.

Right away I was frustrated as my bar was not stocked. It also needed a little cleaning.

I tried to help the rail guide as he was new. I don’t always come across in a way that people listen to me, as was the case today. I became frustrated and finished up my chores, as I was running out of time.

Soon the guests started coming up the stairs and I assisted them with finding their seats.

Soon we were on our way.

This group was going to Talkeetna, which is about a three hour train ride. There were only about 40 guests. The group was ready to drink! It was a short trip but a fun group.

We flipped the car, meaning we wiped down the tray tables, picked up any trash and placed literature in the seats.

This was nearly a full car which is about 80 people. I only made it through the car once. It seemed everyone wanted a beverage and also snacks. I missed Derek because we work together well with the serving and snacks. I didn’t even have time to sell any merchandise because I was too busy.

As we approached the depot, I took the microphone from the rail guide as he wasn’t using it. I told one of my favorite jokes.

I told the guests how we now call it the train depot because when we called it the train station, people got scared. One guy laughed so loud that it completely made my day. I live for these moments. The rail guide was unaware of the punchline so we had to explain it to him. (If you don’t know, it’s a reference to the TV show “Yellowstone”). When the loud laughter exited the train, he said “Goodbye, Beth”. Which made me laugh hard.

We arrived at the homestead and were delighted to find out that the rumors of the food being tasty were true! The dining area was freshly painted and the tables were arranged in more intimate, smaller settings. We complimented the chef and I talked to him about my Celiac dietary needs. He gave me some bags of chips and some gluten free cookies!

Sleep came early as we were tired. As Friday is a furlough day, we get to sleep in.