Survived my first day car free!

Prior to signing up for the car-free challenge, I registered for a conference on TOD and social equity on June 1 in Berkeley.  Getting from Santa Rosa to the east bay by 8:30 am seemed daunting but I couldn't give up on my first day!   I used the 511.org site to research ways to get there via a combination of bike, bus and BART.  I found a few routes that would work and printed out the detailed maps so I couldn't possibly get lost (or would at least have enough information to ask someone for directions/advice if needed).

5:15 am Tuesday morning came way too early and off I went on my bike to my office downtown.  From there I changed clothes, left my bike safely parked inside, and walked to the transit mall.  I met a very nice couple who assured me that I was waiting in the right spot for Golden Gate route 73 even though it wasn't listed on the board.  The bus arrived pretty much on time and off we went.  The bus quickly filled up as we made our way south to San Francisco.  I enviously watched people getting on with a quick wand of their Translink cards after I slowly and with a few false starts fed my $9.25 into the fare box.  I vowed to get one of my own for my next transit trip.

I was a little anxious when the bus arrived in San Francisco, not entirely sure which stop to get off for the civic center BART station.  Luckily I only got off 2 stops too early and had a brisk walk to the BART station.  Once there I felt much more comfortable because I've ridden BART before and knew how to purchase my ticket and find the right train.  Within minutes I was on my way to Berkeley.  I arrived on time and made a beeline for the restroom (no bathrooms on the bus or BART and no time to seek out a bathroom between connections made me realize I should have ratcheted back my coffee intake that morning!).

My return trip was equally uneventful and all on schedule.  I pedaled up to my house at about 8:15 pm feeling like I'd had a successful day and happy to be able to report zero miles driving for my first day.