2015 is almost upon us...

So, as has happened many times before, I have nothing to complain or wax on about in terms of my transit woes. The only thing of note to share is apparently the man who felt the need to refer to my (and any female's) upper extremities as T**ts, is retiring. I heard all about it yesterday on my commute home. Man, does he like to talk. And, loudly! So, yay, good riddance "I heart boobies" man. 

Now, onto the real reason I'm posting...HAPPY NEW YEAR. It's been a fun one in 2014 starting this blog, and I hope to continue with many more this next year. 

Michelle Tanner is bonkers. This is my ideal NYE.

And, just so you know, my dog is totes adorbs and worth every midnight smooch I have to give. Well, I'll save one or two for my hubs. Please see evidence below. 

A new fad?

So a few months ago, I watched this video online about a man who raced the Tube in London. I thought it was super fun and interesting as both a commuter and a runner (although I don't think I could do it). 

Well, it's gone local, folks. Someone just did it here in DC to celebrate a birthday. Sucks to be born in December and do this, but still...nice job!

Given delays, Metro cards demagnetizing, time of day, etc. I would think you'd have to prep for this pretty well and plan your course, as well as be in good shape. Or else this might happen:

Terrible, I know, but totally true.

And, people will comment as you're running by.

Or, if you're like me, get distracted, or lost, and end up just doing this the whole way.

FAIL.

And to all a good night...

So it appears most people have made their exodus out of the Nation's Capital for the Christmas holiday. This is what Union Station felt like this morning during the normal commute:

Typically, there are way more tumbleweeds there when I pass through around 8:15am:

Or, it's kinda like this...

No matter what, I hope everyone has the happiest of holiday seasons this year, and you get to enjoy a lot of festive relaxing. 

And, Santa brings you everything you asked for.

MERRY CHRISTMUKKAHNZA!

Hangin' in the 'Bus

Sorry, I've been MIA since before Thanksgiving -- it's been a crazy couple of weeks in my world, which included a few travel snafus, but nothing too crazy to warrant a post in itself. 

Last week, the week back to work after the holiday consisted of, transit-wise: sitting next to people with terrible coffee breath, watching people pick their nose on the Metro and wondering, "Do they realize they are in the open public?", having a delayed train out of Union Station for more than 45 minutes one afternoon, and enjoyed two car-free days (pretty much): one day when my husband and I got to commute together or another, where we were meeting up later in the day to grab dinner and headed home straight afterwards, so we rode together again. 

I guess it's actually a good thing when I don't have eventful or crazy commutes and have nothing to blog about. So, yay for me, but sorry for you three (!) faithful readers.

I can also post that my husband and I recently traveled to Columbus, Ohio to see a Buckeye game at my Alma Mater and that we utilized the very inexpensive shuttle that was literally across the street from the hotel where we stayed and didn't have to worry about parking our car on the very large and very busy campus of The Ohio State University. Woot! Score 1 more for having a car-free experience. Seriously though, if you ever travel there for a football game, that's the way to go and it was this hotel (which was awesome!).

Speaking of Columbus: they apparently are targeting the very young and transient population of Washington, D.C. to come to their fair and much underrated city also known as "The Biggest Small Town in America", or as I (and many others) like to affectionately call it: Cbus. Saw this ad at the Union Station metro stop the other day and had to capture it for my Ohioan friends! Serious, it is a great city if you've never been.

Oh, and on that note: Go Bucks! 

Monday madness

This Monday before Thanksgiving, I am all over the place. Trying to plan for baking bread and pies for Thursday, keeping my work schedule straight, donating canned foods to a local drive, and organizing my tasks for my extra-curricular activities, all with being out of town the entire past weekend and coming back super tired. So, Thursday and Friday (oh, and Saturday and Sunday) I'm ready for this...

So jealous of this dog right now.

So this morning, when I dealt with not-so-smart people and they STOPPED at the end of the down escalator at Union Station because they are on the phone and pulling a suitcase (multi-tasking is a fine art, friends), I had to do this...

I'm no Madonna, but for realz. 

And then, both times on the Metro, I'm getting on and you're blocking the doorway. I'm getting off and you don't move out of the entry way. This is what I will do to you!

Not really, but I'd like to.

Again, I am so ready for the holiday, giving thanks and all that jazz. If I don't talk to you friends before, Happy shimmy-A-turkey day!

It's double-layer time!

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that it was really cold out. Well, guess what...it is again. And, according to the forecasts, it appears it will be a VERY, LONG winter. 

Since I stand outside sometimes for longer-ish periods of time as a public transit commuter, I'm going to have to get saavy with my wardrobe choices. I just (in the last hour), at the request of my mother, sent my Christmas list along and got creative with "Gloves that extend above the wrists" since sometimes there is bare skin that peeks out between my coat and short-wristed gloves. Brrrr!

Today, I'm wearing a dress, so this is what I did to keep my legs warm:

Yup - those are running pants over my tights. Super stylish.

Needless to say, I was warmer than the ladies I saw, with their bare knees exposed to this frozen tundra we got going on in most of the continental United States this week.

Thou shall not judge me, Purple Lady!

So, my Monday began by me being judged by a lady dressed in all purple. Oh, and a matching purple purse. And, a fur hat. Yeah, you heard me correct. Let me tell you a tale...

I'm working late this evening at a big, fancy gala sort of thing at my work, so I left the house with a ton more bags than usual, and a dress, to get ready for said fancy event this afternoon. I also had to take the Metro since I'll be here so late; I wouldn't be able to take the MARC train home. It took me 40 minutes to drive the 10 miles to get to the Shady Grove metro this morning, so that started me off in a swell mood. Oh, and add in the 18 degree wind chill in mid-November, I'm just ready to hibernate until May. 

Anywho, I get on the Metro and find a seat in the center of the car, taking note that there is NO Priority seating sign above where I choose to sit. I stuff all my bags AND dress under my seat, because I'm considerate like that and we're off! 

The Metro ride started off very calm and quiet. I'm doing my Tuesday crossword puzzle in the Express -- it's super easy since it's Tuesday and I've had my coffee already. People keep piling on the train, making it more and more crowded and maybe it was around the Cleveland Park stop, that a lady, dressed in all purple, interrupts my 34 Down analyzing to say, "You're in a Priority seat and I need to sit." I calmly look behind me, don't see the sign, am like "uhh, ok" but start to gather all my bags (remember all those bags?), as does the woman next to me (probably close to my age) and clearly we must have seem annoyed, because Purple Lady goes across to where the ACTUAL signs are for Priority seating to an older lady who says she'll give her seat up for her. Okay. The younger woman and I stay put. 

My reaction when she asked me to move.

But then, we continue to get dirty looks from the ladies across the way. I hear them audibly talking about it and the Purple Lady thanking the other older woman about giving up her seat!

Now, I like to think I'm a very polite person and I think most people would agree. As noted above, I ALWAYS try and not sit in Priority Seating on the Metro and if I do, I would get up if asked or clearly needed to give my seat to someone older or struggling to stand. ALWAYS. Let me emphasize that. I was raised by a man who served in the Navy, did 2 tours of Vietnam, always showed me how to be polite, expects men to take hats off indoors. My mother instilled the "please" and "thank-you" mentality from the time I was barely able to walk and I was constantly around my grandparents, of which that time spent, I learned to respect my elders. That's WHY I did start moving to get up when asked, EVEN THOUGH I WAS PERFECTLY IN MY RIGHT TO STAY PUT. Either way, I did not appreciate the sneering looks and comments I got afterwards. I DID NOTHING WRONG.

So, just to double-check, I Googled "Priority Seating rules on the DC Metro" and the first three sites are all from WMATA, which do seem to contradict themselves, at times: 

The first, a more casual "Do's and Don'ts" of the Metro, say that all seats next to the doors are reserved for people with disabilities and senior citizens.

The second is WMATA's press release from 2009, announcing an initiative to get people to speak up to ask for a seat and how they will be CLEARLY labeling the seats with signs and arrows, indicating the seats are reserved and prioritized for the disabled.

The third is a "Customer Guide for Riders with Disabilities and Senior Citizens". It clearly states on page 7 of this "Guide" that "Priority seating areas are designated with signs." So boom, I was sitting in an OK place.

Either way, my blood was boiling after this and really thinking about it. I truly appreciate someone older who can speak up for themselves, but there's really no need to be rude to someone who was trying to accommodate you, after the fact. 

My reaction after the whole debacle. 

Hence the typos most likely in this post. 

Thank you for reading anyway.

One more caveat: having someone ask you to give up your seat for them at any time, is understandable, but it DOES make it trickier to finagle all those bags and winter items, in the morning rush hour, just so a lady with a fur hat and purple purse can sit in a seat I was allowed to sit in the whole time. 

Lonely train home

On Tuesday, I worked an abbreviated day to get out of the city early and avoid this monstrosity being produced about 4 blocks from where I work, which it turns out, didn't have nearly as many people as they thought it would and of which freaked all us locals out. 

But because I left early and it was a technical Federal holiday -- this was the train home:

A very unusual sight. 

And one I wouldn't mind seeing more of from time to time :)

Today's post brought to you by: RUNNING

I know it's not a form of public transit, (officially) but you CAN get from point A to B by running!

This weekend I ran the 10K Over the Bay (that is the Bay Bridge my friends -- you know that almost 4.5-mile monster over the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland?!) Anywho, it was my first 10K officially and I did pretty well--went slightly slower than I had hoped...had to walk for a minute or so after mile 1 since well, you know, the first 2 miles of the stinkin' race were uphill. I also stopped to take some photos once I got the middle of the bridge. So that's what I'm chocking up to my slower than anticipated time. 

Probably the best photo with runners and the bridge in silhouette. 

They also posted videos of your finish online today. I cross the finish line around 5 seconds and am in the short sleeved white shirt. But what made me and my husband laugh, is that I kept running, like I was headed to another race! oh man...

The body is sore today, but I'm hoping to keep up the training and perhaps do a 10-miler in the spring! And using my walks to and from the train/station, to add to my training. So, see, that's how this blog had something about Public Transit in it!

This Tuesday might as well be a Monday...

Well I had myself a 2.5 hour commute this morning, door-to-door. In fairness, I did actually go and vote during that time as well, but even so, should have only taken me 90 minutes or so. So, here's what happened...

Left my house at 6:45 am, arrived to vote at 6:56 am -- was the fourth person in line and was out the door by 7:15 am. Then it took me the usual 15 (or so) minutes to get to the train station (with traffic on I-270) and I was just in time for the 7:34 am train to Washington. I stood there for 10 minutes in The Line (with some lady thinking she could cut in front of me -- she ended up moving up the line and low and behold, she cut in front of us all to stand right at the front of the line! Grrrr...more on her later). Finally got an e-mail and heard an announcement that the train we were waiting for was broken down and there would be a delay of 20-25 minutes. Um, ok. I believe it was 8:09 by the time I got on a train. (Which ironically pulled up and was not in line with where people had lined up, therefore Cutting Lady, as we'll call her, was no longer in the front of the line -- I was second in line based on where I was standing -- wahoo!)

Now we have a crowded train situation going on here, as evidenced on my Instagram this morning. And it's a loooooong ride into Union Station this morning. I feel so bad for anyone who comes after the Germantown stop on days like these -- they are probably better off getting in their car and driving themselves to where they need to be, because there is no way they are getting on this train between Germantown and Rockville when issues arise. 

Finally, I'm bounding down the train steps onto the platform and waltzing into the Metro station (for free! thankyouverymuchMetroforhonoringmyMARCticket.) just after 9 am. I decide when I walk into work, I deserve a 2nd coffee at the moment and reserve a Diet Coke for lunch, so it's 9:15 by the time I get into the elevator. That equals 2.5 hours, door-to-door. Blarg.

On top of that, I have already had issues with my bank, couldn't get my contact lenses in this morning so am wearing my old, weak glasses, and no one is at work because they are sick (fingers crossed I stay healthy until after this weekend at least!) so it will be hard to get anything done today. So, happy 2nd Monday everyone -- at least I did my civic duty this morning!

Woot! Exercising my right as a 'mercan.

Whoops! And, a theory.

So Friday was Halloween and my awesome boss let our department leave a bit early to beat the Halloween traffic, yea buddy.

My point of this part of the blog is as I was leaving work early, I got so distracted and excited, I almost went the wrong way on the Red line, as if I were headed to Union Station to catch a MARC train. That would have been OK, except for the fact that my car was parked at the Shady Grove metro station and ONLY if I had realized it before the Rockville stop on the MARC train would I have been OK. Again, thankfully I caught it before I got on the initial Metro train. AND, I ended up getting to my car and to the gym much earlier than if I had taken MARC to Rockville and then gotten off to transfer to Metro. So, yay!

Also, I have a theory and I'm pretty sure it's accurate...theory is:

If a Metro platform is in the center at the station (and the trains are on either side), the doors of the train will always open on the LEFT side. If the Metro platforms are on the sides (and the trains are in the center), the doors of the train will always open on the RIGHT. 

So far, I'm finding this true on the NW side of the Red Line -- haven't been able to test it on other lines as much, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Happy week everyone!

Sweet home Chicago

So I traveled to the windy city over the weekend to visit some fabulous friends and one who celebrated a big birthday. It was my second time there and I took lots of public transit: the "L" train from Midway to downtown, a few city buses, and even experienced my first ever Uber rides. 

I'm trying to think if I had any particular funny or special public transit stories. CTA truly seems to have their act together for the most part (or at least compared to what I'm familiar with).

The one thing I will complain about in Chicago and their more-than-a-century-old-train-system is the fact that they do not believe in escalators to get to the train platforms. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but does allow for some heart-racing and stress-inducing times when carting around a suitcase, since one has to leave straight from downtown to head to Midway on their last day in the city. (Well, it also didn't help the fact that that same person might have misread their boarding time and their flight actually left 45 minutes earlier than they originally thought -- stupid Central Time!) So, yeah, you definitely get your cardio in if you take the L at any point during your day in Chicago -- add in the suitcase full of dirty clothes, there's your strength training too!

If I think of any other good stories, I'll post some, but for now, I'll leave you with some photos straight from the iPhone.

Auditorium Theatre

Art Institute of Chicago

Ran along Lake Michigan

Views from downtown

Musician at Clark/Lake station, downtown

Chicago Theater

Took an architecture boat tour!

And, ate my Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream in an actual scoop shop in Southport!

These boots were NOT made for walking

I've become that girl. Or perhaps I should say woman. The woman my 21-year old self said I would never be. That young, throw-caution-and-severe-foot-pain-to-the-wind, kind of girl. 

Yes, I started the day thinking I could walk the "short" walk to the Metro from the commuter and Amtrak train platforms at Union Station in my very nice (and cute!) boots that went perfectly with my dressy outfit for the day. It's Fall. I'm a girl. We wear boots. And, I like to coordinate most of the time when I leave the house. 

But alas, the feet, they burned. Oh, did they burn after what normally doesn't seem like such a long walk...it felt like a mile in these boots! So my return journey to make my train was made in the ever-practical sneakers. The sneakers I saw the practical women nearly a decade ago commuting to and from DC on the train and swore I would NEVER do that. 

But, below is photo evidence that this happened, but unlikely to happen again for awhile...that's what cute black ballet flats are for. 

They kinda matched my outfit at least. 

Trains, trains, trains!

While on lunch break, I was surfing CNN and found this little gem -- all about trains! And how awesome they are and how everyone should ride them! 

Wheeeeeeeee!

I'll have more on some commuting Do's and Don't's later this week. I know, I still need to work on my Cast of Characters too, but it's been a busy fall so far...lots of travelin', celebratin', workin', and volunteerin'. Oh, and runnin' and trainin' for a race in November.

Ebola say what?

Ok, add me into the millions of Americans who are scared of Ebola now. 

The man on the train next to me sneezed this morning. My mind immediately went to EBOLA EBOLA EBOLA!

Now, I'm a rational human and know I won't catch Ebola from this guy or the next one walking down the street, but if there is a downside of taking public transit (oh, I know there are many, but the good outweighs the bad IMHO), communal sharing of germs might top my list. 

Anyway, onto the next thing. Whatever that may be. Spanish influenza, anyone?

Totes, FLOTUS.

Things I've learned this week...

This week has been eventful to say the least. Monday started the week with jury duty so no train for me. I originally was going to do public transit, but my husband convinced me to drive just because they "might" dismiss us early...they did, at 2pm, so I was glad I could drive home right away, rather than wait until 4pm for a train at Rockville. Either way, here are the lessons I've learned this week, despite being down 1 day for train riding:

-Jury duty sucks, but it is a fascinating process to watch as prosecutors and defense teams select their jurors for a criminal trial -- yup. I almost had to sit on that, but thankfully the defense didn't want me. WAHOO!

Love me some Tina Fey.

-I really wish Metro would have screens before you get to the turn-stalls with delays posted prominently. I paid for my ride on Tuesday morning, only to be greeted with a super crowded platform at Union Station. Waited 10 minutes for a train coming from Glenmont/Silver Spring due to a cracked rail at Dupont. Oy. I only had to go one stop, so could have walked in almost the same amount of time. 

-Apparently, it is socially acceptable, to some, to utilize the word "Tits" loudly and repeatedly on a train, when referring to a woman's upper body parts. Seriously?! Did I just hear that? I mean, "boobs" or "boobies" is somewhat better (yet childish), but if I'm correct, I think "breasts" might be the most scientifically accurate way of describing these entities. If I had been sitting closer to the culprit, I would have said something. Don't worry...more about him later in my Cast of Characters that I'm working on.

My face when I heard this terrible-ness. Blech.

Then I did this. 

And pretended I was not even on the same train as this guy.

-My fellow commuters watch crappy television. I am no saint -- I have my guilty pleasures (hello, Housewives haters!), but seriously, NCIS: New Orleans?! No judgement, but when a show is in its third spin-off (in a different city of course), and sounds like and IS very similar to another overly re-done show, that could be loosely compared to another long-running show, with varying degrees of spin-offs on a different network, I feel like you should watch some Homeland, Luther, House of Cards, or something relatively different. Anything else. I did hear talk of The Walking Dead, so that's a good sign I guess...

Just because.

-New iPhone 6's make me nervous as a commuter. They make me especially nervous when they are still naked and afraid, with no cover. Therefore, one must resort to whatever works to protect their newest family member: keep all the plastic on it and tote it around in a (clean) sock. Props goes to my BFFL (that's Best Friend For Life, y'all) for doing this herself with her new iPhone 5s this summer. 

Winner.

-Finally, people: walking is not that hard. I realize you are unable to put down that little device I mention above, so you're not paying attention to where you are going. I also get that you want to be different and march (ha!) to the beat of a different drummer. But just so we're all clear: just as in driving in probably 90% of the world's countries, WALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK. 

-One more tip for all the walkers out there: it is NOT advisable that you STOP immediately AND move to your left after getting to the top or bottom of an escalator when you've been standing on the right side the entire time on the escalator and ALL the people on the left side have been hauling tail to walk the machine. You are just asking for trouble. 

Ok, enough ranting from this girl. Happy weekend everyone. Time for a break from the grind. I'm sure there will be more interesting stories to tell soon!

Scenes from a train

These were the scenes from the train this morning. First, as we rolled into Metropolitan Grove, straight from my Instagram.

Gotta love that fog.

And into Union Station...

I spy a VRE train!

Sometimes you have to just close your eyes to the sun, so you can enjoy the warmth.

Happy Friday, everyone!

It's definitely 5o'clock on this train

I have literally chosen to sit in the middle of a happy hour today on the train. It's definitely 5 o'clock here and the smells of beer and pizza keep wafting my way. Le sigh. I just keeping thinking of the workout I have ahead of me and all the calories I will burn running my 2.5 miles today. 

I will leave you with my outfit from this rainy morning that I wore to help keep my feet dry. Yes, I know I looked ridiculous, but I was dry! Now I just feel ridiculous sitting amongst the party revelers with my headphones in, writing this post. 

Yup. That's my bare leg between my capris and rain boots. 

Happy Car-Free Day!

I had grand plans to blog this weekend on various, funny topics including my Weekend Warrior Woes on the Metro (coming soon) and starting my multi-part blog series on the "Cast of Characters" on the train each day. Even without uttering a word to many of these people, I keep seeing the same commuters and really feel like I know them or at least have begun to create personalities for them in my head. Stay tuned...

So, anyway, today is Car-Free-Day in the DC area and I can  state that even though I'm not doing it completely car-free today, I do do it enough throughout the year that I feel like I'm owed a pass on the actual day, OK? And, when I do use my car, I'm maybe driving 15 miles a day, TOTAL, with it (to and from the station and home, plus a few errands in between), so I still feel like I'm doing my part. 

Either way, I'm a true believer now in commuting via public transit (hence the blog), and do think every American should, at some point, commute for an entire week (or at least a full day) using nothing but public transit. I know it's harder out in the suburbs and even more so in rural areas, but it's not impossible. And I truly think more people would understand the plight of many others when they do so -- running errands via a bus, having to wait for transit, when it's running late, in all kinds of weather, and actually realizing how inexpensive (relatively) it is compared to gas prices, mileage and upkeep on a vehicle. 

So, on that note...enjoy and HAPPY CAR-FREE MONDAY! 

Grumpy cat gets a learner's permit.

This is not news.

And the reason I started this blog is in the article embedded below. Enjoy what those ever-dapper Brits have discovered.

Fascinating Friday reading

Check out this wonderful interactive, online article in the Washington Post about Union Station.

And now I must get back to work. Proceed with your days and weekends as well :) 

Silver, silver, silver

Today we talk about something that has now been open for more than month in the DC area. I'm surprised I haven't even mentioned it yet, but I also haven't ridden it to know much about it. Haven't really had a need to.

Yet this week as I planned a few plane trips in the coming months, I was curious about how this new line could get me to Dulles Airport. Now the Silver Line does not go all the way to the Virginia airport YET (that'll happen in about 3-4 years -- at least that's my current bet), but I did discover there is a shuttle picking people up at the Wiehle-Reston East metro stop, called the Silver Line Express. For $5, it should (and, should being the key word) only be a 15 minute ride from the metro to the airport. That's not too shabby. Depending on where you live within the city, could be better than getting to BWI even. Nothing beats Reagan National in terms of proximity and access though if you live in the District or are very close to the city boundaries (think, Arlington/Alexandria).

For me, it's more than about double the time to Metro if I were to come from our home in Montgomery County, than it would for me to drive straight to Dulles from our house (approx. 45 minutes). If I'm at work, it's about 15-20 minutes longer to use public transit from Judiciary Square to get to Dulles versus driving from my house straight to Dulles. Either way, there are now OPTIONS. Way to go, DC. Way to go. 

Anywho, just an FYI for any of my traveling friends who need to get to Dulles and don't want to drive, or don't have access to a car. Or just don't want to pay for parking. 

Happy Friday eve!

Needed something cute to look at? You're welcome.