no pics for this post...just wanted to update on my life without a car. its been almost 3 weeks that i have been using public transit and about 2 weeks that i've also been using my lovely new bike. all in all, its been really good. that is, of course, not to say its without its challenges, but i'm really enjoying myself. i've gotten to both jobs without any problems...and ridden my bike home twice from the hospital (of course its much easier going downhill...and pretty fun too.) i've been riding my bike around to go to beth's house to play with the pups and run errands. i went to the grocery store with my pannier bag and got a few items...its definitely added weight to the bike, but nothing horrible, and its only about 5 blocks away...and a little uphill on the way back, but just makes me stronger! i also ride it to the gym, which is about a 2.2 mile roundtrip in addition to my normal weights and elliptical routine, so that is only an added plus. i also made some returns of some online purchases i had made..took a bus to gateway and back and it was easy. i've found that i still do just as much as i used to, i just don't do the extra, unnecessary things, like stop at target and browse around, or pick up a chicken burrito from taco bell. im hoping this will save me some money, calories, and maybe even some time!
last weekend i had to take Roscoe to get some vaccinations. I opted to go to the local Petco down in Sugarhouse as they had a vet there that day specifically for vaccinations rather than hike it all the way down to cottonwood heights where the vet i took him to before was. this was my first experience with the car share. i reserved a ford escape hybrid for 2.5hrs. i walked a block to a bus stop and took that bus to within a block of the parked vehicle downtown. they seemed to be having some technical difficulties as my access code wouldn't work, but i called, they gave me a temporary one, and i was off. it was a nice ride. so quiet. i actually didn't know it had started and i was like, shit, its broken. but i went to get my pup, put his crate in the back and we were off to petco. the shots took no time at all and roscoe and i explored a little park behind petco and then went to liberty park for some more exploration. he got a good hours worth of playtime outside and it was a beautiful day. then back to beth's and i returned the car. super painless and it only cost me a little under $15. not bad for something like that...i intend to use it when the bus or bike just won't suffice.
which brings me to what i thought might be a problem...awhile ago, i agreed to do some CNA testing at a high school. at that point, not having a car was not in my future and of course i would be willing to get some extra hours. and normally it would be no problem as both of my job sites are well within easy public transit access. this high school is WAYYYYY down in west jordan. i live at about 100 north 600 east...the high school is 9300 south 3000 west. whoops.
so i figured i would have to do the car share...but that would put me back at least $38, and the car is just sitting there most of the time! dang. but, i looked into bus and trax options, and it actually is right on a bus route that starts at a trax station. very doable. minor glitches are that i will have to be on trax downtown at about 645am to get to the school on time and the other is that its RAINING once again, but its better than $40 or more for one trip. i plan to ride my bike to trax in the morning because its obviously faster than walking and there are no buses that will get me to the stop that early. then i can ride with my bike down there and transfer with it onto the bus that goes within a block or so of the school. will definitely post how that adventure goes.
but i had today to prep myself for rainy riding. we seem to have reverted back to february. yesterday it snowed like crazy for almost 3 hours. then let up and was beautiful. today it is raining and i looked at the 10 day, and looks like rain about 80% of the time. i'm so sick of it already! but today i had to check on the dogs, so i rode my bike down to beths...it was not the most fun i've had in a while, but again, doable. took the dogs for a short walk, and decided they could use a little bath. so i bathed oliver and dried him (even used a hair dryer...and i think he liked it!) and then it was the real dirty boys turn...apparently he has been digging a hole to china next to our neighbor's house...what is it with dogs and digging? anyway, washed him real good too, and dried him. then i cleaned up the back room which had inevitably gotten very dirty with this weather. and the boys were just crazy! im like, i just walked you! and then, right in front of me, roscoe is on the blue fluffy rug in the kitchen and is squatting. i thought he pooped but it was a little pee, and i was like, geez! so, outside they had to go. and after i'd gotten so much cleaned! they were gonna come back in, all muddy again. i put the towels in the wash and the rug in afterwards. then let them back in and dried them the best i could with paper towels and the hair dryer. dang it. this rain ruins everything!
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