Thread by @GailSimone

Okay, I am going to announce something fun right now. It could be cool, or it COULD TOTALLY BE A DISASTER but either way, it should be fun to witness!

Ready? It involves a lifelong dream, and one of my favorite parts of making comics.

This'll be fun!

Here's the deal. I get asked questions about cons all the time, from both curious readers and from new pros who have questions.

I get asked to a LOT of cons, I can't possibly attend them all, it's sometimes over 200 requests a year.

So I pick VERY CAREFULLY.

I try to consider a lot of factors. Some cons, I am contracted to appear at, some a publisher asks me to attend. But I try to put a priority on ones I haven't been to yet, in areas new to me.

The exceptions are cons that I just really enjoy each time. Like @C2E2 in Chicago.

@c2e2 So @c2e2 is possibly my favorite US con of the bigger events. I have made so many friends, and they treat us wonderfully, and Chicago is one of my favorite cities in the world. I wish I could go every year, but I just don't think that's fair to other cons, so...

@c2e2 ...I often say no but then I feel bad because I missed my favorite con. :)

So I haven't been for a couple years, and I agreed to go this year, I think it was announced yesterday. So yay.

But here's the cool bit. Or the stupid bit.

OR THE STUPID COOL BIT!

@c2e2 I don't love airplanes, I don't love the process of air travel as a rule. It's convenient but often uncomfortable and after the first thousand stinky planes, you can feel a bit over it all.

On the other hand...

@c2e2 ...I freaking love trains. All my life, I read stories and watched movies with trains, I love the romance and history of them, I love that you can get up and walk around.

When I was a kid, I loved Wild Wild West because TRAINS.

@c2e2 But because of time considerations, I've taken very few longer train trips, almost none in the US. I've been on train trips through China and Scotland and a few other cool places, but my DREAM has been to take a train across the US.

But it never worked timewise.

@c2e2 TRAINS! I know they are stinky maybe and probably bumpy and maybe cramped and all that stuff. BUT I LOVE TRAINS.

So. I was watching random youtube videos, there was one about a train, I said, we should do that someday...

@c2e2 And @rocketspouse says, "Why DON'T we, then?"

So, long story SLIGHTLY shorter.

TRAIN!

To @C2e2!

Guys, this is flipping me out. I am so excited.

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse A lot of you probably ride trains five times a week and don't see the appeal. But if you have read Agatha Christie and dreamed of trains your whole life, it is a BIG DEAL INDEED.

We weren't sure we could work it out. I did a TON of research.

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse So then I thought, man, if we could do this, I could do videos and livestreams and tweet about it, FROM THE TRAIN on the way to the con, right?

I don't know if anyone's done that before, and it will probably explode, but damn, it sounds fun.

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse So I wrote to my dear friends at @c2e2 and explained my goofy idea, that I would be posting about the #TRAINTOC2E2, not just on the train, but the process leading up to it, what to pack, how to fill time, if there's a murder mystery to solve...

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse ...and because they are awesome, they were completely into it and were happy to support it.

So from now until the actual con, I will post tweets and stuff, and take suggestions and advice, and answer questions. But basically, #TrainToC2E2 is a thing starting NOW!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse I'll tell a lot more details about the trip soon, I know a LOT of people love any kind of travel videos. I will review the food, our super weird tiny little accommodations, any unusual odors, the scenery, AND will be doing a comics script live on the @amtrak train!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak Also, since I don't have a youtube channel OR know how to edit videos OR know what I am doing, it is almost a GUARANTEED chance of extreme embarrassment!

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak So, if you have questions about this trip, or the con, or cons in general, ask on this thread. Use the hashtag #TrainToC2E2, and I'll answer 100% honestly unless it's about @TomKingTK's haircut.

This is going to be fun!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK Starting #TrainToC2E2 facts!

This trip leaves from Union Station in Portland, Oregon, and ends in Chicago, and takes 45 hours!

The @amtrak train we are taking is called the EMPIRE BUILDER, and crosses through some of the most beautiful country in the USA!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK I am sure this all sounds silly, but this is genuinely a dream I have had my whole life, growing up on a tiny, isolated farm with a family that didn't travel.

So expect LOTS of terrible photos of blurry scenery and quite possibly full on reviews of vending machine Doritos!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK My favorite detail that everyone has mentioned about a million times?

THE TRAIN WILL BE LATE.

What train? You don't even know what train we're on

IT WILL BE LATE

But I--

LATE

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK Anyway, thank you SO MUCH to @c2E2 for sponsoring and supporting this weird adventure. I promise, there's gonna be some fun stuff, and we MAY even have some goofyass #TrainToC2E2 merch at the con if there's demand from weirdos like you guys!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK And thank you @amtrak for being helpful with my millions of questions!

#TrainToC2E2

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK And FINALLY, I will be asking you folks a LOT of questions...we want to do lots of short videos, mostly stupid ones but some might accidentally be great.

But I don't know a THING about the best way to do it, the easiest equipment to use, or setting up a YT channel.

Advice?

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK Do you have a great train ride story?

Do you have a favorite tip for train travel?

Please post using the hashtag #TrainToC2E2 and I will definitely keep monitoring this thread! SHARE YOUR STORIES, DAMMIT!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK ALSO, if any travel product companies have a product they would like me to try on this adventure, or any company offering anything to make the hours go by, let me know. I'm into the idea of doing a couple unboxing videos actually ON the train just for the fun of it!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK In particular, we might be looking for easy-to-use two player games, maybe?

I don't know, I'm new at this!

Anyway, it should be a lot of fun and I'm already completely obsessive about it.

Join us!

#traintoc2e2

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK This is the train, you guys! Each car is two stories!

And they used to have a theatre car that showed movies but everyone hated it so it's gone now!

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK Is it wrong that I am kind of hoping we get robbed by the Dalton Gang?

@c2e2 @RocketSpouse @Amtrak @TomKingTK Also, seriously, if this works out...how fun would it be to plan the same trip for a BUNCH of nerds next year?

We could be playing RPGS in the observation deck!

I have a question for people familiar with @Amtrak sleeping cars...I know they have free coffee available, but we don’t drink coffee. Do they have hot water for tea?

Ack, I am so excited about #TrainToC2E2!

Look at our ride, you guys!

Okay, starting the communal decision part of #traintoc2e2!
We want to have a theme for the movies we watch on the trip. Which should we choose?