A Year of Gratitude - Day Two Hundred Twenty

Day 220 - Adaptability

I made another attempt at researching my travel options for the trip to Victoria this weekend.  The weather hasn’t warmed up as quickly as the forecasts have indicated, and I’m concerned about driving to Seattle tomorrow.  I’ve driven in snow many times, but my little Miata just doesn’t care for the stuff.  Can’t say as I blame her.

Taking the train is no more expensive than the gas to drive up, and obviously doesn’t add to the wear and tear on the car (I need new brakes, a new battery, and an oil change, so taking the train will help me put that off).  I have looked into it in the past, but my networking obligations have precluded my use of public transportation.  This time, none of the networking appointments I tried to confirm materialized (possibly because of the snow... yeah, that’s it; that’s the story I’m going with), so the train is an option.

Taking the train will also save me money on parking in Seattle while in Victoria.  The greatly-discounted parking rate across the street from the pier is $10 per day; not taking my car will save me an additional $40.

The other factor, though, is getting from the train station to Fremont where my friend Amy lives.  She will be out of town, but has offered to let me stay at her townhouse.  The Metro bus system in Seattle has a good reputation, but I haven’t been able to figure out the specifics on their website.  I tried calling their customer service line, but given the service interruptions and re-routes because of all the unplowed (and impassable roads), lines are very busy.

Fortunately, I was able to get through before the end of the day, and Michael, the customer service agent who answered the call, helped me figure out exactly which bus to take, where to catch it, and which stop to exit.  He was great - personable, empathetic, and very specific in his instructions.  So I booked passage on Amtrak to Seattle.

I have to count my blessings that I can change my plans at the last minute without stressing too much.  Yes, I’m sure I’ll be anxious as I look for bus stops wondering if I’ll catch the right bus, but right now, I’m feeling good about the trip.