Pre Paid Card

I rode the bike again today. It's my 13th ride for the 2018 season. It's a joy using the Monthly Pass. It's much easier to slide it through the card reader than to deposit a dollar and a bunch of quarters. 

Of course, the problem will be eliminated next month when the price of a single bus ride goes up to $2.00.

I have said it before but I wish the STA would create a Pre Paid card. I will continue to complain until they make this change and give passengers the choice of buying a card that you can just load money onto. I would buy a card that I could put $20.00 or $30.00 on and reload as needed. I would even accept a card with a pre-set amount, like $40.00.

The monthly bus pass requires you to ride the bus for three weeks before you break even. At this point in my life I will not ride the bus 15 times or more in a month.

I have determined that whether I take the bus from downtown to home or ride the bike home, I get there at about the same time.

I will tell you that in addition to the exercise benefit, the bike is generally more pleasant. I don't have to sit in a crowded bus surrounded by people who smoke. Obviously, they are not smoking on the bus, but they have smoked recently and I can smell it.

Ride to Work Day 12

Last week was not a good week for bike riding. The weather was not great and unpredictable, so I ended up driving every day. That a first in quite some time. I have either driving, gotten a ride with Andrew, or ridden the bike.

I have gotten two days of riding in for this week, which is coincidentally two days old. I'm expecting to ride tomorrow as well.

This morning was extra chilly. It might have been that I was extra susceptible to the chill today...I don't know. All I can tell you is that I was glad to get to the bus.

I received an extra bus bonus today. Kimi who has been riding the bus to work as well, cannot for the next couple of weeks because she is house sitting and the house she is sitting is not close to a bus route. She had already purchased a monthly bus pass and gave it to me. It's good until July 11th. I'm going to try and make the most of it.

I must admit that I did not ride the bike home from downtown today. I piled on to the North Monroe bus and it dropped me off right at the end of the block. I think it got me home at about the same time as if I would have ridden the bike. 

Chilly Bike Ride

Today was my eleventh day of riding the bike to work and it was the chilliest day yet. Once you get going in the morning, the likelihood of returning to get a coat or worse, just drive to work becomes less likelihoody. You just have to push on. I'm still trying to warm up as I sit here and type.

I almost rode yesterday but it turned out to be good I didn't. I would surely have been rained upon.

I think my semi-continuous efforts to ride the bike to work are paying off. The hills on my route to and from work loom less ominously as I approach. I seem to get up them with less effort. However, there is effort involved.

I also rode on Monday. That was a slightly different route as I had a 9:45 Doctor's Appointment with Dr. Kadel, my Cardiologist. I loaded the bike on the car and drove it over to a Mechanics Shop for a much needed front wheel bearing.

From there, I rode to Dolly's Cafe for some breakfast and to check up on my newspaper. 

After a relaxing breakfast, I rode up to the Medical region of town  in plenty of time for my appointment. I was about a half hour early. More time to peruse the paper.

I was able to get out of there with a satisfactory bill of health and make the next bus to Liberty Lake.

Bike Niner

Today I noticed the chill. In fact, it reminded me of skiing when I'm sailing down the hill and the cold air makes my eyes water. I have been dealing with that the last couple of mornings as I descend the final hill on Post Street prior to the park. I like to get some momentum going in order to do as little work as possible. 

But my eyes water profusely which makes the turn at the bottom of the hill a little more exciting.

Bike to Work Day Eight

It was fairly chilly when I took off for work on the bike. I was kind of unsure as to whether I should ride as the skies did not friendly. But the forecast said no rain today and so I took a chance. It was a nice ride and I made it downtown without incident. I didn't even notice the cool temperature.

Plus, I had the warm bus to recover.

It's nice to have some time to read the paper but the bus is so bumpy, it gives an extra challenge to being able to see words. I have to guess at about half of them.