Bus Adventures: Part 1

Public transit is a fickle creature. We all know that it's better for the environment and saves us money on gas (and/or on car payments), but sometimes the trials of the crowds/delays/etc make you want to pull your gas-chugging hummer out of the garage and drive 3 blocks to the grocery store (I kiiiiiid, I kiiiiiiid...but you get the idea. And no, I will never set foot in a Hummer again. Hate them). However, once you look past the minor, and often funny, inconveniences that the bus provides, public transit really is a great thing.

This morning was no exception. I merrily skipped out my front door just in time to see a loaded express bus go flying past my stop because, it being 8:05 am, we are smack dab in the middle of morning rush hour. Well, not being one to take rejection sitting down, I threw my computer and gym bag over my shoulder, and started powerwalking to a bus stop a bit earlier down the bus line...this was when the eccentricities of the SF bus really started to manifest themselves.

1) After hiking 4 blocks with two large bags over my shoulders (luckily I wore my cowboy boots today. I would not have tried this is heels), I saw another express bus coming and thought "YES!" only to watch it fly by just as the previous one did. At this point (1o min behind schedule), I started thinking "WTF? I've hiked a half a mile in work clothes carry at least 40 lbs (my laptop is from 1982). What does a girl have to do to catch a bus?"
2) I walked one more block and saw another express coming. Luckily, this one was pretty much tailing the last bus, so it was not too full..and guess what?!?! I got on and GOT A SEAT!!! Getting a seat during rush hour is kind of like winning the lottery...but without the taxes.
C) Side note: another aspect of bus-riding baffles me...the heat/stuffiness of the bus vs. the cold of outside. If I board the bus in outside gear (sweater and jacket), I am sweating withing 4.2 seconds. Like, socially unacceptably sweating...but I look around and everyone in wool coats seems to be cool, happy, and sweat-free. What am I doing wrong here?!? Teach me your secret, large suit-wearing man!
4) My whole morning was significantly improved by getting a seat because it gave me a place (i.e. my lap) to put my two large bags. I mean, what do you do if you have to carry your laptop, workout bag, tupperware, AND purse to work everyday (like me). Fancy, dressed-up, corporate chicks do NOT like my dirty running shoes in their face. Dale + bus seat = happier commuters.

So the moral of this story is this: I got to work on-time and car-free, feeling good about the gas I've saved AND the fact that I don't have to deal with a car/pay for parking downtown. Additionally, I can take Muni to watch the Duke/UNC game tonight, and I don't have to worry about driving home after celebrating Duke's crushing win. The bus really is a great thing, and if it wasn't a bit of an adventure to ride, I wouldn't have had anything to blog about this morning. Win/win situation for all.