So I’m working on a project at work to look at how our employees commute to work. To gain perspective (and just to say that I did it) I thought I would do some research into public transportation. I took the city bus to work.
I packed my backpack and left home at 8:15 AM and walked 0.6 miles to the nearest bus stop (driving takes 2 min, but me walking took 11 min). It was nice to walk past trees and singing birds and see the clouds float by. I waited at the stop for 15 minutes before the bus arrived.
The bus driver was a riot; when he opened the door he said “d’you just take my pitcher?” I laughed and said no, that I took the bus’ picture and he wasn’t in it. He was o.k. with that and let me on. I put my money in the machine, got my transfer pass, and took a seat. The bus was like any other city bus, but the cool part was that when I was in school I had gotten a tour of the factory that made these very buses. It was neat to see the end use of a product that I had watched during its assembly.
We rode 15 minutes before we came to my transfer stop. The driver told me where to catch the next bus so I got off and headed in that direction. I crossed the street and stood in front of the gas station Quik Trip (avoiding their sprinklers that were thoroughly watering the sidewalk). As I waited, a different bus driver parked his bus across the street and walked over to refill his drink at QT. I thought it would be a good idea to double check that I was in the right spot; turns out I was indeed in the right spot, but at the wrong time. It was 9:03 AM and the bus I needed ended its route at 8:45 AM (and wouldn’t be back for another hour). Rats!! So I walked the remaining 1 mile (17 min) to my building.
I triumphantly arrived to my desk at 9:20 AM, with sunburned cheeks and ready to go back home for a shower! Before I left this morning I was sad because the extra time it took for me to ride the bus (30 min extra one way) meant that I wouldn’t have time to workout at the YMCA tonight. So far on my way to work today I have “worked out” for 28 min, walked 1.6 miles, and sweat just as much as I do during a workout. And I have yet to get back home. In fact, I’m not even sure how I’m getting home, so I have no doubt I will surpass my workout expectations today.
I’ll post again about my ride home tonight, if I make it home… 
