In my quest to preserve what little money I have, I decided to take advantage of The Company's 100% subsidized bus passes. Adam and I have been discussing the pros and cons of the mass transit system of Greater Phoenix. But being both bus virgins, we have been wary of popping our cherries. Would it smell? Would it be crowded? Oy. So many worries.

After today, I am a bus virgin no more.

For those of you in cities with large mass transit systems, know this about the Valley Metro system: it's not that great. It's limited and not very convenient. When my car was totaled, I seriously considered not buying another one and just taking the bus from then on. I got a Bus Book and check out the routes. The book was very confusing and I couldn't figure the schedules out. With a few calls to the transit assistance line, I was able to map out my route to work. From where I lived then, it would have taken me an hour and a half to get to work by bus and I'd have to make three transfers. By car, it took 20 minutes.

I bought a car instead.

Now today, the good folks at the bus system have an online trip planner which was super easy to use. I charted my course: about 50 minutes to get to work and about one hour to get home. Not bad I thought, although it does still only take 20 minutes for me now. (Reminds me of the dad in Clueless. "Everywhere in LA takes twenty minutes.")

The ride to work wasn't that bad. I had one stop on my route to switch lines. I had a hard time figuring out which bus stop I needed, but all I had to do was ask someone and they helped me. I made it to work on time and with no trouble.

Coming home was a little different. First, if you've never been to Phoenix in the summer, let me clue you in on something: it's fucking hot here. This afternoon wasn't too bad however. I noticed the afternoon crowd is a little more chatty than the morning crowd. One lady makes incense and scented lotions and was taking the opportunity to hawk her wares. I wouldn't have minded so much except her selling technique was to hold them out to you and say "smell this." Not something I want a complete stranger saying to me.

A bonus was on our stop through the airport, some cuties got on board. One had a British accent that made me weak in the knees, but it was his friend with the Colin Farrell haircut that got my motor running (hubba hubba). Alas, they transferred to a different line at my stop. *Sigh*

Something I was worried about was the smell. I figured that with public transportation there was a high likelihood for odor from the unwashed masses. I didn't find this to be the case. What did smell was the bus itself (perhaps from constant exposure to said unwashed masses). Seriously, this is a good place for a Stickup.

Maybe I'll bring my own car freshener tree and just fasten it to my backpack.