The Wheels on the Bus

Go round and round.  Yes, it is true; the song doesn't lie.

This week I've been commuting by bus (yup--from the Park-n-Ride 5 minutes from my house all the way to work in Centennial--35 miles), so I know firsthand how the whole system works.  See, it goes a little bit like this:

1. Wake up before the sun (5a) and get ready for work, minus wearing work clothes.  (Wear comfy clothes instead--with good walking shoes--and pack the work attire in the backpack for a change at the office later.)
2. Drive to the Park-n-Ride, and hustle to the gate near the highway for pickup.  (Unless you wake up earlier than 5a and can leisurly stroll towards the gate.)
3. Stand in the cold/sun/rain/hail (whatever Mother Nature feels like sharing) and wait for the bus.  If you're lucky, you'll be witness to a magnificent sunrise.
4. Greet the driver with a friendly smile and "Good Morning," and if possible, choose a seat 1-2 rows behind the wheelchair lift in the middle of the bus.  (Per my all-knowing husband, these seats provide the most legroom and provide the smoothest ride since they're at the pivot point between the front and back wheels.)
5. Settle in for a 45+ minute ride to the DTC.  Make sure whatever hot beverage you're drinking (because who can get up so early without one?) is securely situated where it won't tip over and spill if you happen to doze off during the ride.
6. Pull the cord when you're ready to get off (not too early or you'll be walking to the next stop, and not too late or you'll pass it and have to retrace your path back to the last one) and exit the bus.
7. Walk to the next stop, and patiently wait for the connecting bus.  Don't be alarmed if it is not there when it is supposed to be, as it is almost always late.  Enjoy your second dose of cold/sun/rain/hail (whatever Mother Nature feels like sharing) while patiently waiting.  Wait some more.
8. Board the next bus and sit down quickly; since the driver is late he accelerates and brakes in half the time he should and you'll get whipped around if not securely seated.
9. Ride the route, enjoying the whiptastic ride courtesy of the hurried driver and people-watching those who get on and off.  (My favorite so far is the young skater man who one day boarded the bus with his shoelace on fire--just another reason smoking is dangerous, kids--and today boarded with a different pair of shoes, with the right toe carefully wrapped with blue painter's tape.)
10. Again, pay attention to your location and exit the bus once close to your destination.
11. Walk the rest of the way to work (a short, 15 minute walk).  Enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of being outside so early in the morning: the birds singing in the trees, the smell of fresh rain on the grass, sounds of rushing water in drainage culverts, and the warm golden glow of the sun on everything her rays touch.
12. Get to work before everyone else, change into work clothes, and attempt to tame and re-style your hair which due to the humidity and wind looks as wild as if you were related to a lion or just completed a wrestling match with Randy Macho Man Savage.
13. Go throughout your day and then repeat the steps above, in reverse, once your workday is through!

So . . . really and truly, riding the bus isn't bad.  It has its ups and downs for sure, but the sheer fact that I'll be saving a TON of gas (and the money it'd cost to pay for it) each week, as well as the stress of driving in an hours' worth of rush hour traffic twice a day, and the physical pain in my shoulder from repeatedly shifting in a car that doesn't really "fit" my short legs and stocky torso very well far outweighs the costs.  Not to mention how much I'll be reducing the size of my ecological footprint . . .

And beyond that, the subculture of the bus is utterly fascinating.  Each day I see faces I saw the day before, and it's clear little communities exist on each particular route as folks ask others about their family, their work, and everything in between.  It's almost like a family.  The drivers for the most part are very kind and courteous, and with a very chipper attitude (a feat for those of us who are not morning folks) chauffeur us around town as we work from point A to B.  I giggle at how much it feels like we're kids heading off to school, exiting the bus with our backpacks and lunch pails, saying goodbye and "Have a good day" to the driver who with a sincere smile, wishes us the same.

The wheels on the bus do go round and round . . . all through the town.  And at least during the week, I'm going to be on it.