Wallet lost...and found!

If this is going to sound a little like a bus driver and transit person lovefest, so be it.

I need to say a great big THANK YOU! to people involved in San Diego and Chula Vista Transit.

Back story:
Yesterday I mentioned that when I tried to get on the bus yesterday I couldn't find my wallet. The driver of that bus let me ride anyway (thank you). I got home, hoping that it had never made it into my bag (and would be somewhere in my apartment), which it was not. I called the country transit info line where a very friendly and helpful Victoria gave me the numbers I would need to call to get ahold of the people who would know if my wallet had been found (thank you). I called the trolley 'emergency' line (which is number I was told to call) to ask if it had been found yet. After giving me a little bit of grief (which I deserved) for taking so long to report it the operator there said she would look into it and call me back. She actually called me twice (my phone was on vibrate) which was very helpful, although my wallet hadn't been found. She gave me the number for the transit store, which is where the general lost and found is for all of the county's trasit (thank you).
Apparently, I had dropped my wallet somewhere between the trolley and the bus that morning and some unknown person (thank you!) gave it to a bus driver to have him take it to the lost and found. Later that afternoon that bus driver and one of the supervisors (whose name I believe was Christina) looked through my wallet to try and find some way to contact me. Luckily, my sister-in-law had written me a check this weekend and that was still in my wallet with her phone number, which they called (thank you). My mother-in-law called me and gave me their number and the good news that my wallet was found (thanks!). So today I rode my bike to the Chula Vista Transit office to pick it up from where they were holding it. (Thanks to the supervisor working there this morning.)

Wonderfully, it appears that everything in my wallet is still there. We only cancelled one credit card, ironically because it is the one we use the most and wanted to have it available the soonest.

So the big news in all of this is that for the first time I rode my bike the entire distance to work! A little over 19 miles plus the big hill in the last mile (nearly 400 ft in elevation game). And it was wet too, not actually raining, but the kick up from the tires of my bike and the cars was pretty good.

Today is already looking much better than yesterday!

Matt





Direct link to REI Cycling store

Macy's Green Washing

I've been meaning for two weeks now to post an irate response to a Macy's ad (above via Streetsblog). I was going to rail about how hard it is to actually lock up a bike at Macy's or how the the only thing remotely related to bikes that they sell are dress shoes (with "bicycle toe" what ever that means).

But I can't.

I just can't seem to get upset at this apparent corporate green washing. Maybe it will convince someone to commute by bike. Could the money from this ad campaign have been better used outfitting low-income families with proper protective equipment or creating an education program that tries not to let kids fall into the driving culture of their parents? Sure, but I'm just not able to get upset about it any more.

I think, my time is better spent hoping it doesn't rain on my on my way home.

Direct link to REI Cycling store

Rain Day

Wet one today in San Diego. I am pleasantly surprised at how well SD transit did today in the rain (at least as far as my commute was concerned). Both the busses I used were pretty much on time. Also, I got to break out my Driza-Bone australian rain coat, which is rare in SD.

I am a little disappointed about my bike being in the shop still. I haven't ever ridden in a heavy rain and I'm interested in how my gear will hold up and what equipment I need to get to make it comfortable. I'm sure we'll get at least one more decent storm this year, so I guess I'll try it out then.

Also, to add to the money I'm saving by not driving, I never bought windshield wipers this year, so that is another $15 in the bank.