Zoey's Travelicious Blog

According to WWU’s AS Review, it’s a good time to talk about transportation — and they are correct! There are a few things that I want to share with you today, lurkers, so listen up!

First of all, AJ and I are in the AS Review! The article is concerning ways that students can get home over the holidays. You probably know a lot about that already if you’ve been reading this blog, but you still might want to check it out.

Okay, enough self-promotion! Time to get serious. There is another article in the AS Review that discusses the ways in which the WTA is changing — pretty important stuff! Like all of us, the WTA is feeling the strain of these tough financial times and the board of directors is currently grappling with budget cut options. One option is to cut service by 10%, with the affected routes determined by ridership. Since they’d still be “in the red”, as the AS Review puts it, the other option is to make those service cuts as well as discontinue Sunday service.

If you think like I do, you’re probably saying: “NOOOOO! I need to be able to go places on Sundays!” It’s a little more complicated than that, though — WTA needs to be able to afford to fill essential positions, pay their employees fair wages, and provide them with reasonable benefits. Since their staff is stretched thin, canceling Sunday service would be fairer to the workers who make the bus system we know and love possible. Though the service changes (if they’re approved) won’t take place until June 2010, you can make your voice heard at the public hearing this week, with whatever you feel should be done. As stated on the WTA’s Rider Alert page, the hearing will take place at 8:00am on Thursday, November 19th at Whatcom County Council Chambers (311 Grand Ave, 98226).

Oh yeah, and there was a power outtage this morning. Heh.

And another thing — Amtrak trains going out of Bellingham the day before Thanksgiving are selling out fast! Get on it if you want to get out of town that day.

Hey lurkers! Have any of you heard of the new park that just opened in Birch Bay? It’s called Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve, and it is beautiful.

I went on a little adventure there today with a friend, and it was probably the most gorgeous park I’ve been to in the county. I’m almost afraid to blog about it because it’s so peaceful and pristine. You know the epic forests in films like Lord of the Rings — the kind that metal bands like to take black and white photographs of to use for album covers? Imagine a little slice of a forest like that tenderly woven into the landscape of a lovely corner of Birch Bay, complete with a conveniently paved trail and absolutely stunning lookout points.  At the end of the (quite short) trail, hikers can take a brief trek down to the tidal flats below, which I cannot recommend enough!

This was the perfect adventure for a sunny autumn afternoon, and an ideal trail for those who want to be enveloped by nature’s enchantments without having to commit to a session of hardcore hiking (I include myself in that category, though I enjoy a good hike sometimes). The water below was clear and magnificent, perfectly reflecting a fiery sunset… this is the stuff dreams are made of, lurkers.

So you may be wondering, “How do I get there if it’s all the way out in Blaine?” The easiest way to is carpool to the convenient parking area and go from there. If you want to get there using alternative transit, WTA’s Bus 55 can drop you off a few miles from the park. It’s probably best to bike out from there, but it could be a really lovely walk if you’re up for it! If you’re 55-ing it, you’ll want to go early in the day to have enough time to explore before the bus stops running. More specific directions can be found at the park’s homepage.

All I have to say is, thank you Whatcom County Parks Department for my new favorite adventure destination!

For the love of all that is holy — try not to wear industrial-strength perfume on crowded buses!

I was taking the 190 to campus this morning when I caught a whiff of something truly atrocious. The scent was like a mixture of baby powder, paint thinner, Sharpies, and bug spray. Come on people now, smile on your brother/sister/other relative of importance and cease the public assault on the nostrils of your fellow bus-riding citizens!

Am I just overly sensitive to intense smells, or are you also somewhat bothered by this?

Hi, lurkers. As you may or may not have heard, there was a fire at Whatcom Middle School early this morning that was damaging enough to close the school down for at least a week. You can read all about it here. Whatever the cause was, thankfully it appears that no one was hurt.

Now, as the title of this entry implies, this slightly effects those of you who take WTA’s bus 15. If you’re riding the 15 and the bus ventures into unfamiliar territory for a few minutes, don’t fret — it’s a detour because of the work being done on the school.  You can check out the WTA’s Rider Alert page to get the details. The route should return to normal when school’s back in session.

I hate to get political in this particular blog, but I hope you all turned in your ballots — especially my fellow Washingtonians! We’re facing a few really important issues this year, so it was satisfying to drop my completed ballot into the mailbox even though I’m just one person with one voice.

On a completely different topic, you might want to check this out if you frequently drive on West Bakerview Road. Look like they’re doing some construction this week to improve traffic conditions — woo!

Okay, that’s it for now. Until next time, lurkers.

It’s been awhile, lurkers. I’m back at my desk, and this time it’s in BT’s third floor lounge! My hours are still Monday thru Thursday, 6pm to 8pm, and I’ve even got a bigger desk now. It’s very official-looking…

Anyways!

So far, I’ve gotten a few emails about the $5 route, as well as the specific bus schedules (flats) for the BT stops. Both pieces are available for all interested parties, and I’m working on revising the $5 route itinerary because there have been a few recent schedule changes. Don’t panic — the schedule changes have actually made the trip faster. Yes, you read that correctly — faster… meaning that it is now possible to get from Bellingham to Tacoma in less than five hours (and yes, fellow English majors, I am punctuating like crazy, and having a wicked time doing it).

As soon as I’ve gotten those route changes all sorted out, double-checked, and cleared by the lovely people at WWU Sustainable Transportation, I’ll post them here in some easily readable format. I’m certainly thrilled that the public transit authorities from other counties seem to be communicating and coordinating with each other. I guess increased ridership has made an impact, so props to those adventurous souls who have embarked on such public transit journeys.

So, what can you do while we’re revising the info sheets, you ask? You can check out the following websites to create itineraries at your leisure:

1. Go to the 80X schedule to find a bus from Bellingham to Skagit Station.

2. Go to the 90X schedule to find a bus from Skagit Station to Everett Station.

3. Go to the Community Transit Trip Planner to find buses that reach destinations south of Everett Station.

4. Voila! A trip plan is born.

Remember, you can always email me at bt.travel@wwu.edu if you have questions. Have a lovely autumn evening.