Tag: transportation

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Shared Rides

2chicksandapen

I was on a recent trip to a smaller-sized town with not too much to do, yet I wanted to get some exercise in while exploring. I couldn’t pack my bike for the trip thus I was a little disappointed. However the town ride share came to the rescue.

For a $3.00 fee you could unlock the bike at one of the area spots and use it for an hour or $1.00 more if you wanted to cruise beyond the initial hour. Cool concept. Easy access once you downloaded their app and paid your fee. Having this option available was key to me exploring a couple of days.

I got to see a pretty sunset. I got to see a snake on my path. I shared smiles with many I passed along the way. The snake I will say I was glad to see while on a bike vs .walking. I got to see a little about the people in the town while I cruised around too. Some visiting. Some were homeless finding resting spots not far off the trails. Just an alternate way of seeing a new place.

While on this same trip I happened to notice a large concentration of vans, box trucks and trucks in a mall parking lot. Out in the distance from where one may park to go into the mall. This got my curiosity up. Was somebody renting parking spaces? What was this fluid truck concept? See photo above. Why it was another form of ride share. Clearly not a bike yet equally purposeful to some I’m sure. Myself included. As a business owner I need to rent trucks from time to time. The ride share concept of grab-and-go is not only affordable but the ease of access seems far more appealing than your traditional Penske or U-haul type rental place.

My mind is always wandering and exploring when I’m in new places. You never know what value you may find hidden just beyond your normal landscape or routine. Keep your options open to discover and explore no matter where you are. Small towns might be more savvy than meets the eye.Just a girl on adventures choosing to share some tidbits with the world here and there. Hope you enjoyed this random post about bikes and trucks. It’s funny since I also wrote about rail travel not too long ago as well. Guess it’s travel season for this girl.

I also like to include photos when I can in a post. This sign was a new one for me. It was located just after a stop sign on the bike path. Clearly the warning sign was appropriate for the upcoming terrain yet it was funny to see a stop sign and this distinct slanted warning sign. It was accurate though.

As an added fun fact, I have opted to ride a bike on many rail trails. Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Ohio, Florida, and a few other states. The majority of these trails are flat which I like but I learned on this trip they can also encompass inclines. I am going to have to make it a point to hit some new states by bike.

adventure

Car + People + Train

2chicksandapen

Last year I put the car on the boat and lived a new experience in Cape May, New Jersey on the ferry. A short trip but fun. This year I opted for yet another adventure. The car train.

We loaded up in Lorton, Virginia just outside of DC and travelled south to Sanford, Florida. An interesting way to get to the beach but so glad I had the opportunity to give this mode of travel a try.

Party of three. Change of plans party of four.

I didn’t have an expectation. This is the best way to start any trip. I was looking forward to trying something new. Coach class we went. The car was checked in for 3pm. Humans loaded at 3:30pm. Train was in motion at 4:23pm.

We traveled over bridges. We had spectacular water views. We had horns that blew when we passed through towns. It was exciting. I even got a kick out of the back ends of life. We had sunshine but we also saw raindrops. We pass many many trees. We passed corn fields and other working farm land.

The back ends of buildings we normally never see is what I referred to above as the back end of life. The junky cars. The unpainted walls. The old dock doors that are now sealed up. Trash. Woods. Swampy areas. You name it. I feel like I saw it. From the big military plane at Quantico to the boat zipping through the waterway.

Coach was nice. Reclining seats. Tray tables that extended. Outlets to charge your electronics. Foot rest to prop your feet and plenty of space. I wish flying gave you this much comfort and amenities. Security was not what I expected which I suppose could be concerning. There were all types of people riding the train this day.

Food service until 11pm. Bathrooms on the level below. Continental breakfast at 6am. I almost forgot to mention I rode on the second level. The full range of windows. One of the best features to see the states in a very different way. 

I definitely give the car train a two thumbs up for a varied travel experience.  I will now look forward to another travel adventure thanks to this good experience. If I was to offer suggestions I would stronger encourage you to bring your own food/meal. Only meal options are microwaved in the upper level. Ramen noodles, hotdogs, mac and cheese to name a few. No fresh fruit or prepped salad option. Not a show stopper just a forward thought for others.