Adventures in Getting Around

I've had a busy couple of weeks that have forced me to work on figuring out how get around without a car.

Last Wed. I started a full time job in the Pearl District. I have to be there at 8am Monday through Friday, which is a challenge for me, not being a morning person.

On the day of my interview I was running late because our printer broke when I was trying to print out my resume. I called Robert and asked him to print it out for me at work. Fortunately his was on the way, but it was too late for me to catch a bus, get off to get my resume, and wait for another bus and still get there on time.

I was very lucky that we have a house guest, Ariel, who offered to give me a ride. I got there a few minutes early, resume in hand, and got the job. I began training that day.

On the next day that I worked Robert and I had to drop one of the cats at the vet before work, so we took his car and he dropped me off.

On Monday I decided to take the bus. The 20 would get me closest to my destination, but the altered schedule (it is temporarily rerouted to go down Glisan) is not posted online. One of these days I'll write down the stop ID number so that I can call the Trimet info line (503-238-RIDE) to plan my trip from home, but until then I have to choose between the 12 and the 19.

The stops for both routes are close by. The 12 takes me a few blocks closer to work than the 19, but in order to catch it I have to cross Sandy Blvd. during the morning rush, which can slow me down considerably. The 19 has the advantage of sharing nearby stops with the 20.

On Monday I opted for the 19, hoping that the 20 might show up first. It did not, so I had about a fifteen minute walk after I got off on W Burnside. At the end of the day I felt stir-crazy, so I decided to walk home instead of taking another bus trip.

The next day I finally got up the courage to ride my bike to work. I looked at the bike route online and determined that it was do-able. I took the Steel Bridge across the river (cars cross on the top level and the lower level is split into a train bridge and a bike and pedestrian bridge) and then road up NW Couch, which has a lot of stop signs and could really stand to be repaved in spots, but isn't very steep and doesn't have as much traffic as I feared it might.

The ride only took twenty minutes and getting some exercise really helped me to wake up. After a stressful day at work the ride home was a welcome relief, too.

On Wednesday I attempted to take the same route, but when I reached the entrance to the bike bridge I discovered that the gate was closed. No explanation was given and no alternate route was suggested. A couple of other cyclists had stopped in front of it and were trying to figure out what to do next and more were coming up behind us.

I knew that the Broadway Bridge, which I almost never use, was the next bridge to the north and the Burnside Bridge was the next one to the south. I wasn't sure which would get me closer to work and wasn't sure how bike-friendly Broadway was. I had ridden across Burnside in the past, but not since the big Burnside/Couch rerouting began. I remembered that my roommate, Ashley, sometimes road across Burnside to get to work, and had mentioned that there was a bike lane, so I decided to give it a shot, which is a good thing, because I later learned that the Broadway Bridge is closed.

I had to ride back up the ramp and back up Lloyd. I wasn't sure what the best bike route over to Burnside is, but I decided MLK would probably be the fastest way to go. Traffic was heavy and there is no bike lane, so I decided to stick to the sidewalk.

Getting across the bridge was no problem, but the bike lane ends immediately after you reach the other side, so I had to ride a short distance in rush hour traffic, trying to stay out of the way of buses. It was a little nerve-wracking, but there were a number of other cyclists going the same way and the drivers seemed to be accustomed to sharing the road.

I had left a little early that morning, hoping I'd have time to pick up something to eat before work, but after taking the detour I had no flexibility in my schedule and had to work on an empty stomach until lunch.

I had planned to ride my bike to a meeting in the South Waterfront District after work, but just as I was getting ready to leave I remembered that I had left my bike lights at home. I knew that the meeting would go until at least 9 and I would have about a half hour ride home, so I decided I had to go home and get them. I rode as fast as I could, but by the time I got home I only had 2o minutes before the meeting began. Robert offered me a ride and I accepted.

The next morning I had a really hard time waking up and discovered that the shirt I wanted to wear was wrinkled and had to go back in the dryer. Robert was running late, too, and had decided to drive to work and offered me a ride. Again, I accepted. I did walk home most of the way home, at least.

So I got rides to work three of my first six days, took the bus to work once and took it home from work twice, road my bike to and from work twice, and walked home twice. So I relied on a car for transportation 1/4 of the time.

I have Friday off and on Saturday I have to borrow Robert's car to drive to an out-of-town company event that I can't get to by bus or train. Monday I get a fresh start and hope to improve my car-free travel record.

In addition to getting around Portland, I also made a trip down to Eugene last weekend.

The trip is usually a little under two hours each way by car and requires just under a tank of gas, which would cost around $50. By bus or train it's about two and 1/2 hours (if there are no delays) and the cost is about the same.

I decided to take the train down after work on Friday (the Amtrak station is a short walk from the office) and opted to take the Greyhound bus back because it left later than the Amtrak bus or train.

The train left on time and even with some extra passengers who had been put on the train because their bus was running late, it wasn't very crowded and the seat next to me was open allowing me to stretch out and keeps my bags with me. Unfortunately, just before we reached the Albany station we were informed that a freight train had broken down up ahead, and we would have to stop until it was running again.

We stopped at the station, and we were allowed to get out and stretch our legs. After about an hour the freight train was far from being fixed and Amtrak sent a bus to take us the rest of the way (about an hour's drive).

Every seat on the bus was full, but at least we were moving. I arrived in Eugene an hour behind schedule.

On Sunday I arrived at the Eugene Greyhound Station about twenty minutes before my departure. I hadn't taken the Greyhound since I moved out west six years ago and wasn't sure what to expect.

The station, with few windows and metal benches, was far less inviting than the Eugene Amtrak station, which has a lot of natural light and wooden benches.

When I walked in about fifteen people were sitting in the waiting area, many of them watching a flat screen TV. I walked up to the roped off area that led to the counter and waited for someone to help me. There were no employees in sight. After a few minutes another girl got in line behind me. She and I stood there wondering what was going on for about another ten minutes before we heard a man shout that it was time to board. One woman in the waiting area called back to him that she still needed to pick up her ticket and he told her she would have to wait. He also announced that the restroom on the bus was out of order, so if anyone needed to go, now was the time.

Finally the man, who seemed irritated, appeared behind the counter and I informed him that I had a reservation. He told me that I was lucky, that people often couldn't get on the bus when they showed up five minutes before departure. I had been there for about fifteen minutes, but didn't feel like arguing. I finally got my ticket and made a very quick bathroom stop before boarding the bus, which was almost completely full. I squeezed my way through the narrow aisle and found an empty row near the back. I grabbed the window seat and the girl who'd been behind me in line sat next to me.

In addition to being crowded, the bus was not as well-kept as the Amtrak buses I've ridden. Everything looked old, the ceiling was stained, and there was trash stuffed between my seat and the wall.

The driver reminded us that the restroom was out of order and said everyone would have to wait until we reached Portland, because the station in Salem (the only stop in between) was closed. After some people complained, the driver made a quick stop at a rest stop along the way. We got to Portland more-or-less on time.

I'm kind of amazed that Greyhound charges as much as Amtrak when their buses aren't as well maintained and their service is far inferior. I can't imagine why anyone would choose Greyhound when given the choice.

The train is by far the most comfortable way to travel, but is more prone to delays than the buses (this has been my experience on previous trips, as well). I usually opt for the train if one on the Cascades line is available, unless I'm really worried about getting someplace quickly or the price (which varies from time to time) is significantly higher than the bus fare. The Coast Starlight is much more likely to be delayed and is also more expensive, so I avoid it.

The Amtrak bus is more comfortable than the Greyhound. I'm not sure which is more reliable, but I think they're both more reliable than the train.

In the future, I will continue to take the train whenever I can. If I need to be someplace at a certain time I'm more likely to go for the Amtrak bus. I will take the Greyhound only if I have no other choice.

Low-Cost Entertainment and Low-Stress Transportation

Robert made me a copy of his car key over the weekend and I'm pleased to say that the thought of using it hasn't crossed my mind yet.

I was admittedly a bit of a homebody early this week--of course it's easier not to spend money on frivolous things when you stay home, and because most of the things I need to do can be done from home, I haven't had many excuses to go out. It's been relaxing, but I've also been feeling a bit stir crazy. The last couple of days I've been finding some free and cheap things to do around town, all easily accessible without driving.

On Tuesday I spent the day at home, but in the evening I went for a four-mile run around NE and SE Portland. It was a beautiful day, not too hot like last week. It was nice to just get out and experience the area on foot without feeling tempted to stop anyplace for a snack or a drink.

Meanwhile, the Kerns picnic was going on at Oregon Park, just a short walk from my home. I met my friend Tim there in time to catch the second half of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, which was projected on a big screen. Afterwards we grabbed a beer at the Laurelthirst Pub where there was free live music.

Yesterday I bought a Trimet day pass and took the 20 downtown. I scored a free sandwich at Lunch 2.o and spent a couple bucks on coffee at Floyd's.

I've been wanting to get some new (as in used, but new to me) clothes for job interviews and such, so I walked over to Buffalo Exchange where I spent two exhausting hours looking for and trying on clothes. I ended up leaving with two items, which cost me $25. I'll have to try some other places another day. I've gotten some recommendations for other shops, most of them not too far from home.

After shopping I was starving. I was tempted to get food downtown, but resisted the temptation and hopped back on the bus. At least I remembered to bring a bottle of water with me.

After making dinner and doing some things around the house I headed back downtown to attend a free show at Berbati's, which my friend Em opened.

I'm amazed at how much less stressful it is to go downtown by bus than by car! I've always thought of my car as something that gave me more freedom, but I'm now realizing how often I avoided going places because I didn't want to deal with driving in traffic or with trying to park. Taking the bus makes it so much easier. It's nice to get to relax and look out the window or to be able to return phone calls and text messages in transit.

A lot of my friends ride their bikes from the east side to downtown. I tried it a couple times a few years ago, but never found a route I felt comfortable with and found the traffic to be pretty intimidating. That's something I'll have to work on. But for now walking and riding the bus are serving me well.

Tonight I'm planning to attend the launch party for a new local publication, which I'm very excited about. Portland Afoot is a guide to getting around the city without a car. I feel very lucky to have yet another great resource to look to as I try to navigate this new lifestyle.

The End of an Era

On Friday my 1990 Volvo 240 wagon, the only car I’ve ever had and the one I drove across the country in when I moved from Ohio to Oregon in 2004, rolled away on the back of a flatbed tow truck, never to return.

We’ve been through a lot together, my car and I. We traveled about 70,000 miles together in 16 states, DC, and Canada. We had many adventures and perhaps just as many misadventures.

But the epoch of the American road trip as we know it is coming to a close. As the ecological consequences of driving become more apparent, gas prices continue to rise, and city traffic worsens, it’s in the back of all drivers’ minds that this can’t go on forever.

For years I’ve known that my transportation habits would eventually need to change, but as long as I had a functioning car, it was easy to put off.

Now a variety of circumstances have joined forces to create a situation in which my continuing to drive is no longer the path of least resistance:

1. A couple years ago my car (while parked outside my home) was hit by a (presumably drunk) driver, leaving it totaled. The culprit fled the scene and my insurance company told me that I could keep the car (which is still totally drivable) and get a little over $100 or I could relinquish it and get $300. I struggled with making a decision and managed to put off doing so until....

2. My registration recently expired and when I went to the DMV I was informed that in order to re-register my car I would first need to obtain a new title that says that my car is totaled. Doing all of this would be costly and involves more bureaucracy than I care to stomach.

3.Last month I graduated from UO and moved back to Portland, where my husband, Robert, remained for the two years I lived in Eugene. This means I no longer have to make the trip between the two cities, which I was doing about twice a month; I now live in a city with good public transit that runs late enough to be useful to me; and on the occasion that I need to go someplace that's not accessible by public transit or I need to move heavy furniture, I can potentially use Robert's car--there's really no reason why we need to have two cars now.

Shortly after getting settled in my new home I enlisted the help of my friend Cora, one of the more serious cyclists I know, in shopping for a decent used bike for no more than $300 (the amount I will get for relinquishing my car).

We started at the Bike Exchange, where I immediately found a red Raleigh hybrid in my size for $175. I rode it around the parking lot and found that it felt just like the Trek mountain bike that I got when I was 14 and rode until it was stolen about 4 years ago. I liked the bike, but simply don't know enough about bikes to be sure whether it was worth the money or if there was anything wrong with it.

The bike passed Cora's test, but I thought we should look at a few more stores before I made a final decision, and the salesman (I think he was the owner, but am not certain) encouraged us to do so, which I appreciated.

Next we went to the Recyclery. We walked in and the man who was working there walked right past us without acknowledging us. We wandered around for a few minutes unsure of how things were organized. I was looking at a Trek when the man snapped at me "that's not for sale!" I backed away from it, kind of shocked.

A moment later Cora called over to him "is this one for sale?" as she pulled a bike off a stand. "

"No," he replied with a hint of irritation in his voice. "If it has a tag, it's not for sale."

"Well, which ones are for sale?" Cora asked.

"Those ones," he answered, gesturing vaguely in the direction of an area of the shop where a cluster of only three bikes stood.

"That man really did not want to sell us a bike," I said to Cora as we left.

We poked our heads into Clever Cycles, but everything there was new and way out of my price range, so we decided to head over to Citybikes, which we had both heard good things about. I became aware almost immediately that nothing there was in my price range either, and none of it looked used (Robert later explained to me that their bikes are "rebuilt", not "used"). We planned to check out one more shop on Belmont, but couldn't remember exactly where it was, and at that point we were getting sick of shopping.

Cora assured me that I would not be making too hasty a decision if I went ahead and bought the Raleigh, so we went back to the Bike Exchange. When we walked into the shop I noticed a sign that said "Cash Only." It was fortuitous that my Eugene sub-letter had only days before paid his rent to me in cash, and I had not gotten around to depositing it in the bank yet. The man gave me a handwritten receipt so that I could bring the bike back for repairs if I had any trouble (they will fix it for free if anything is needed within two weeks of purchase, but do not accept returns). Cora found a bike seat that she wanted, but didn't have any cash. The man was nice enough to let her take it home and come back to pay for it later. He helped us load the bike onto the rack on the back of Cora's car before we headed next door to Taqueria Los Gorditos. Yum.

A bike mechanic who works out of the garage next to one Robert was moving out of was nice enough to take a look at my new purchase for me. He said that it was in good shape and he probably would have sold it for the same price or maybe a little more. He did mention that it looked like the shop hadn't done anything to it and he offered to oil it up for me.

I've been riding it a few days a week for the last two weeks and so far it is serving me well, though I am still getting my bike muscles back. I was also able to buy lights, a new helmet, and a lock without spending more than I'll get for my car (as soon as the paperwork comes in the mail).

In addition to riding my new bike and walking (which I've always enjoyed doing in this city, especially in the summer) I've also been taking Trimet quite a bit. I can easily get downtown on the 12, the 19, or the 20, which only takes about 10 minutes. It's much less stressful than driving and having to look for a parking space. It's also a huge relief to have multiple bus lines in close walking distance from our NE home, so that if I miss one I can just walk a few blocks and hop on another.

Yesterday afternoon I took the 12 the other direction and went to Trader Joe's (my first sans-car grocery shopping trip since I've gotten to Portland).The online schedule said that it would arrive about 4 minutes earlier than the recording on the Trimet info line did. The latter turned out to be correct.

I decided to get a day pass, as I planned to go out again later, and wanted to continue to familiarize myself with the Trimet system.

Once I reached the store, which was surprisingly crowded for 3pm on a weekday, I quickly realized that I would not be able to carry my groceries if I got everything on my list, but I did manage to get most of it and it all fit into the three bags I had brought with me. They were heavy, but I managed to get them home without dropping anything or injuring myself, though I do have a hickey-like mark on my shoulder from one of the straps. I think I will opt not to wear flip flops next time, and maybe try to find a bag with padded straps.

After cooling off and putting my groceries away, I hopped back on the west-bound 12 and got off at 12th and Couch where I transferred to the 70, which I took to 11th and Belmont. I walked a couple blocks west to the Green Dragon for Beer and Blog.

Afterwards I took the 70 north to Multnomah and walked up to the Rose and Thistle to meet my friend Bonnie for a drink. I was feeling pretty dehydrated at that point and immediately ordered a glass of water before deciding on a cocktail. I've got to remember to carry a water bottle with me, especially during a heat wave like this.

Later Robert met us at Thatch, which was fun, but extremely warm and humid. By the time we left, it had cooled down quite a bit outside and Robert and I had a pleasant walk home.

I really enjoyed my first official car-free day, but I know that once I find full time employment and the warm, sunny weather fades getting around will be neither this leisurely nor this comfortable. But I hope that by that time I will be familiar and comfortable enough doing it that I won't be too miserable. I just have to form new habits and right now I truly have the perfect opportunity to do so.