#6448

What a nice bus ride, today. Took the 7:57am 81N and claimed title to first passenger. I got the right front seat, propped my feet on the tire well and began knitting. At Baseline and McClintock, a young man got on - rookie rider. He only had a $5 bill and, of course, the fare boxes don't give change. He wanted an all day pass, so the driver told him to get change and buy the pass on the next bus - nice driver! Some won't let people on without the correct change, but the 7:57 guy always finds empathy. A half block later, a regular guy got on and took the left front seat, propped his feet on the tire well and began reading a book. At Southern and McClintock, a man and young woman got on the bus, sat down and the rookie rider started talking. He asked about bagel shops along the route, looking for an Einstein's. We all chipped in with information and returned to our relaxation. At Apache and McClintock a regular lady rider got on and that was the full complement for the rest of the ride. It was so congenial and pleasant - no loud cell phone conversations, no questionable aromas - just a nice, comfortable ride. What's not to like about public transportation?

As a side note: I walked to the stop and the gas price sign showed 3.87/gal. I walked past the sign, got to the bus shelter and when I turned around and looked, the girl from the gas station just finished changing the price to 3.91/gal -- a 4-cent increase in 30 seconds! Sure glad I have my bus pass.

#6443

Back to work after a lovely, weatherwise, Memorial Day weekend. I think 3-day weekends should become the standard and let holidays create 4-day weekends - very recuperative.

Took the 6:57AM 81N this morning. As I stood at the bus stop, working on posture improvement, up walks the OCD bus time guy! Last I saw him on Guadalupe at the 66/92 stop when he talked me into riding the 92 to Rural and catching the 72N. If you recall, he talked non-stop about bus times while constantly opening his cell phone to check the hour. Today he kept stepping into the street to peer south, looking for the bus. He came over to me and asked if I took this bus regularly. I advised him I flexed my bus riding times and he asked if we'd ridden together before. I said we had indeed ridden a 92/72 combo together.

He wanted to catch the 521 express bus that goes across Southshore and ends up on *-10 into downtown Phoenix. He explained he usually catches it on Rural but only had a pass for local, not express and needed change and got a paper and etc., etc., etc. He then launched into a discussion of times related to the 521 coinciding with the 81N and he had a few minutes of play, IF the 6:57 arrived on time. He showered me with a blizzard of bus times and route information; however, today he only checked his cell phone one time. He saw the bus coming and seemed quite pleased that the public transportation gods smiled on him today. We got on the bus, he sat in the seat behind me and, as he departed, he leaned forward and commented on the lovely weather! No mention of time, bus connections - just the weather.

While, as a fellow bus rider, I completely understand the time obsession, I thought his particular brand of time watching could be the tip of a freaky iceberg. However, since he shared a normal, non-bus related remark, perhaps he just likes to talk bus?

#6252

Hard to believe I completely missed posting in the month of April and came close to missing May. Work continues to press, leaving thoughts of blogs behind. Riding a regular bus at a regular time with regular riders made writing easier - rhythm - regular writing requires regular rhythms.

Oh well, once again I proceed. Today's ride (7:12am 81N) lacked interest, but the bus stop had a moment. The bus stops seem to serve as collection points for shopping carts/trolleys. I don't understand the procedure - if I purchased so many items I needed assistance to transport them to the bus stop, what happens when I get off the bus at my destination? What guarantees a cart waits at the other end to help me continue my journey with my plethora of purchases? Since I have never removed a cart from the property to which it belongs, a full understanding of the cart moving mindset escapes me.

Today's cart situation spawned an interesting mental dialogue. Three carts rested next to the stop, one from Walgreen's, one from Fry's and one from Basha's. The Fry's and Walgreen's carts made sense. The stop sits on the northeast corner of the Guadalupe/McClintock intersection. Walgreen's sits on the southwest corner and Fry's occupies the southeast. The nearest Basha's, however, lives two miles south on the southwest corner of Warner and McClintock -- not exactly across the street or just down the block. Did the cart arrive in small trips over time or did someone push it, non-stop, the full two miles? It made me ponder the migratory habits of these carts and I thought about a tagging system - preferably GPS enabled - that would permit tracking of the carts as they move from place to place. Imagine learning the journey of a rogue shopping cart . . .

Amazing the mental processes that spring from a trip on the bus.

incredibly invisible blogger

Yes, she is still alive and taking the bus in Tempe. We unexpectedly went "live" with our new site and it has been unbelievably busy - I thought the worst was over, but the decision to launch was a wee bit premature - not fatal, just traumatic. Sounds like the diagnosis room at hospital. Anyway, the site is down right now and I decided to enjoy the moment and check in with the blog.

Been pretty steadily taking the 7:57AM 81N - an occasional stray away, but probably 3 out of 5 days for sure. This morning, a bit slow out of the house, the bus passed me while crossing Guadalupe. I effected a semi-jog and waved, hoping to be seen in the mirror. A semi-regular rider stood outside the bus, told the driver of my approach and it ended up no large deal.

As we sat at the intersection of Apache and McClintock, a young man risked life and limb to cut through traffic, cross McClintock and get on the bus. He wore his pants in the fashion that uses a belt to hold the pants under the stomach and below the buttocks - looks hideously uncomfortable and gawd-knows-how he could run in them. Like a gazelle, he leapt and bounded around and between cars, as he come across 7 lanes of traffic. Made my semi-jog look pathetic. Anyway, he got on and then asked the driver where the bus was going! He faced near-death to board a bus whose destination was unknown to him! Hello????? The driver gave him stop and riding advice and the young man took a seat near the back of the bus. He whipped out his cell phone, made a call and proceeded to use f---ing this and f---ing that as every other word in the conversation. Suddenly, the lady voice came on the bus and said, "Please be courteous to other passengers and refrain from using [foul][vulgar][profane] language and from placing your feet on the seats." The other semi-regular guy and I started laughing and the driver said he has a bad ear, but thought he heard something - we assured him his ear was in tune and thanked him for the interlude. It waa an interesting ride.

#64XX

A couple of weeks since a new post came this way. Lots of rides and some interesting events, but work remains ugly and once in my office, seated at the computer, blogging time eludes me. Once home, I really don't want to stare at a computer any more - a vicious circle.

During my recent hiatus, enjoyed a couple of seriously eventful bus rides. A young man, previously detained by the police, got on the bus and proceeded to collapse/pass out, apparently overdosed on some drug of abuse. The driver freaked out, calling the gendarmes, and the young man got off the bus and staggered on down the street - almost too many details to ever recant the tale properly.

On another ride, an angry young woman got off as I got on and I later learned from a fellow passenger that the angry young woman was, in fact, a bus stalker. She attempted to "over befriend" this other woman and became irrationally angry when rebuffed. It made a great ride with much discussion - while I don't advocate stalking, bus or otherwise, sure added interest.

This morning's driver (6:57AM 81N) guided the bus like a NASCAR wannabe. We flew down the streets and I must give him credit for smooth stops despite the speed - obviously a master behind the wheel. It felt like a speeding bullet - hence today's image.

#4123 & #6KSomething

Thought today I would try the 92N/72N combo route again, only going one hour later. Didn't look at any schedules, just went to the stop at 7:45am. Crossing Guadalupe presented the first challenge. Traffic was fierce and I felt like a character in the old video game, Frogger. I made it to the center lane and then waited for a couple of minutes while the westbound traffic cleared. Generally, drivers in the greater Phoenix area treat pedestrians with disregard and disdain, which makes standing in the middle of a busy street a daunting experience.

Once across, I didn't wait more than a couple of minutes and a 92N bus arrived. I got on, rode to the stop on the NW corner of Guadalupe and Rural, crossed Rural and waited on the NE corner for the 72N. Yesterday, it arrived very quickly, but today did not repeat. Time passed, no 72N and I realized the 66N might come around the corner before the 72N arrived. The dilemma - which bus to take? Board the first to arrive or hold out for the 72? With a reasonably flexible work schedule, time doesn't really factor into these decisions. The 72N appeared on the horizon and stopped for the light. As predicted, the 66N turned onto Rural arriving at the stop prior to the 72N. A young man got on the 66 and I hesitated, then let the 66 continue on without me -- I wanted to experience another ride on the 72.

Not sure I made a good choice as the 72 was crowded and got more so as the ride continued. I got a seat, but in 2 or 3 stops, it became SRO. It took a lot longer for the 72 to reach College and University - I didn't get to work until 8:45am - easily 15-20 minutes later than a usual run on the 66 or 81. What a difference an hour made.

Despite the tardy travel, today's image honors my lucky location and the number of bus combos available for my use.

#4119 AND #6483

Been a few - out of town (Miami, FL - hoo hah!) for business and blogging didn't figure into the equation. Back on track and boy, do I have a story for today.

First planned to catch the 6:57am81N. Going out the door, unseen forces pushed at my gray matter and I decided to use the 6am66N instead. Crossed Guadalupe and as I approached the stop, noticed a man waiting for the bus. When I neared the bench, he asked me what bus? and I told him, 66. He then launched into an interesting explanation about bus times and transferring and that I would improve my arrival time by catching the 92N, taking it to Rural and Guadalupe, changing to the 72N and heading on to ASU. Apparently, the current driver on the 66 makes no attempt to follow a timely schedule. This man uses multiple transfers to get to 24th and Thomas and really knows what bus goes where and when. Since I knew the 72N would get me where I needed to go and he seemed so pleased to enlighten me about all my bus catching and transferring alternatives, I told him I would be happy to give it a run-through. He kept opening and closing his cell phone while referring to the time. A bit of an OCD aura lingered in the air, but not to the point of scary. I had seen this man on the 66 a couple of times and felt confident that his motives in engaging me in the bus transfer scheme stemmed from his sheer delight in discovering the alternative arrangement. Let's at least say that if he kills, serially or otherwise, he does so in a very timely fashion.

The 92N arrived as he predicted and we boarded. At Rural we got off, crossed the street and waited for the 72N. As it pulled up, the man flipped open his cell phone again, showed it to me and said, "See, 7:01, just like I told you." We got on the bus and finished the ride to ASU. Ironically, we ended up right behind the 6:57am81N as we turned from Rural onto University. Had I gone with my first plan, I would have beaten myself to work by about 1 minute.

Today's image honors the new knowledge gained in the world of bus and transfer.

#6000 something

Failed to note the bus number today - it was one of the older 6000 class. Took the 7:42am 81N and what a quiet, uneventful ride. No crowding, no noise, everyone sitting quietly, comfortably - as neutral a ride as one could expect to experience. I actually sat there and practiced meditative breathing - not out of stress, just something to pass the time. Quite a relaxing way to start the day.

DId notice when I arrived at the stop that two more political signs took residence beside the bus stop. I really dislike election time and the visual pollution of the ubiquitous campaign signage. With the exception of name recognition, these signs convey nothing meaningful about the candidates and they blight the landscape. Wish we could find a better way. Today's image shows the beginning of the great election sign scourge.

Using the blog editor on Flock to upload this post today. The image adding process seems a bit dodgy, so let's hope for the best.

Blogged with Flock

#4158

Planned to catch the 7:57am 81N today. Gave myself a couple of extra minutes to get coffee and when a bus showed up at 7:50am, figured we had a late 7:42am or early 7:57am. Instead of the usual 6000 class bus, a 4100 craft appeared at the stop. Near to overflowing when I got on, I luckily secured the upper level, rear-of-the-bus seat I always took on the 66. A woman reading a book occupied the wider bench seat to my right and, as other riders boarded later in the trip, she eased closer to me, sighing quite loudly as each new body entered the area. Not sure what she expects on public transportation, but if she wants a solo seat with plenty of elbow room, she needs to consider private transportation - especially between the hours of 6 and 9am in the Phoenix metro area.

To add to the congestion, a young woman across from me sat slumped crosswise, sleeping, with her backpack occupying 50+% of the wider bench seat to her left. Eventually a man came up and sat in the remaining -50% and slid her bag slightly over to make a bit more room. The young woman adjusted herself, but made no move to remove her bag from the seat. At least four people stood in the aisle and I know she saw them - apparently in this millenial "age of entitlement", her bag needed a seat more than any of the people. Finally, her mental fog lifted and she pulled the backpack onto her lap - duh! While she eventually recovered her fumble, I don't understand why people will look at the situation and not ask her to move her bag so they can sit down? It need not occur in an aggressive manner; a gentle request can obtain the desired result.

Today's picture is actually a 6000 class bus, but I couldn't find a good, wide angle photo of the smaller 4100s.

#4038

Once again with the 7:57am 81N. Although I tend toward the early bird, this work departure time feels right for now. The bus arrived about three minutes late - Roy driving as usual. I boarded, carrying my cup of coffee, and he said, "I need some coffee, too!" I thought his words meant to tease, but the next thing I knew, he stood up, announced to the gathered riders that he'd be right back, then bounded off the bus and entered the gas station/convenience store next to the bus stop. I looked at the overhead scrollbar and the clock said 8:00AM - hard to believe Roy, whose driving centers around timeliness, actually arrived a bit late then took more time to go get coffee. I certainly don't begrudge him the drink, just found it so unlike the Roy we know and love. Definitely a refreshing change of behavior. He arrived back at the bus a few minutes later, steaming cup in hand, and we returned to business-as-usual.

Roy advised that after tomorrow, all drivers' schedules will change. While still driving the 81 route, his new time will begin at 11AM and end at 4PM. Suppose I might see him on an early ride home. Sure hope his replacement employs the same level of customer service as Roy or the driver from the bicycle post - really gives a good start to the day.

#6264

Took a brief break - caught rides to work with my daughter last week. I ride the bus home, but for reasons unknown, the ride home usually doesn't inspire like the morning.

This post recounts yesterday morning's ride - quite an interesting event. Grabbed the 7:57am 81N - Roy in absentia - probably his day off. The driver greeted me nicely and I sat in my favorite spot, the right front seat. Every stop had passengers waiting and both spots on the bus rack filled quickly. At the 60 and McClintock a young man waited with a bicycle. He saw the filled rack and backed away as if to wait for the next bus. The driver asked the young man's destination and then told him to get on and stand in the aisle with his bike. A nice gesture by the driver and obviously appreciated by the young man. We continued north on McClintock, and at Southern, a young woman stood with her bike. The bus rack still full, the young woman backed away from the bus, but, as before, the driver asked her destination and told her to bring the bike onto the bus, stand in the aisle and hold it. Since the other bike already occupied center aisle, this put the young woman and her velocipede more toward the front, blocking me into my seat. The driver, watching the young woman get settled, looked at me and asked when I needed to get off the bus. I told him, ASU, same as the young woman, so her bike caused no hindrance for me. We continued on and I wondered what the driver would say if another bike rider hoped to catch the route. Such thoughtful consideration seems a rare commodity these days - we could all use the civility lesson this driver provided.

The image contains, of course, the bicycles. The "Hello?" refers to a man on the bus, talking loudly on a cell phone and constantly asking, "Hello?" He kept telling the person on the other end to move around, the connection seemed bad - apparently it didn't occur to him that using his phone on a moving bus might create problems with the call? Wish people would leave their cell phones in their pockets while riding.

#6460

Monday morning and I took the 6:42am 81N today. Got the left front seat and promptly employed the foot elevation capability of the wheel well cover. Only about five people occupied the bus and it seemed odd when the door closed, the bell rang and the STOP REQUESTED sign lit up. While many people get on in the morning hours, very few get off so early in the route. The driver passed a couple of stops, halting at the next place where passengers waited to board. No one complained when he didn't stop earlier and no one got off when he did stop. As the door opened, the STOP REQUESTED light sign went dark and once all the new people joined us, the doors closed, the bell rang and the STOP REQUESTED light came back on. Again the driver passed several bus stands, stopping only at the next stand with waiting passengers. The sign light went out as the door opened and once again the bell rang and the light came on when the door closed. While my early morning brain activity seems sluggish some days, I recognized the pattern - a broken stop request system!

Throughout the ride, the driver never commented about the broken system and no one ever felt the need to announce an upcoming stop. I never pull the cord to signal my stop since College Ave serves as a "transit station" and the buses always stop there, regardless of passenger desires or needs. While it seemed most riders got off at College, usually someone always needs to leave the bus prior to ASU's campus. What are the odds that no one wanted off early the day the stop request system broke? Such weighty thoughts to ponder on a Monday morning.

#6427

Whew - what a ride! Arranged to meet a friend for coffee at 7:30am today at Einstein's on the corner of University and Rural - right on the bus path. Both the 5:57am and 6:42am 81N, take about 15 minutes to go from my stop to this location - taking the 7:12am to arrive by 7:30am seemed like simple math, eh? Well, not today.

For openers, the bus arrived 7 minutes late, reducing my on-time margin to 11 minutes - not a good sign. When I got on the bus, I literally took the last available seat - right front, next to a young woman with one of those bookbags-on-wheels (alarming objects, but that's for another time). We then proceeded north and stopped at virtually every stop between hither and yon. McClintock High School, re-opened after the holiday break, accounted for some of the passenger density; however, even after those school kids unloaded, passengers continued to join us as we crawled - and I seriously mean crawled - along McClintock toward University. Road repair currently allows only two open lanes on McClintock, woefully insufficient for morning traffic volume. The bad planning award goes to the bus stop pullout at Apache and McClintock. Located right next to the intersection, if the bus stops there, pulling out becomes a huge challenge. Rush hour drivers feel no need to let the bus enter the traffic flow and we waited two full light changes before the driver could nudge the bus into the go ahead lane.

My friend doesn't play the cell phone game so I couldn't advise him of my delay. I sat there, amazed at the naivety that led me to think taking the 7:12 allowed plenty of time. I arrived for coffee at 7:52am. My friend knew I would arrive by bus and assumed, correctly, that traffic created my delay. I guess, though, the bad planning award really belongs to me.

# 6???

Raining today, luckily just a drizzle while getting to the bus stop. I decided to sleep in a bit so caught the 7:57AM 81N. As expected, Roy commanded the craft and when I got on, he questioned me riding on a non-Thursday. I explained my sleep-in, he understood and we proceeded north, all being right in the 81N universe.

Nothing unusual occurred on the ride, but the young man occupying the seat across the aisle from me caught my attention. Rather, his shoes became the focus of my ride today. He wore a ball cap at a slight angle, covering his eyes. He sat, slightly slumped, arms folded across his book bag - standard bus-sleep posture. His impeccable color coordination included black and white cap, dark red shirt, gray-black pants and delightfully sparkly red shoes. I couldn't stop looking at the shoes. Immediately I thought of Dorothy on the way to Oz, but with a hip-hop/gangsta kind of twist. He probably wouldn't like the analogy, but the shoes mandate it.

I decided I must photograph the shoes for the blog. A dicey prospect since I needed to accomplish this while not raising suspicion about my photographic purposes. My camera includes an "Available Lighting" setting which does a fair job without using the flash. I began a series of surreptitious shots under "available lighting" conditions; however, they kept coming out grainy and blurry. I even waited until the bus stopped completely and those shots, too, contained flaws. Getting frustrated, I began playing with different settings and, suddenly, the flash went off and I had a great picture. He never moved so I assume he didn't see the flash or chose to ignore it. Whatever, I got the picture I wanted and now you can enjoy the shoes, too.

Such a drizzly, grizzly Sweeney Todd-like day, a compare/contrast photo of the grim outside and the bright, shiny shoes inside seemed good for today's picture.

#6434

Rode the 5:57AM 81N today. Got my cup 'o winter blend at Einstein's and happily discovered the bus stop all fresh and sparkly wet, apparently the recent recipient of a drive-by cleaning. Amazing, the effect of power washing on concrete.

I got on the bus with only one other rider present. He sat in the right front, so I took the left front, behind the driver. I like the front seats -- the wheel well covers provide a great place to prop up the feet and securely wedge in against a bumpy, rocky ride. We motored on, adding no new passengers until Southern and McClintock. A young woman boarded and promptly sat down next to me. Unlike many riders, I sit all the way over, making the seat next to me available for other passengers. I don't mind at all if someone sits by me; however, I can't imagine why, with a completely empty bus, this young woman chose to ignore all the vacant seats and join me at the hip? She never said a word, just sat down and remained, even after I got off at ASU.

No seating rules exist on the buses, no "fill-from-the-front" design or plan, so I remain confused at her choice of seat. I doubt it involved my charming personality and gracious demeanor since no opportunity presented itself for me to display my best behavior. She made no attempt to engage in conversation and I couldn't bring myself to ask how she made her seating decision. I watch people as they get on the bus and try and guess where they will sit. You can usually tell who will go to the back of the bus, who will walk through slowly, looking for optimal conditions and who will refuse to make eye contact and take the closest seat possible to the front door. Regardless, almost everyone opts for a seat to themselves when available. Today's mystery seating situation might never resolve itself; however, it did give me something to chew about in this post.

#6158

Another cheery Thursday start on the 7:57am 81N - Roy at the helm. He possesses incredible good spirit for someone who deals with the public on a regular basis. Wonder if we'd find him so chipper at the end of the shift...? I started taking this bus when I took a late class on Thursday in the fall - I continue to use it due to my addiction to Project Runway. For some totally unknown and undoubtedly silly reason, Bravo chooses to show each new episode of PR on Wednesday at 11PM in the Mountain time zone! That means no sleep until midnight and that means no 6AM bus. Adaptation - paramount for TV viewing and bus time management.

Speaking of bus time management, this morning, 4 minutes early, Roy held the bus at McClintock and Apache. Two women got off the westbound Red Line on Apache and hurried to get to our bus. They couldn't know we were in a holding pattern so felt a need to add speed as they approached. Slightly breathless and smiling large, one could sense their relief and pleasure at making a successful connection. It made me think about the adrenaline rush of catching the bus when you think you might miss it. Angst mounts as we see the bus, not sure if it might pull away before we get to it. A blanket of satisfaction when we successfully board - disappointment, helplessness and frustration if it leaves the curb without us. Peaks and valleys, peaks and valleys.

#6450

Let 2008 begin! Cash-paying riders on the 6:12am 81N received a free ride this AM. Apparently, the cash slot could not take bills - nice bonus to start the new year. In October, all Valley Metro buses got new fare boxes. Much hoopla and fanfare preceded the new units; however, as time and use march on, glitches and bugs plague the boxes. At least a couple of times a week I ride a bus with a fare box issue. Cash slots don't work, card readers don't read - something always seems amiss.

I remain thoroughly convinced that the inventor of these boxes has never actually ridden on a bus. One payment option includes a full day pass - for $2.50 you receive a card good to ride all day, any number of times on any number of buses. In theory, one can insert $2.50 into the cash slot and up pops the pass. A lovely idea, but in reality, all cash must enter the fare box within 3 to 5 seconds or the transaction cancels and any money already inserted stays in the box. Whoever designed the system holds the misguided belief that all riders board the bus with crisp, freshly minted bills or coin, ready to pay their fare. Veteran riders will verify that such behavior occurs, at best, 50% of the time. Unlike the OCD among us, many riders wait until the face-to-face moment with the box to locate and invest their money. Crumpled, wadded-up bills appear from deep within pant pockets or purses, much too wrinkled to pass easily into the cash slot. These high-end, digital fare-box wonders have little patience for the time it takes to straighten cash and the drivers end up exhorting passengers to "hurry up or it will eat your money and you won't get a pass". Talk about adding a whole other stress level to the driver's job - who needs these aggravations? Certainly makes me appreciate my permanent plastic bus pass.

back in the saddle . . .

Greetings, greetings, greetings - been awhile since this blog has seen a new post. Work became incredibly busy and I needed to let this go. Things have settled a bit and I miss making my weird little pictures and opining about my daily rides with Valley Metro.

The 81 northbound occupies my ridership these mornings. A fire at the Memorial Union, here on campus, closed my favorite coffee shop, so I started getting my morning brew at the Einstein Bros shop across the street from the bus stop. They serve a lovely winter blend coffee that opens my day with a gentle push. Not sure what I'll do when winter ends - hope they brew an equally lovely spring blend. Desert mornings can chill through to the bone and a nice cup of coffee keeps the internals going.

I took a class in the fall semester on Thursday evenings - since it kept me later at work, I started taking the 7:57am bus so I didn't end up with a 12-hour work day. Roy runs the 7:57am 81N employing stellar customer service. He recognizes regular passengers, always offers a pleasant greeting and makes every attempt to wait for passengers transferring from other buses. I haven't seen him handle an aggravated customer, but perhaps that's due to his personable nature. Nothing to get passengers riled about.

Today's image tells it all. I donned full coat, gloves and scarf this morning - temperature was 38 degrees (F) with a NW wind at 20-25 mph. Brrrrrrr says it all.

#4157 (81S)

Gearing up for my trip to NY so not much time for blogging. Must write about last night, tho. I chatted with a woman who I frequently see on the 81S. She, too, works at ASU and at one time lived in my little neighborhood. We compared notes about our rides home the evening of the Great Monsoon Flood Extravaganza. Her ride exceeded mine in both time and interest. While I experienced a bus u-turn, her driver took them through back roads and neighborhoods, on small side streets with parked cars and tight turns. It took them two hours, compared to my one. She always rides the 4:45pm and I took the 4:30 that night. Amazing what a difference 15 minutes made.

Our conversation moved on to general bus riding and she told me about a new woman in her office, from Denmark, who intended to use the bus. However, this woman's son told her not to ride the bus, that only poor, uneducated low-lifes ride the bus "here" (quotes added since I don't know if he meant Arizona or the US). Poor, uneducated low-lifes - what the ...? Only an uneducated low-life would make a statement like that. Some people must use public transportation and not always for reasons economic or intellectual. I could not drive after my eye surgery and still needed to get to work. My options included what - taxi? bicycle? limousine? All of the above, but I chose the bus as the most convenient, economic and practical approach. Amazing logic for a poor, uneducated low-life. Wonder what this guy would think if he heard some past discussions on the 6am66? Engineering Guy would dazzle him with Quantum Polynomial Propagation! Some of the most rude, boorish, low-life behavior occurs among the rich, educated, high-lifes - look at our president, for gawdssake. What a doofus! Oh well, he's only allegedly educated.

Today's image relates to nothing about the ride or the blog post. This cactus, which grows outside my office building, completely fascinates me. I love that it begins straight and takes such a lovely twist at the top. Reminds me of my hair, which starts straight at the root and grows out with a twisted curl at the end. Even more, it looks like a soft-serve ice cream cone - ummmmmm.....if only soft-serve came in pistachio or mint chocolate chip!

Crazy ride home

rainy_all
Originally uploaded by mfebber

Again with the flickr upload - not sure if I like this style, but we'll see. Will edit this later with a story about last night's ride home in the rain.

Ok, here's the story. Left my building to go home last night and fell victim to one of the best monsoon storms ever. Lightning, thunder, wind and torrential rain. It spilled and poured and blew the rain and in one minute I looked like I swam fully clothed to the bus stop. Even "drenched" really understates my condition. Amazingly, the bus arrived on time. A driver switch occurred, so I huddled (and puddled) in my seat, wishing for less efficient air conditioning. The new driver got herself organized and we took off.

The standing/running water in the streets was amazing and the bus created huge waves since it must ride in the curb lane, where most water collects. All seemed swimmingly good until we approached Apache. The traffic stopped moving about 1/2 mile before the intersection and I wondered if the railroad underpass was flooded. We inched forward and finally cleared the Apache Road intersection, only to see the fire department had blocked the street - as I surmised, the underpass was under water. They made everyone do a u-turn (why did they even let them through???) and that included the bus. The driver waited for things to clear a bit and then did an excellent job of turning us around. She didn't receive any directives from her dispatcher and had to create an alternative on her own. We talked to her and suggested she go east on Apache to Price instead of trying to turn left (west) on Apache to Rural. We took a vote, she accepted our decision, and she took our detour. Traffic, though heavy, moved steadily and we ended up back on McClintock at Broadway - a mere 3 mile detour. The rest of the ride played out as usual, although we only picked up two people the whole way. This ride normally takes 20-25 minutes for me and last night it took 65 minutes.

I took a few photos and picked the best three for blog viewing. I realize that in the world of floods, this doesn't rank; however, in the desert, this much water falling from the sky and collecting in the streets at one time - well, it's pretty amazing.