Any Texans want to ride the PEACE TRAIN with us??

[funkybutt]

Louisiana Activist Network is organizing a PEACE TRAIN from New Orleans to Washington,DC, picking up activist groups across the South on our way to represent the solid antiwar majority on the government's streets on September 24, 2005. We can fill a train if we lash things together properly. Southerners who wish to get in on this gig should start talking to us here --> http://www.newdemocracyrising.com/messageboard.asp

This could be an incredible life experience. Please get a group together and join us. One way tickets are just over $100.
Here's a link to the Amtrak schedule ---> http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Am...

Below are the towns the Louisiana Activist Network PEACE TRAIN will pass and the times we will arrive at each:

Thursday, September 22, 2005

7:20 AM New Orleans, LA

8:16 AM Slidell, LA

8:38 AM Picayune, MS

9:43 AM Hattiesburg, MS

10:17 AM Laurel, MS

11:17 AM Meridian, MS

12:51 PM Tuscaloosa, AL

2:31 PM Birmingham, AL

4:04 PM Anniston, AL

7:40 PM Atlanta, GA

9:03 PM Gainsville, GA

9:44 PM Toccoa, GA

10:20 PM Clemson, SC

10:57 PM Greenville, SC

11:43 PM Spartanburg, SC

Friday, September 23, 2005

12:43 AM Gastonia, NC

1:25 AM Charlotte, NC

2:36 AM Salisbury, NC

3:17 AM High Point, NC

3:35 AM Winston-Salem, NC

3:42 AM Greensboro, NC

4:44 AM Danville, VA

5:54 AM Lynchberg, VA

7:07 AM Charlottesville, VA

7:59 AM Culpeper, VA

8:33 AM Manassas, VA

9:27 AM Alexandria, VA

9:50 AM Washington, DC

[PDittie]

1. This sounds COOL

West Houston Dem has mentioned going to DC for this. Going with y'all might be ideal.

When does the train return to NO? (So I can start plotting days off. Maybe we can catch a train from Houston and all the way back home again).

[funkybutt]

4. I think there is a return trip on sunday

but you may want to check the amtrack site.

However, most of us are going to fly home due to time constraints (its a 25 hour train ride if it's on time). The flight costs about the same if not cheaper than the train ride. So you're basically lookin at around $200 round trip. It's 3 months away, so there's plenty of time to save. BUT we are concerned about the train filling up. If you plan on going, please book your train tickets as soon as you can.

[Maestro]

2. That would be awesome!

I wish I didn't have other committements. I lived in Slidell for two years and I have other family in LA; peerhaps another time.

[Lisa0825]

3. I wish I could!!!

It sounds like a blast! I tentatively have plans for my remaining vacation days. If that doesn't come through, you'll be my backup plan!!!

:hippie:

P.S. I really love your avatar:-)

[crispini]

5. Wow, cool.

Sucks that I've already got the vacay planned for this year. :(

[funkybutt]

6. You'd just need 2 days off

That's all I'm doing. You could come to NOLA on Wed evening or Thurs morning...Then fly back sunday. Only missing 2 days of work :)

Oh well.. even if you can't come, I hope you'll help spread the word. There has been a tremendous amount of interest in only the first week of planning. There's still 3 months to go and I estimate that we've already got 15 or so people confirmed with more confirmations coming in everyday.

My Goal: FILL THAT TRAIN WITH ACTIVISTS!!

:hi:

[Lisa0825]

7. I'm going to think about it....

I just realized I have that Friday off already. It may depend on money more than vacation time. I'd have to fly to NOLA Wednesday night, and fly back Sunday.

Depending on some home repair issues I have going, I may or may not be able to afford it. I'll keep an eye on it and see if it fills up before I know for sure if it's doable!

[funkybutt]

9. I saw on the message board that someone is working on housing

so if the budget is tight, that may be an option. Priceline can locate a room in DC for 80 bucks. If you split that with someone, it's quite affordable. Also there are some really nice hostels for 20 or 30 night that someone posted on that board about as well.

If the flights to NOLA are expensive. You may want to check on some of the cities on the route. Maybe flights to those spots are cheaper *shrug*

I sure hope some of y'all can join us!!

[crispini]

8. Sure will help!

Do you have a flyer done that I could print out and take to gatherings?

And, yeah, I'm completely, totally out of vacay. I'm going to France for a month in November.

[funkybutt]

10. I don't have a flyer yet. I will work one up this weekend.

And get back to you if that's okay. On edit: feel free to take stuff from ---> www.newdemocracyrising.com to spread the word.

France for a month!! Bad ass!

[anarchy1999]

11. So it is one way, how is everyone getting home?

Need to know ASAP!

[babylonsister]

12. See post #5; they're flying back. nt

[babylonsister]

13. Wow, how's the recruiting going? I would SO love to do this!

Can you let me know if there's still room on board?

[sonias]

14. Great new story piece on the Peace Train

http://peacefile.org/wordpress/?p=232
Cindy, the Peace Train, and the Little Ditch that Could
Two months ago while exhausted from a Summer Soulstice peace festival, and while looking with dismay into a long hot summer of war, Louisiana attorney Buddy Spell, his spouse Annie, and their guest of honor Cindy Sheehan decided they needed to do something, but not something too high energy. So they browsed through the train schedule and designated an Amtrak Crescent as their Peace Train. Come September they'll board the train in New Orleans and put out word to folks along the way to hop on for a ride to the big peace march in Washington D.C. That would be enough to keep their peace hopes on track. Of course, that was then.

"We had about 60 people signed up before Cindy went to Crawford," says Buddy, "but that has tripled." With a pre-boarding rally in Covington, Louisiana the night before Cindy and friends depart, the little town of Covington may soon be feeling like next month's Crawford. And when the train hits Union Station, Buddy says 'old fart' activists will be greeted by the Campus Action Network, and wherever they go for the weekend, they will be marching 500 strong. And that's how you go in just a couple of months from a little ol' z-net zap to a global headliner by way of the little ditch that could.

Of course internet aficionados of the Crawford Peace House will know Buddy best as the daddy of Smudge kitty, who got semi-famous when somebody wrote about the little critter pouncing among the Rosemary branches last week. But Buddy's not bitter about that at all. "No, I've just been practicing law for the past 20 years, working my ass off. And Smudge kitty, all she does is show up! Now somebody wants to sell pictures of her on EBay to raise money for Gold Star Families. And a New York publishing attorney is working on a children's book." As you can tell, when it comes to Smudge, Buddy is just as proud as he wants to be. Read the rest...

Sonia

[Vincardog]

15. Does any body want to share my PU from Denton to NO and back?

PM me to arrange it.