To Work - 11.27

Well, it began today. My little urban adventure. And the first ride was not without it's excitement.



With my iPod charged, my travel coffee tumbler filled, and adventure in my bones, I set out from my house this morning at 7:50AM. I walked about two blocks and plopped down on the bench at Seminole and Atlantic to await the arrival of the R1 bus to downtown, which was destined to arrive at 8:02AM. I came around the bend a little late at 8:07AM. I stood up, raised my hand and hopped on when the bus stopped.



Knowing in advance it was going to cost $1.35 I fed the bill and change into the machine and was presented with a little "Zone 2" paper ticket. This would apparently get me from the beaches into town.

The ride was rather uneventful. I couldn't see a whole lot through Ketith Pearson's ad on the outside of the bus, everything looked a little fuzzy, like I'd accidentally whiskeyed up my coffee that morning. There were two people riding the bus who were obviously professional types. Both were in button-downs and slacks and one had a Palm Pilot.

The seats on the bus didn't measure up to my leather car seats but overall I wasn't uncomfortable. I didn't mind the stop and go of the bus either, since that's usually what I'd be doing in my car anyways. Despite being pretty tired still from a 13-hour ride in thanksgiving traffic from the day before I decided a nap would be definitely possible but probably not wise for my first bus ride. So, I broke out my "Learn German in 30 Days" book. I've got a German girlfriend and have been making a slightly concerned effort to learn to speak in her native tongue.

So, after wrestling through some highly confusing German verb tenses and conjugations we pulled up to the downtown bus hub, the big one between Union and State Street. The busses stop here for a little while all the passengers make transfers and whatnot.

Just to double check I walked up to the front of the bus and grabbed the little route map that they have posted there. In looking at the R1/FCCJ-Kent map I began to doubt the accuracy of my search on JTA's route planner application. This online application implied, after I entered my starting location and desired end, that I could just stay on the R1. But, the diagram on the back of the map suggested we would be going on 95S and then down Roosevelt. Which, if you're unfamiliar with this side of town, doesn't so much get me to Riverside Ave.

So, a bit nervous I do the un-male thing and ask. Sometimes, guys, you just should ask for directions. The bus driver informed me, "No, this bus does not go to riverside. You have to take the W1. I think that's it right over there," pointing across the bus platform. Well, thank God, I asked.

I zipped over to the aforementioned W1 and keeping up a sure thing, asked this bus driver "Does this bus go to Riverside?" With a nod of his head he confirmed it did, and I fed another 75 cents into the machine. Luckily, I'd grabbed a handful of change this morning just in case of such a dilemma. Now my ride costs $2.10. We'll have to add all this up at the end of the week and see if it makes a difference.

This bus was a little cushier than the last with more comfortable seats and better window visibility. So, that was nice. Curiously enough, as a side note, these buses smell the same as buses in Europe. Must be a packaged bus-scent like that generic plastic "new car smell."

The W1 did take me to the Riverside and I pressed the black strip to request a stop after passing the Cummer Museum. And with a "Thank You" to the bus driver I stepped off at 9:07AM, relaxed and on time.

Not too bad for a first time. With anything there’s a little fumbling and figuring out. Being a web designer and developer, I am a little disappointed in the inaccuracy of the JTA's Ride Finder Application. But, as usual, human nature and compassion proved the most reliable resource.



Ok, time to get to work. See you in the PM.