BG Report: Amtrak Southwest Chief in coach for two days

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(the article below accompanies this video)

I rode the entire route of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, from Los Angeles to Chicago. The trip lasts two nights and about 43 hours, and I rode in a coach seat rather than a sleeper.

That means that no meals were included, so I ate mine mostly from the on-board cafe. The Amtrak cafe serves microwaved food like hamburgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs, with sides like chips or raw vegetables. I tried to eat a range of things from the cafe, and tried to watch my blood sugar the best I could under these unusual circumstances.

Overall, my readings on the entire trip averaged about 189. Could be worse. The average would have been a lot better except for one big spike, which may have been more due to jet lag than anything with the train specifically.

The trip began in L.A.’s Union Station; my BGs had been fine all day and when the train left around 6:00 pm, I was 83. My first Amtrak meal was a hot dog with chips and a beer, and I guess I didn’t take enough for it; afterwards I was 235. I took some Humalog and tried to sleep in my reclined seat.

It wasn’t easy; I struggled to truly sleep in the uncomfortable space. I had two seats to myself, but even reclining both, it isn’t flat like a bed and there isn’t really enough room. I knew that tossing and turning – and not having slept enough in general lately, having just flown in from Japan – would probably not do my BG any favors.

Sure enough, I was still high the next morning when we pulled into Gallup, New Mexico: 205. After stretching my legs out on the platform, I got a breakfast sandwich and coffee, plus vegetables, from the cafe. In the observation car, I watched the great southwestern desert scenery go by and sipped my coffee. It was great, despite the high BG.

At lunch, in Albuquerque, I was still the same, 207. I went to a local market for a sandwich and chips and applesauce, and after taking my shot and eating, I knew I needed exercise for my BG. So I went downstairs and sort of walked in place for ten minutes. This helped me feel limber quite a bit and became a regular (but still not frequent enough) approach to getting exercise.

By mid-afternoon I was perfect, 106, and at dinnertime was still great at 125. This is where things got out of hand, though.

After another cafe meal, I was feeling good, and went to sleep in my coach seat after dark. I was very tired and fell into a deep and satisfying sleep. But, when you don’t get enough sleep, your blood sugar can mutiny. And mine did: because of the stress of not sleeping, not the food, I woke up around 4:00 am and checked; it was 374.

I hadn’t been that high in quite a while. It’s a downside to traveling, at least until the body gets used to a new sleep schedule. I took a few units of Humalog and went back to sleep.

In the morning, pulling into Kansas City, I was still high, 285. (Better, a little.) But I felt great despite this, because I’d slept so well. I had a muffin and coffee, plus more applesauce, and another generous shot.

I did well; at lunch time it was 79. After traveling through the midwestern farmlands and arriving in Chicago in the afternoon, I got a hotel room on the 40th floor overlooking Lake Michigan. My blood sugar was excellent the rest of the day (128 and 99).

So, lassoing the readings was a challenge on the Southwest Chief, but I did what I could and handled problems quickly. The highs didn’t detract from the trip itself, which was often mesmerizing. It’s a really fun adventure, and in some ways the train ride of a lifetime.

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