The wheels on the bus...

Ever feel like not driving?  Want to reduce your carbon footprint but don't know how?  Or do you just want to save money?  If you live in Anchorage, Eagle River, or the Valley, you should try the People Mover.  I feel like there is a negative stigma associated with riding the bus in Alaska and I'm not too sure why that is.  Yes, there are some crazy and creepy people who also ride the bus, but for the most part, you can just ignore them.  If we want the bus to become more mainstream and feel "safer" to ride, we need to get on there and ride it!

I have ridden the bus pretty regularly for the past two years.  When I first started riding it, people at my work were shocked.
"I thought you had a car?!!!"
"Yes, I do."
"Then why are you riding the bus, did you get too many tickets?"
"No, it just saves me money and I can ride it and bring my bike along."
Silence...."Oh." (Raised eyebrows and sideways looks indicated that I was basically crazy).

But seriously, what is so bad about riding the bus?  In other big cities, it is just a fact of life.  For me, it would be a little ridiculous not to ride the bus.  With my Wolfcard, it is free, and it goes everywhere I need to go (see, there is no excuse for you UAA/APU students to ride the bus - you just can't beat FREE).

I can ride my bike to campus, and then if I'm feeling lazy on the way home, I can jump on the bus (with my bike, remember) and get some reading done for school at the same time!  I am also saved from the hassle and stress of driving on campus, and save $250 thanks to not buying a parking pass.  See the appeal?  Also, besides about two major snow days last winter, the bus has been very close to on time nearly every time I ride it.  There are some delays during rush hour, but it's the same for those actually driving, so it never really bothers me.

If you don't have a Wolfcard, don't worry.  Regular rates are also extremely affordable.  With gas prices so high, it is much more economical to ride the bus.  Here is a breakdown of rates:

ONE DAY FARE:
Adult                            $1.75
Youth                           $1.00 Ages 5-18.
Students 12 or older may be asked to show school ID.


UAA, APU                  Free.
UAA students, faculty, and staff must show WOLFCard.  APU and Anchorage Charter College students, faculty and staff must show their current semester university ID card.
4 and under                  Free


Reduced                      $0.50
Seniors (60+), individuals with valid Medicare card & individuals with a qualifying disability.  Seniors may be asked for proof of age.  Disabled persons must show People Mover Reduced fare ID card.  Check here for reduced fare application.

DAY PASS
Adult/Youth                  $5.00
Reduced                       $1.50

MONTHLY PASSES
Allows for unlimited rides on People Mover bus throughout the calendar month

Adult                             $55.00
Youth                            $25.00
Reduced                       $19.25

For more pass information, click here.


No, this isn't a paid add by the government.  I just feel strongly about supporting good things.  And the service the People Mover provides is most definitely a good thing (one might even go so far as to say it is a great thing).  There has been a big fuss lately about increasing People Mover rates and eliminating certain routes due to budget problems for the Municipality of Anchorage, and I noticed many people claimed to be outraged.  But you know what?  Nearly 70% of those people have never even ridden the bus!  So why do they even care?  If you really care about the People Mover, you need to bite the bullet and start riding it!

no pictures...

NPR came on, and all I wanted was for it to be quiet again, so I could drift back into the deep sleep I'd been experiencing minutes before. I heard Steve get out of bed and get ready for work, but I still wasn't ready to leave my warm covers or disturb the two dogs sleeping on me. I closed my eyes and experienced that dreamy place where I'm half awake, half asleep. I stayed there for a little while, then opened my eyes suddenly to see what time it was. 7:50am. I sighed deeply, sat up, and began the process that is getting out of bed in my house. Let the dogs out. Feed the dogs. Start the laundry. Let the dogs out again. Wash the dishes from dinner last night. Sweep and vacuum. Pack a lunch for work. Pack clothes for work. Put on my cycling shoes and hit the road at 9:20.

It was a grey morning, probably about 58 degrees. I took the usual route past the lagoon and realized that it was August 2. It was probably going to start getting chillier, there would be that crisp quality to the air in the mornings. I smiled and realized that I can't wait.

Fall holds a special place in my heart, I'm not entirely sure why. I think its the changes. Excitement over the changing seasons. Excitement over starting another school year (although this will be the last for me for a little while). Excitement over the coming of the snow and the fast approaching holidays. I love winter, it's my favorite season by far, but I think that fall is a close second. Maybe because it blends summer and winter and it is a period of transition that brings welcome change to my tired routine.

We will be switching out bikes for skis at work pretty soon, which means we will also be getting in our pugsleys, which means I better start saving even more in anticipation! I write this as I wait to throw some honey whole wheat bread in the oven, but I probably won't get around to posting it until morning because it's already midnight and my eyelids are starting to droop uncontrollably...

people aren't nice sometimes...

mileage: 7.5

total July mileage: 139.3

I left my house on my roadie with a giant shopping bag hanging from my hand and a somewhat negative attitude. I didn't really feel like doing anything this morning. But I decided that biking always makes me feel better, as does getting my money back for things I've bought that don't really fit (meaning I never wear them), so I headed out towards Nordstrom to return some stuff. It was so pleasant, riding down the street with little to no traffic at 10:30am. I got to Nordstrom and returned what I needed to. I also shopped around a little bit, but I didn't really need anything (who really needs anything from Nordy's?) and so I headed back to where I locked up my bike.

I unlocked my bike and reattached my handlebar bag. I stood there for a few moments, not really sure what I felt like doing. I got on my bike and started heading home, riding on the sidewalk for a block because of heavy traffic. The sidewalk was plenty wide, and I moved out of the way for pedestrians rather than making them move or getting too close. These two large women with mean looks on their faces looked disapproving at me as I approached. One of them mumbled something and I couldn't quite make it out, so I just smiled at them because like usual, biking even two miles had put me in a great mood. Then I realized just as I was passing them on the outer inch of the sidewalk what they were repeating over and over. "Not a bikepath. Not a bikepath. Not a bikepath!"

Seriously? This is Anchorage. There are very few actual bike lanes on our roads, and many drivers are outright aggressive towards cyclists in the streets. You can't share the sidewalk for a second with a cheerful cyclist who went out of their way to get out of your way? Why do people have to be so mean? I just don't get it. This is why I fully support the efforts of the Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage to make this a much more bike friendly city. In many cases, there is no alternative to riding on the sidewalk, no matter how mad certain pedestrians might get about it. What they don't realize is that most serious cyclists don't enjoy dodging pedestrians and "cruising" along at a snails pace of 7 mph which is usually required when trying to dodge the various obstacles found on a typical stretch of sidewalk in Anchorage.