I woke up to cold, very cold. It’s due to start snowing this afternoon. My train leaves at 10:17 pm. Most of the places I planned to see are closed due to weather. The hotel, a Hilton Home2 property, has extended my checkout until 1:00. It’s a great place. I spent the time doing my laundry. Not too many hotels have a washer/dryer for the guests, but Home2 does.

I decided I had enough of sitting in my room watching old comedies. The Amtrak station has a lot of stuff to see and do, so I checked out and walked the short distance. It’s cold. Surprise, surprise, most of the attractions are closed due to the weather. I got a few hours to figure out something to do.

Good news. I was able to leave my bags with the Amtrak ticket person. Now I can tour the station and take the walkway to the shops on the other side of the street.

Lots of good stuff to see, unfortunately, most of it closed because of the weather. I tried to go back to the bbq place I ate at last night, but it was too cold. So I went to one at the shops at the end of the walkway, called Burnt Ends. Good stuff, but I think I’ve had enough ribs for a while. Kansas City is a place I will return to when the weather is warmer so I can see all the things I’ve missed.

Back at the station I met a young man on his way from Arkansas to Los Angeles to help his aunt. Stephen is a nurse, married for two months to an airman (airwoman?). It’s people like him who give me hope that the next generation can fix some of the problems that my generation has created. Meeting people has been one of the best experiences of my trip.