But Then It Happened: My Baltimore Train Adventure
I love to travel, especially by train.
Recently, I took the train from my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Baltimore, Maryland. I had been invited there to teach an exercise class for people with limited mobility, and I was looking forward to the experience.
Little did I know that getting there—and getting back home—would become an adventure of its own.
And Then It Happened...
The ride from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia was smooth. Once in Philadelphia, I needed to transfer to another train heading south to Baltimore.
Then it happened.
The massive announcement board flashed that my connecting train would be one hour late.
That's when I remembered receiving a text message earlier saying Train 87 was delayed. I had ignored it because, at the time, it didn't register with me that Train 87 was my connecting train!
Oh well.
I found myself a comfortable seat, ate a sandwich I had just purchased, and kept one eye on the announcement board.
Then it happened again.
Two hours late!
I remained calm. What was I going to do? So I did something I enjoy whenever I am sitting in a train station:
People-watching.
I watched people suddenly running toward gates after hearing that dreaded announcement: LAST CALL!
I wondered, Why are they running late?
Of course, there could be a hundred different reasons. The good news was that everybody I watched made their train.
It reminded me of my last cruise to Bermuda. The ship had sounded its horn warning passengers to get back onboard, and there were still a few stragglers running toward the ship.
People standing on their balconies were yelling:
"Run! Run! Run!"
It was hilarious.
Although part of me wondered whether somebody might deliberately do that just to get attention. After all, a video of someone desperately running toward a departing cruise ship can make a pretty good viral social media clip!
Eventually, the announcement board lit up with the gate number for my Baltimore train.
I got up immediately and got in line.
I was number two!
That might not sound important, but when you're traveling by train, being number two in line means one thing:
Good seat choice!
By boarding time, the line was wrapping around the station.
Soon we were on our way to Baltimore.
The ride was smoother than I expected, and I finally arrived around 7 PM instead of my expected 5 PM arrival.
My Unexpected Walk Through Baltimore
This wasn't my first time in Baltimore. I find the city interesting, and on this particular evening, everything seemed fairly calm.
But after leaving my hotel, I took a wrong turn.
I ended up on Baltimore Street in an area filled with strip clubs, prostitution, and what appeared to be drug activity.
I thought, Oh my.
I didn't panic. I didn't run. I simply turned around and calmly began walking away from the area.
As I was leaving, I noticed something I had never witnessed before: two homeless men arguing over who was going to sleep on a particular spot of sidewalk that night.
That stayed with me.
Eventually, I made it safely back to my hotel. Once inside, I felt safe and secure, and I spent the rest of the evening resting.
Tomorrow was the real reason I had come to Baltimore.
The Moment That Made the Trip Worth It
The next day, I arrived at the nursing home and rehabilitation center where I would be teaching.
I set up my technical equipment and prepared for class.
Then, one by one, the participants began coming into the room.
Some could walk.
Some came in wheelchairs.
Some were brought in on rolling beds.
And some recognized me!
They had been watching my exercise videos on YouTube and knew exactly who I was.
As I began teaching, more and more people entered the room.
At one point, I looked around and had a powerful thought.
I remembered the biblical accounts of Jesus teaching while people brought those who were sick, unable to walk, or lying on cots so they could be near Him.
For just a moment, that image came alive for me.
I wasn't Jesus, of course, and I wasn't performing miracles. But I realized that through exercise, encouragement, faith, and simply being present, I had been given an opportunity to bring some joy and hope into that room.
That touched me deeply.
The staff was wonderful, and before I left, they were already talking about having me return.
That alone made the entire trip worthwhile.
I returned to my hotel, caught up on email and social media, had dinner, and settled down for the night.
Tomorrow, I was heading home.
Or so I thought!
Here We Go Again
The next morning, I arrived at the Baltimore train station.
I looked at the announcement board.
Thirty minutes late.
Then...
One hour late.
I stayed calm and returned to my favorite delayed-train activity.
People-watching!
And sure enough, there they were again—the late travelers running through the station after the last boarding call had been announced.
Once again, everybody I saw made it.
Eventually, my train arrived, and I headed to Philadelphia to make my connection back to Pittsburgh.
Fortunately, that one-hour delay didn't hurt me because I already had a two-hour layover scheduled in Philadelphia.
So there I was again.
Sitting.
Waiting.
Watching.
And yes...
More people running for trains!
Almost Home
Finally, the massive announcement board displayed the gate for my Pittsburgh train.
I quickly got in line so I could get another good seat.
Soon I was riding through Pennsylvania, passing mountains, valleys, and small towns like Tyrone.
Eventually we reached Johnstown.
I knew what that meant.
Only three more stops and I would be home!
But then it happened.
Just after leaving Johnstown, the train stopped.
The conductor announced that an approaching storm was severe enough that we would have to remain where we were for approximately 45 minutes.
Outside my window, the sunny skies disappeared.
Dark clouds rolled in.
The wind began blowing tree limbs.
Then came the thunder and lightning.
Was I afraid?
Not at all.
In fact, I thought it was exciting!
It felt like I was in an adventure movie.
About 45 minutes later, just as the conductor had predicted, the storm passed.
There was only one problem.
Trees had fallen across the railroad tracks.
We weren't going anywhere.
A crew had to come out and clear the tracks before the train could move again.
And so we sat.
And sat.
And sat.
From approximately 7 PM until 1 AM!
The train staff did their best to take care of us. Food and drinks were made available to us at no charge.
Through it all, I still felt safe and secure.
I knew one thing:
Eventually, I was going to get home.
And I did.
At approximately 2 AM, I finally walked into my apartment.
You would think I would have fallen straight into bed.
Nope!
I was too wide awake.
So naturally, I checked my email.
And there was one final surprise waiting for me.
Amtrak had sent me a message.
They were refunding my trip!
After everything that had happened, I had to smile.
Adventure, Discovery, Healing and Patience
When I think back on my Baltimore trip, I realize it wasn't simply a trip to teach an exercise class.
There was adventure in the unexpected.
There was discovery in what I saw along the way.
There was healing and encouragement in that room filled with people who came to exercise with me.
And there was definitely a lesson in patience.
Sometimes life doesn't follow our schedule.
The train gets delayed.
We take a wrong turn.
The storm comes.
Something blocks the tracks.
And all we can do is remain calm, make the best of where we are, and trust that eventually we'll get where we're supposed to be.
Maybe that's what I'll remember most about this trip.
Sometimes the unexpected detours become part of the story.
And sometimes...
they become the best part.
— Paul Eugene
Now It's Your Turn
I'm curious what you would have done if you had been traveling with me.
1. The Delayed Train: If your train suddenly went from being one hour late to two hours late, would you have remained calm and waited—or would you have started looking for another way to get to your destination?
2. The Wrong Turn: If you accidentally walked into an unfamiliar area that immediately made you uncomfortable, what would you have done?
3. The Storm: Imagine being only a few stops from home and then sitting on a train for six hours because a storm knocked trees onto the tracks. Would you have been calm like me—or would you have been frustrated and ready to get off that train?
I'd love to hear your answers. What would YOU have done?
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