• On the Train to Minot

    North Dakota Sunrise

    I have a difficult time sleeping on trains or planes. I can be as tired as a 3 year old who has been up all day without a nap, after running around outside all day, sitting at the dinner table falling asleep in their peas tired. But as soon as I try to fall asleep. Nothing. Nada. No sheep coming to visit me.
    Part of the problem lies in the fact that I need to sleep lying down. Since January of this year, I have been sleeping with my head raised. It started when I was diagnosed (incorrectly, since the real problem was I had the flu) with acid reflux. I got a wedge for my bed and so now I no longer sleep completely flat. One issue this has resolved is my snoring so my husband thanks the doctor for his misdiagnosis. This was fine for the first few months. However, lately part-way through the night I adjust my pillow all the way down off the wedge and sleep flat. I am so much happier.

    So, you can see my predicament trying to sleep on the train on my recent trip from Saint Paul, MN to Minot, ND. Hey! Look at these seats! Plenty of leg room, little foot rests, seats that recline to almost the same angle as my wedge and the best part - the leg rest you can adjust upwards to support your lower legs (which was not discovered right away.) Well, this seems comfortable. I’m sure I’ll be able to sleep this time!

    Wrong. This is how my night progressed:

    Stage One: Figure out how to get the foot rest on the seat in front of me down. Put feet on foot rest. Pretty comfortable but about 1/2 inch too short with my legs stretched completely out in front of me. Then my legs start to get a bit uncomfortable because I haven’t yet discovered the leg rest.