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.

15 minutes to Baltimore?

This little nugget was in the local news yesterday. 

I'd take a 15 minute high-speed ride to Baltimore from DC. I'll be 75 years old, but still, what a great time!

I don't quite get the taco, but I like tacos. They are yummy.

Happy Friday, all!

I paid good money...to stand...and wait.

Yup, you read that correctly. I paid $2.15 to stand on the platform at Judiciary Square for 10 minutes. Train never came. No trains came. I check the app on my phone -- no trains to Glenmont. No updates from WMATA in my e-mail. I need to catch my MARC train out of the city. So I leave the station after asking one of the station managers if they know anything. I get blank stares. A train could have pulled up in the next 30 seconds. I wasn't waiting to find out. I decide to walk to Union Station and do make the 5:40 train home. 

Yet, even now, I continue to wait. I'm currently sitting on a stopped train on the bridge over I-270. Le sigh. I'll make it home eventually.

I paid good money to stand and wait today. That could have been some Starbucks tomorrow morning. Blarg.

Some graffiti art on the train overpass on I-270. Still glad I wasn't in a motor vehicle.

She's got a ticket to ride...

I wonder how many times I'll use that title in future posts...

Anyway, a quick update and a great "Score!" moment today, on this day after a 4-day holiday weekend (yes, I took Friday off). 

I took the Metro today -- was planning to since I need to stay in the city longer this evening. Love getting the update via my phone as I sit in 270 southbound traffic that because the MARC is delayed more than 20 minutes that the Metro will honor MARC ticket holders! 

Love you J-Law - don't let those hackers get you down.

Score!! that means a free Metro ride for me this morning and not standing in the line to go through the turn stalls -- loved flashing my ticket to a WMATA worker and walking through the emergency exit while all the other suckas paid.