#6419

What a weird bus week! Mark's last ride took place Tuesday morning. Dave's last ride happened on Wednesday morning. Thursday morning, I got on the bus and -- surprise, surprise -- Bill AKA Newspaper Guy was in situ behind the paper! He rode the bus just to say hey and congrats to Mark and Dave! Great to see him and sorry he missed the dynamic duo. We had a great chat anyway - he appears quite content as a retiree - makes me look forward to my turn.

This morning I decided to try out the 81N. I already use 81S to come home and figured I might like the morning version. It runs every 15 minutes, so arrival time at the stop becomes relatively unimportant. Hate to "just" miss it, standing watching it go on down the road; but, 15 minutes goes by quickly. The stop for 81N is next to a gas/convenience store and quite messy. Have to go on a cleaning campaign if I continue to ride this route. The best surprise - the driver! He wished me a good morning when I boarded and commented on the greatness of being Friday. He greeted everyone who boarded and offered a farewell to everyone who got off. A couple of times he said, "thanks for riding." What a pleasant change from the surly sourpuss currently driving the 6am66. Think I'll do the 81N for awhile - I anticipate some interesting stories in the future.

Today's image is a salute to Mark and Dave - well done!

6000 something

Just a quick post about last night's ride. Some may recall the SRO ride home when I determined the bus was picking up uncollected passengers from an earlier missing bus. Well, last night, ever alert, I detected the potential for another crowded ride and cleverly averted a repeat of that earlier situation.

In the afternoons, between 3PM and 7PM, the buses run every 15 minutes to get through rush hour. On the route I use going home, the hour and half-hour buses go from ASU all the way south to Chandler Hospital at Frye and Dobson Roads. The quarter and three-quarter hour buses only go from ASU to Research Park. Since I get off before Research Park, I can use either bus. Yesterday I intended to take the 3:45pm, which is an 81S to Research Park route. (is this confusing or what???) An 81S bus pulled next to the stop on College as I was walking up. I could see the 81S on the back and assumed it was my bus. A queue formed to board since a handicapped rider was getting off and no one can board while the bus is in full 'kneel'. While waiting in line, I read the side sign and it said, Frye/Dobson. I realized the big line of people was because this was a 15-minute late 3:30pm bus. I looked down the street and saw another 81S approaching. Figuring the 3:30pm would go first, I slipped out of line, walked back and got on the 3:45pm 81S ASU Research Park bus. No line, nice and quiet and cool. It was a brilliant move on my part as we followed the other 81S and it took in all the passengers while we sat quietly behind like a very, very, very large limousine. A lovely switcheroo for me.

#4138

Long time gone, eh? Work really is quite pressing and I get so immersed as soon as I arrive that I never look back and blog. This past week was particularly hideous, although I did get to spend the weekend at a resort/spa in Tucson. A friend's company hosts a leadership retreat every year and since her husband can't attend, I get to go and enjoy the amenities in his stead. Capped it off (totally pun intended) with a full dental day on Monday - yuckorama! Half a day in the chair and the other half sleeping it off. Three crowns and a root canal later - I earned the afternoon nap.

Very uneventful bus riding lately. Bill, AKA Newspaper Guy, retired on April 27 and he didn't ride the bus his last week. Dave and Mark and I wanted to provide a card and bit of the bubbly for a sendoff, but he probably took vacation and we didn't get to say a proper farewell. Maybe one day he'll take a journey just to say hey. Mark and Dave are short-timers, too. School finals begin this Friday and both will graduate on May 10. Dave moves back to Missouri on May 12 and not sure if Mark needs to ride the 6am66 once he no longer takes classes. Think I will try inventive route-taking once my daily companions are gone. I can take a 6am81 (doesn't ring as well as 6am66) or perhaps change my time altogether. We'll see how energetic I feel about all this changing once our desert temperatures start to climb. I do think some of the lackluster bus stuff revolves around the driver. He fails to deliver the spark, personality or panache of his predecessors. I don't need celebrity, just a personality, especially since he knows I'm going to be there most days. How difficult is it to respond? Perhaps I'll stick it out on the 66 until the next change-o-driver situation and see if things improve.

Got a comment from a new bus blogger, Megan, author of "Driving Miss Boyer". Her blog looks like fun -- see the link. Image today is weak, but it's about all I can muster.

#4103

Another bland morning on the 6am66. I can't even imagine how quiet it will be once the semester ends. I know all about peaks and valleys, but this valley seems very deep.

One nice event did occur today - Bill gave both Mark and Dave ASU Alumni t-shirts. They seemed very surprised and very pleased by the thoughtful gesture. A sense of loss and, as Mark said, melancholy begins to gather as graduation approaches. I found it like the two-edged sword of reading a good book. You eagerly approach the end with the long-anticipated finish in sight; however, you also feel the emptiness of nothing-to-look-forward-to once the last page turns. Regardless, it's a great achievement and kudos are in order for both of them.

#4130 on the 730am66

Off a couple for grandmothering purposes. As a new member of that club, find I need to indulge myself when occasion permits. The small child and parents returned to their nest and I returned to work . . . sigh . . .

Very restless last night due to late coffee consumption so I let myself sleep in a bit and took the 7:30am66. It provided a refreshed view of the bus since many of the riders attend Tempe Union High School. Few and far between describes recent ridership on the 6AM66; not so the 7:30. Riders boarded at nearly every stop and it played SRO from Mill and Baseline to the high school at Mill and Broadway. I forgot how energized the kids make me feel. Early morning rides to school don't quite vibrate like the afternoon rides home, but I still find an undercurrent of energy as they approach a new day. Freshly showered, hair combed, backpacks in place, skateboards in hand - an army of workers, off for a day in the textbook mines. High school made me nuts and, while I wouldn't mind having that body back, not much else about high school beckons.

Bill retires at the end of April and two weeks later, Dave and Mark graduate from ASU. I might need to vary my bus routine in hopes of finding new inspiration. Perhaps the 7:30am66 will suffice.

assorted

No point in worrying about today's bus number - the 6am66 lacks excitement and posting the daily number implies otherwise. Ridership remains sparse and with summer around the corner, it can only get more thin - the peaks and valleys of bus routes.

On the ride home last night I heard a new message from the electronic lady voice that announcees the stops. Occasionally I still hear the man voice reminding passengers to check for personal possessions before leaving the bus. The new one yesterday, in the lady voice, goes like this: "In consideration of your fellow passengers, please refrain from using offensive language." I forgot to ask Dave if he ever heard that bus announcement. Dave makes full use of the 4-letter lexicon. His sentence structure is based almost entirely on expletives, with a particular talent for turning a certain "f" word into virtually any part of speech. The new message could apply to him, I suppose, although I think it might be aimed more at the young men who sometimes ride in packs and feel a strong need to speak loudly to each other using shock talk. I think ignoring it works more effectively to take away their thrill - they thrive on confrontation. When I heard the beginning of the message I thought it might end in 'cell phones' instead of 'offensive language'. I would rather encounter the occasional smarmy comment than become audience to loud speaking cell phone addicts. With expletives, you might learn a new way to curse a bad driver - half a cell phone converstaion usually reveals nothing of interest or import.

I leave you today with a link to a story in the Daily Mail about a cat who rides the bus. I have a year-old Abyssinian. Hoover, who needs to read this article. She could learn a trick or two from this enterprising feline. Hoover is featured in today's image.

#4101

Bus rides lately seem pretty bland and work continues to aggravate. No time to write! Worst of all, work will get worse as we move deeper into new site development. I might resort to drugs of abuse before this process ends.

My latest excuse for not writing, however, centers around a new family member - Emily Sarah - my first grandchild, born Sunday, April 1. She arrived a week early and surprised us all. Undoubtedly the most fabulous granddaughter ever born . . . I swore I would remain calm and not get all grammy-weird, but much, much easier said than done. She belongs to my son and daughter-in-law and I stayed fairly detached during the pregnancy. One look at the newborn, though, and release the hounds! Best of all, everyone correctly stated it - you can give them back to their parents! Such fun.

Today's picture, of course, is Emily Sarah. Thought we ought to welcome her to the wonderful world of bus blogs. You can be sure she will be on the bus with me at the first opportunity. She must learn to see the world through bus traveling eyes.

#4119

Interesting morning at the bus stop. I arrived first and saw a plastic Target bag lying on the bench. Grabbing it to put in the trash, my hand felt something solid inside. Assuming someone left it by accident, I let the bag sit, uninvestigated. My life story recounts multiple "accidental leavings" where some helpful soul gave my left-by-mistake item to someone else for safekeeping. Experience says to leave found objects where they lie - it's the first place to look for lost things. I realize others might come along and walk off with it; however, on those occasions when the loser quickly remembers the loss, a return to the last-known-sighting will be rewarded if the object stays put. I digress . . .

Along came Dave who immediately picked up the bag and looked inside. I don't know if he takes or leaves findings, but he definitely looks. His investigation revealed . . . a cutlery set! Not new - the knife tips were broken - and I immediately assumed these knives meant CSI might swoop down on us momentarily. Used cutlery in a Target shopping bag? Just the way a demented murderer would carry his/her weapons of choice - I cautioned Dave about leaving fingerprints that could link him to any felonious activities associated with this particular set of knives.

The question begs - what's with Dave and the found weaponry? Remember the Gun Incident, reported in this very blog? For a pacifist, he sure attracts some seriously intense found objects. To help keep CSI at bay, I photographed Dave's hand holding the bus-knives. Although, perhaps that makes me an accessory? Whatever ...

Home on the 81S (Southbound or Sardine?)

Couldn't see the number on the 81S going home tonight. Not because of my eyes or a bad paint job or a bit of graffiti - I couldn't catch the number because of all the people. This bus was packed! I took the last seat when I boarded on College Avenue. This stop begins the route and most times I have the bus to myself. Ridership usually doesn't pick up until McClintock and University. Today, however, ridership maxed as we left the corral. We seemed to stop at every stop and when one or two got off, three or four got on. Eventually, only standing room remained and even that became a slim bet. At one point, I counted 18 people standing in the center aisle. As a 6000 class bus, it holds more people than the little 4100s from the 6am66; however, not so many more that 18 people had anything resembling elbow room. Inexplicably, wall-to-wall bodies and the driver kept picking up more.

I started to think I would have to fight my way off the bus. Visions swarmed around my brain - me crawling down the aisle, dodging bags and skateboards, feeling my way to the back door off-ramp. A kick and a shove and I'd find myself curled up on the sidewalk, a little bruised and beaten, but successfully disembarked. Fortunately, my fears abated as riders left at Southern and Baseline and no more joined the fray. By the time my stop arrived, I could walk off the bus, unaided, fully upright. What an unusual ride. Walking home, I ruminated on the oddity of it all and decided that the previous bus probably didn't make it around so we actually picked up a double load of riders. A sensible explanation - that's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

#4154

This seems like a new number, but after almost 18 months of bus blogs, hard to really tell. Perhaps an archive dive would reveal a re-occurrence? Whatever.

This post belongs to yesterday - work continues to bear down and eat up blogging time. Tacky, eh? Anyway, when we got on the bus yesterday it evidenced a lack of that human aroma that lives so strongly in bus seat upholstery. Clean, fresh, well-scrubbed air circulated throughout. Not to be confused with "new bus" or "new car" smell - this felt like the aftermath of a serious Merry Maids attack. So refreshing, Dave commented to the driver who acknowledged the pleasant atmosphere - and this driver never volunteers anything! I surmised an upholstery shampooing took place but neither Dave nor I could feel any moisture on the seats. The fresh bus smell combined with the scent of orange blossom that prevails right now - an aromatic delight! When we got off the bus, Dave discovered his pants seemed a tad damp in the pertinent seating parts - appears we did owe the fresh scent to upholstery cleaning!

Image certainly needs no explanation.

#4108

Still a struggle to get a greeting from our semi-new driver. He finally began responding to my croaky felicitations (you never heard about my laryngitis!). I feel tempted to get on the bus and say "buenos días"; however, I always fear that could indicate I actually know some Spanish and, once exposed for how sadly monolingual I am, conversation opportunities would plummet immediately. A cheery, if crackly, "good morning" must suffice.

The other day, the BTA contemplated the legality of champagne on the bus - anticipatory brainstorming for the upcoming graduation celebrations. I suggested covering the surveillance cameras with masking tape and the conversation moved on to question who monitors happenings on the bus? Is there a human at the other end of the camera, watching as we bump and sway along the route? With so many buses on the road, it seems impossible that real time viewing could take place. Mark said everything is recorded and kept in the bus' black box. I knew planes carried black boxes, but until that nasty accident in Atlanta last week, I didn't realize buses also used them. The real surprise came when Mark pointed to a black container under one of the lower lateral seats and declared it "the black box." I instantly drew out my camera and, voila, today's image. Sure hope I don't participate in a bus ride where the black box becomes a player.

another 41........

Been a couple of weeks mostly due to benign bus rides and a madhouse work agenda. Once in the office, the immersion factor takes over and I don't think to blog until way past inspiration time. Yesterday, however, the bus ride strayed from dull and needs documentation.

While waiting for the bus, Dave and I speculated on the whereabouts of Engineering Guy (Mike) and his marked absence from the 6am66 this semester. Dave said he sees EG on campus occasionally; however, like ships passing, they exchange nothing but words of greeting. We got on the bus and talked to Bill about his retirement and the need for an on-board graduation party for Dave and Mark - Mimosas anyone? The bus stopped at the Southern and Mill light, the door opened (illegally, I might add) and on hopped none other than Mike AKA Engineering Guy himself! Gloriosky - the gods heard us and listened! He looked good, albeit a bit weary. He took a killer schedule this semester, hoping to graduate at summer's end. His big announcement - his wife's pregnancy - a tadpole grows in the pond! What a nice ride - very heartwarming and reunion-like. I sure will miss these people when they all move on.

I took today's picture at the bus stop I use going home. A good rear view of Valley Metro's 6000 class bus (probably the 72) and good eyes will catch ASU's gold "A" on Hayden Butte in the background.

#4106

What a great day on the bus! The BTA was in full swing with Bill, serving as librarian, handing out newspaper sections with articles of interest. At Mill and Baseline, a young man dressed in chef's clothing got on and sat next to Mark. Mark asked him if he would make us some eggs and the conversation went totally gastronomic. The young man attends the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and, as revealed in the conversation, Mark spent 18 years in the restaurant business - explains why he makes good French onion soup! He quizzed the chef-to-be about the seven basic sauces (I had no idea!!!) and I asked him if he received chopping lessons. Always wanted to do the speed vegetable chopping, but figured my digits were too valuable to my job to take the risk. The young man said it was all in the weight and quality of the knife - just like everything else, the right tools make things work.

The discussion moved to scrambled eggs and Mark said water is the key to fluffy eggs. He advised that milk coats the egg and holds it down. Makes sense - and to think all these years I served flat eggs because of milk or cream . . . I confessed to all my deep and abiding love for Waffle House cheese and eggs, not caring if the cheese lowered the height of the eggs. Mark told me to grate the cheese and add it to my eggs at the end of cooking. I can hardly wait to make my next batch of scrambled eggs.

I knew we turned on Apache and pulled the cord to signal our stop. The bus halted, Dave and I got off, and it turned out we were halfway down the block, away from the stop. Pretty sure I signaled in time, I wonder if the driver overshot the stop, distracted by thoughts of delicious scrambled eggs?

#something

Totally forgot to look at the number today - and I was doing so well. Raining this morning, so I'll blame it on that. Everyone in Arizona blames the rain.

A couple of interesting discussions today. Bill showed me two articles in the Arizona Republic about love on the bus. Today is Valentine's Day and the media panders to it tremendously. I guess retailers make huge profits on 2/14, but it seems like a huge Day of Guilt - right up there with Mother's Day. I always feel bad for recently widowed or divorced people who face the bombardment of "love" as February 14 approaches. Greed blinds us to the plight of others.

The other discussion, and focus of today's image, is the Arizona State University Visitor's Center. Valley National Bank built it in 1962 and ASU later purchased it. A gold, geodesic dome, it was much hated and maligned by ASU's newish president. Apparently he and his New York imports are appalled by the architecture on ASU's campus. Coming from Columbia University in NYC, they want old buildings and ivy. Since Arizona didn't become a state until 1912 and ASU didn't become a university until 1958, seems difficult to expect 200-year-old buildings and . . . ivy in the desert? Needless to say, the building was recently razed; however, rumor has it the dome survived and is stored somewhere on ASU's campus. Dave suggested the dome be used to shade a large, outdoor gathering area and Mark thought it could be situated over ASU's football arena, Sun Devil Stadium. Outstanding suggestions by all - too bad university presidents don't read bus blogs.

#4119

Staying late at work tonight, so went in late this morning. Caught the 66 at 10:30am and - surprise, surprise - the driver was our old best driver, Steve! I said good morning, but was fumbling with my bag and pass and general half-blind clumsiness and didn't really get a good look and know it was him at first. Once sitting and situated, I realized his profile looked familiar and greeted him properly when I got off. Wonder if he's back on the 66 full-time? If so, and the route runs as usual, he should be at the wheel of the 6am66 - tomorrow will tell.

A very young couple got on with a baby, maybe a year old, and the baby was a screamer. Not crying, just one of those little bodies that screeches loudly and abruptly, like animals in a zoo. The child sat on the seat between them and I finally decided the screams erupted to gain attention. The mother ignored the baby as she became engrossed in conversation with another young woman who boarded after the couple. The girls/women seemed to know each other from the past and their discussion contained lots of expletives, each one prefaced with the word "like". The father "controlled" the child, but never said a word to him/her. I speak more to my cat than this man did to the baby. I felt bad for the child as his/her future appears dim with learned behavior from this couple. A bit later, a man got on carrying a baby, about the same size and age as the first one. This man held the baby on his lap and talked to him. The little boy remained quiet and calm throughout the ride. As the bus rounded the curve next to Gammage auditorium, the father held the boy up and showed him the building. A striking structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, it looks like a giant birthday cake and it caught the child's attention. Unlike the young couple, this man nurtured his child. Got to see the best and worst parenting practices on today's ride.

I took a quick photo of the bus stop signs, looking west on Guadalupe. Been awhile since I spent daylight time at the stop.

#4114

Another icy day on the bus. Might have to move to the back bench seat and grab some heat from the engine. I don't like that seat - a bit too throne-like, but the cold is miserable.

An interesting discussion day on the 6am66. I asked Bill what he planned to do after retirement and he mentioned "Habitat for Humanity". He indicated prior experience with the group and said it is a satisfying means of public service. The discussion then moved on to various places and ways to provide public service in the Phoenix area. Mark has taken his children to St. Vincent de Paul to work on a food serving line and Bill has participated in similar activities. This year at Christmas I did something I have wanted to do for a long time and my eye surgery and immobility provided the perfect impetus. In lieu of purchased gifts, I made donations to several non-profit organizations. It was so nice and felt so good to put money toward something helpful. Now started, I intend to continue the tradition.

It's nice to ride the bus, especially with such good and caring people.

#4109

Once again our regular crew filled the BTA. I realized that after May, I might be the lone regular to occupy that exalted space. Bill retires at the end of February and Mark and Dave graduate in May. My life plans look pretty static right now, so I'll be left alone to carry on. Can a Brain Trust exist with only one brain? Think about that one.

Don't know what's up with the weather and the buses. We've enjoyed 80+ degree days lately and the buses aren't acclimatizing. Yesterday, on the ride home, the bus heater blasted us with warm air waves. The outside temperature was 83 and it must have been 183 inside the bus. This morning, the outside temperature was 53 (that's cold with only 12% humidity) and the bus air conditioner sent shivering waves of cold throughout the craft. In the cold mornings, waiting at the bus stop, I look forward to the warmth of the bus. It wraps around me like a blanket and keeps me snug and safe. Today, though, my protective cover was missing. Where was this air conditioning yesterday afternoon? Is bus interior climate control a challenging concept? I want the drivers to be comfortable - our lives and timely arrival depend on their ability to function well. However, I don't want to die of hypothermia in the process. Seems like a no win situation - death by uncomfortable driver or over air conditioning. It's always something.

#4109

Wonder how they decide which bus goes on which route? While I want to believe in a highly technical, logical decision process, I bet it's totally random. It could be a "release the hounds" thing where the drivers race to get their bus of choice. Probably not.

Not much discussion in the BTA - the Suns loss and the crazy lady astronaut's 1,000 mile love triangle trip. The whole story makes space travel much less appealing if that's what it does to one's gray cells. Think I'll stick with the 6am66.

Our new driver is Hispanic/Mexican/Latino - don't know what word is best, so HML must do. Since he started driving our bus, the number of HML passengers has increased; as if an underground network lets people know which bus route contains a Spanish-speaking driver. It makes no sense since the chosen route should coincide with destination; however, the 6am66 gets more HML riders every day. Probably just coincidence.

Today a young man with a bicycle wanted on the bus, but the bike rack was full. The driver had the guy bring his bike into the bus where he held it until one of the other bicyclists got off and space in the rack opened up. It was a nice gesture by the driver.

#4108

Aaaaah, Friday - best day of the week, no doubt. Once again, Dave missed the 6am66. Bill, Mark and I filled the BTA with food talk. Bill said Uno's has great French onion soup and Mark advised he makes the best FOS. The conversation stirred my taste buds and I now embark on a quest to consume some FOS today. One never knows where bus talk will lead.

I must take time to ponder last night's ride home on the 81 southbound. A woman flew onto the bus, breathless and carrying on about missing the #?? and so she was just going to take the 81S, blah, blah, blah. She sat down and continued to talk loudly to the driver. She kept it up as we pulled away and got louder, as though to drown out the noise of the moving bus. We kept going and she kept talking. Shortly, a man sitting across the aisle from her got up and moved to the back of the bus. I understood his move but felt the gesture was lost on this woman who embodied "oblivious".

Eventually, she got up and stood in the aisle near the front door. She talked and talked and talked. She didn't appear angry, just a talker and a loud talker, at that. She made it difficult for people getting on to pass by and yet the driver never said anything to her. He would make an occasional comment and that just kept her going. With passenger pick-up and drop-off, route timing and the usual driving challenges in Tempe traffic, I don't know how the driver stayed on top of his duties while this woman yammered away.

Finally she got off, introducing herself and shaking the driver's hand as she departed. I don't know whether we were in potential peril from the distraction she posed or if this driver proved that we humans absolutely can multi-task, contrary to all the research that says we can't. I just don't know . . .

#4108

A lovely full moon provided visual extras for the Guadalupe crossing this morning. The clouds broke up enough for the celestial body to perform its streetlight act. Well done, moon.

Dave failed to make an appearance today but Bill and Mark and I kept the BTA chat alive. Somehow we ended up in a comparative religion discourse - started with a movie that Bill saw in his church. I absolutely don't remember the movie's topic, but it prompted the discussion that ensued. Former altar boy Mark gave insight into the Romans while I tossed some Anglican info into the mix. Bill never referenced his particular flavor of denomination, but we do know they show movies! Mark said Mel Gibson follows the practices of the extremist RC sect, Opus Dei, depicted in "The DaVinci Code" - a self-flagellating, excessively penitent group. If that's what Hollywood fame and fortune creates, I must revisit my plan to become a major star. Amazing what is talked about on the bus, eh? The current crop of semi-regular riders is a pretty morose bunch, making BTA chat all the more crucial for a good start to the day.

Guess today's image explains itself.