Happy New Year from Greyhound

Happy New Year! I'm writing this from my seat on the Greyhound Bus - making my way back from Maine to Saratoga, via Boston. If it's been a while since you rode a Greyhound bus, as it has been for me, the new buses are certainly modernized - new more comfortable seats with more leg room, a generally more comfortable ride, and equipped with wifi! That's cool. And, yes, the wifi works.

On my ride up to Maine, a day after the big snowstorm, Greyhound did pull out some of their older Adirondack Trailways buses to accommodate stranded riders from the previous day's storm. Unfortunately I ended up on one of those. I'm pretty sure it's one of the buses I used to ride back and forth from college in Rochester when I was an undergrad at RIT (20+ years ago.) Despite the cramped ride, I am grateful we have a fairly reliable bus system connecting the larger cities here in the Northeast.

Of course, I prefer the train. You might even say I've had a long term love affair with trains since my first trip to Europe in 1988 - 10 countries, 15 cities in one month via a Eurail train pass. Unfortunately, catching the train from Saratoga Springs to Portland, ME meant a 5hr layover in Albany and an eventural arrival time near midnight in Portland.

I can't say I've loved taking the bus for this journey. I do love to drive, and my driving route through Rutland, VT and the Killington valley covers some spectacular landscapes. I've driven that route enough trips that I have the timing and stops down pretty good - I can make it door to door in 5 hours. In contrast, my bus trip from Portland to Saratoga will be 10+ hrs, including layovers.

However, I am enjoying the free wifi on the bus. The Concord Coach bus, which goes from Boston to Portland even had movies. And, I've gotten a lot of papers read and grades finished for school.

It's also fun to begin the New Year with an interesting journey and new experience. So - Here's to hoping the New Year brings closure to old things which no longer serve, and opening to fabulous new experiences and new beginnings of all kinds!

Next stop - Worcester :)