Do you know of a good organization (a c3 or an advocacy c4) — in addition to the National Association of Railroad Passengers — that advocates for increased passenger rail service in the United States? Especially state initiatives. Thoughtful blogs are welcome, too.
Greyhound steps up
“The Dog” has a bad reputation of being the intercity tranportation mode of last resort. That’s a shame. Many countries enjoy inexpensive, efficient (if not fancy) bus transportation. And that’s an efficient use of depleting petroleum.
And oil jumped above $120 a barrel on Friday.
But Greyhound’s service stinks. Hubby was shocked that you didn’t get a reserved seat, as I discovered when I took a bus — no, was prevented from taking a bus — on a three-leg, 15-hour bus ride to my paternal grandmother’s funeral last year.
But I got an email yesterday inviting me to join Greyhound’s “road rewards” program, and I did. (But it makes more sense to register just before taking a bus trip, as rewards expire.) That, $5 reserved seats from some markets (including Washington) and a much more usable website makes me think someone is paying attention.
Megabus enters northeastern corridor
Back in 2006, I first wrote about the UK-based Megabus entering the US market, and giving riders an option between the hard-worn Greyhound and the under-regulated (“is that antifreeze?”) “Chinatown” buses. (Link, to give you an idea of schedules and fares.) They’ve since moved to locations in California and Nevada, and have now announced a New York hub with service as far a-field as Washington, Boston and Toronto. Could the bus be getting sexy? Or at least a viable option for those with choices? Intercity bus ridership is up, even on “the Dog”, and a fuel crisis and recession will probably encourage this trend.
To show it isn’t a fluke, Bolt Bus, a cousin of Greyhound (both are owned by UK-based FirstGroup; does that make them “Scotstown buses”?) has begun selling tickets between Washington and New York, and plans service between New York and Boston. Not to be forgotten, I’ve known people to ride and like the “post-Chinatown” carriers like DC2NY.
Wifi, refreshments and reserved seats are some of the amenities you might get in this new generation of intercity bus, rather than sketchy ticketing and questions about what’s being carried in that first luggage bay. But this advance seems to bring variable pricing, too (not on DC2NY) meaning those $1 come-on fares really mean the worst of airline pricing has come to ground transport.
Lastly, what about the South? Surely there’s an opportunity in the Triangle-Charlotte-Atlanta corridor?
Oil touches $100
Well, after a few week of sliding prices, the forecast of a cold winter and crisis-threatened supply briefly pushed the New York price for crude oil to $100 a barrel. Ouch. Here’s a place for you to comment about your feelings: hope, worry, anger, what have you.
For what it’s worth, Hubby and I try to minimize our use of oil, in part because we have better options and it surely will cost so much more. An example. Except for a short bus ride and a cold-weather-prompted three-mile cab ride, all of our travel in our Baltimore trip was either electrically powered — Amtrak, tram and two subway systems — or foot powered. I am modestly warm towards nuclear power, for what it’s worth.
Back from Baltimore
Hubby and I took a short break from Washington . . . by going to our grossly under-appreciated neighbor Baltimore. We’re back, hon, enjoyed it to pieces, and I’ll gladly make some recommendations to anyone who asks. And, yes, in the birthplace of Edgar Allen Poe, we did see ravens.
GA 2008: flying nonstop
Flying to Fort Lauderdale next year for General Assembly?
Wikipedia has a map of airports with nonstop flights — some seasonal — to Fort Lauderdale.
GA 2007: Packing? My go-to site
When people start to talk about packing, I’m sure to mention OneBag.com. Great advise and a good case (get it!) for traveling light.
Playing hooky at GA (in 2001)
I went to General Assembly in Quebec City in 2001, and such a wonderful one it was:
- The UU Enforcer and Mrs. Enforcer convinced me to get a pair of Doc Martens there and have worn them since.
- PeaceBang and I had drinks in this wonderful courtyard.
- I got to see one the UUA’s very special people in the flesh — yes, you’re still banned from this blog.
But it was GA, so I attended plenary sessions, workshops, worship and visited the exhibit hall. James Estes (Peregrinato) has gone back many times, prompting Hubby and me to vacation there a couple of years ago.
Al Brenner went too, but found it harder not to play hooky. You may download or watch his video log, YouTube style, at Archive.org
Visiting Washington: local cuisine
Tons of tourists visit Washington, D.C. and I would like to lend some advise. I know when I visit an unfamiliar place, I like to get something distinctive and local to eat. What tastes like Washington, D.C.?
If you eat shellfish, get crabcakes, of course. We do them well here, even if it is technically a Maryland specialty. But if you’re paying less than $12-15 for a small dinner portion, you’re probably getting junk. But what else?
Some will point to the half smoke, a local sausage served in a bun, somewhere in taste and texture between a frankfurter and a bratwurst. I don’t like them. People and guides will insist you visit the half smoke landmark, Ben’s Chili Bowl on the once-desolate, now-vibrant U Street corridor. But I think it’s repulsive: I’ve never come out of there when I didn’t feel the twin pains of heartburn and regret.
For my money, I’d say that pupusas, a Salvadoran specialty conceptually between a tamale and a grilled cheese sandwich, is the best. Salvadorans moved into D.C. in waves after their civil war and now make up a conspicuous and important part of the local scene. Cheese ones are my favorite — you can get pork, too — and are usually served with a dab of vinegary slaw. They’re not expensive — you can usually get a serving for $2 or $3 — but can be quite filling. Allow some time, as they take time to grill. The best I’ve had in an area close to local hotels is La Frontera Cantina but if you keep your eyes open any “Mexican” restaurant or take-out will have them.
Here’s the local newspaper article that made me think about pupusas this way and here’s a recent newspaper article about pupusas in Baltimore
DC car-free to the beach
A gay, car-driving co-worker at Former Day Job knew that Hubby and I don’t own a car. When I mentioned last year that we wanted to go to the beach, he wondered if the Rehoboth Beach bus was still operating. No, it turns out, it wasn’t.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware is a popular gay destination, but as we discovered when we finally did visit (by rented car) that like Dupont Circle and other allegedly gay ghettos, the population and services were far more mixed than is commonly described. So Rehoboth offers seaside kitch and full-on camp, fine dining and hot dogs. We really liked it (and Lewes, and Ocean City, Maryland, too, but all for different reasons.)
And this year, the bus is back and is brand new. Yes, it’s marketed to gay men. No, I don’t think we (they) will be the only ones on it. One trip weekly — or week-end-ly, really — and a decent value if you’re heading out alone or as a couple.
Rehobus [2009. www.rehobus.com is gone. A shame.]