Today was my first bus/bike to work day and it was kinda AWESOME.
I found a route that didn’t require me to get a sitter in the morning; so the boy and I left the house at the same time. The school doesn’t allow scooters on campus, so until I get him his own bike (and yes, that will be soon), he has to hop on with me. He spent much of his ride going “Ooooh…watch out, watch out” because he was afraid I would hit something or “ouch!” because the crotch bar was hitting him in…well…the crotch (that is until he figured out to sit on his backpack). And since my bus stop is at the same corner I usually drop him off to walk to school, we just parted ways there.
I felt like an old pro in the morning. I confidently threw my bike on the rack, flashed the driver my pass and found a seat. I could have transferred but since my connection wasn’t supposed to arrive for 20 minutes, I hopped on my bike and got on my merry way.
The air was crisp, the traffic was light and alert and the sun was lovely. There were bike lines all the way from the connection stop to the office and I probably made it to the office before the bus ever arrived at the stop. I didn’t even break a sweat until I hit the major intersection just before the office corporate park (thank you yoga & pilates!).
At the end of the day, I walked out with a coworker who also takes the bus. He got on his route and mine arrived a few minutes later. And boy was I clumsy about the whole thing.
Maybe it was just the bus driver being helpful but he treated me like it was my first time riding the bus. I couldn’t get the bike rack down and once I got it down, I struggled to get my bike on. He actually got out of his seat to show me how to do it. When I got on the bus, he showed me that I had to activate and swipe my pass (why the other bus driver didn’t say anything, I’ll never know). As we got on the road, he informed me that if the bike rack was full, I’d either have to wait for another bus or lock my bike and leave it (which explains the occasional bike left at the bus stop). Neither sounded like agreeable options, but whatareyagonnado?
Exited the bus to find my stop caticorner to the bike shop but since the YMCA had a closing time, I decided it best to pick up the boy first. We headed over to the bike shop where I had the cruiser fitted with a basket and got myself a helmet. It’s a little dorky looking but better safe than sorry. Besides, its practice for when I get my motorcycle.
I was already tired when we left the bike shop but then it was time to make the ride home. It wasn’t that it was far (because it wasn’t), it was the helmet in the basket, the bumps hurting the boy’s testicles, my purse sliding off my arm and my skirt billowing behind me (oh shut up, I had on yoga pants under). We had to stop like four times to get adjusted but once we did, we had a fun and quick ride home.
The whole experience was great and when I do get my car, I’ll probably still use my bike a lot.
I <3 my new bike. I also love the fact that riding every day enables me to keep getting regular exercise while I get where I need to go. I wonder if I'll be saying the same thing at the end of the week.
I’m going to have to start biking to class. Can’t keep spending money on taxis.
If only there weren’t so many hills…
.-= David´s last blog ..The Mad Industrialist Rides Again =-.
Yea!! Well done! You’re a model for a greener world!
.-= On a limb with Claudia´s last blog ..Conquer your doubt. =-.
I took a bus for the first time in 10 year the other day! You know what? I cried. I got totally lost until a nice Bus Lady helped me find the way. Thank you kind lady.
I took a bus for the first time in 10 year the other day! You know what? I cried. I got totally lost until a nice Bus Lady helped me find the way. Thank you kind lady.