The Real Bus Ride

Ely, IA

Hello,

You know that bus ride went ok because I am now writing from my new abode. First of all I should wish you a Happy Valentine’s day. Brian was born on this day, but we did not talk much about that because he took me to bus station at 6:20 am. He was surprised at the amount of traffic that was already on the road. It was not so much to slow us down, but we certainly were not the only cars out there. There was still twenty minutes before the scheduled departure time of the bus by the time we arrived at the station. After I found the exit door for my bus I learned that it had not yet appeared.

Loading seemed to go fast. I had my ticket and required photo ID in hand even though he did not seem to look at my photo ID. At least he did not say of my new driver’s license photo, “You look like death warmed over.” It still bothers me to go from my best license photo to my worst. Even my passport photo looks better.

We left the station seven minutes late. That was not really a problem for me as I was expecting a 30 minute lay over before the next bus. At the only other stop the driver turned right instead of left as I was expecting. Then he turned left across streams of traffic in two lanes so that took some time. As he got back in the stream of traffic going the way I had first anticipated cars were so plentiful that it was slower moving. Up ahead there were flashing lights. Consequently we arrived at that stop almost 30 minutes late. He said not to worry about our connections. I stopped worrying because after all what could I do about missing a bus especially before that had happened.

We pulled into the stop just on the minute. I could see the next bus waiting as well as a van. The two other drivers were standing there asking where we wanted to go and hustling us along to the proper conveyance.

As she came on my driver commented, “The bus is cold and it will not warm up until we get on the Interstate.” She then started the bus, counted people, filled out some paperwork, looked over the controls, and called someone. Following that conversation, she got up tried to adjust something behind me, got more advice on the phone, went outside the bus, turned off the bus, called again, tried her routine again, and then announced that something was wrong with the wheel chair lift and she could not put the bus in gear until something was fixed. She recommended that we go into the building, especially the infant on board, and she would let us know when we could leave.

By the time we were able to head out we were forty minutes late. That was not a problem for me as I had a 55 minute layover coming up. Again she told us not to worry about our connections. Indeed we got in 20 minutes ahead of my departure time.

The last bus driver said, “A photo ID is required.” So he spent some time looking at it, perhaps checking to make sure that I really was deserving of the senior discount. This bus was on time, but there was a high pitched whine that went along with us and caused my ears to ring. The bus was going to the CR airport, but it did not go to the terminal. So I had to call Leroy to give him some clues about where I was. He had seen a sign about the bus stop so found it easily.

None of the buses were full so I could easily have my two carryon bags with me in the seat. One bus only had nine passengers.

It is so great to have this available so that Leroy did not have to drive four hours up and four hours back.

Paula