Oh, the uncertainties of life, love, and transportation. Sure, the train broke down. A plane could have crashed or been waylaid because some stupid person decided to urinate on an attendant or demand her own recliner. Stuff happens. I reckon ol’ Pappy Happy just didn’t plan for uncertainties and thought getting there the night before the event was …uh …what!?

Wait. Stop the presses! In Panel 3, Mark says that the second day of the fishing trip is tomorrow. DOH! That makes no sense. They apparently boarded the train earlier in the day, some five hours or so ago (published date June 10). Is Mark delusional or did they think they could take a train all the way up to Ohio and start fishing on the same day? Is Lost Forest in Kentucky!? If so, how do Mark, Cherry, and Happy manage to drive to each other’s homes so quickly? Yeah, I know: It’s China Town, Jake. No, I mean, this is the comics, not a documentary; the natural laws of physics may not apply.

Anyway, WHAT will we learn about that surprise? What could it have been, unless it was a special, one-time event, like viewing the Night-Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum Oxypetalum), which blooms its flower for a few hours only one night a year. But I digress. And I’m being a smart-aleck.

I just hope Happy Trail at least remembered to book sleeping berths.