First Day on the 902

"How do you get to Walnut Creek?” was my inauguration into the wonders of public transportation. It's February in Northern California so a person in a tank top in the middle of the afternoon isn’t too unexpected. But it was cold out. I mean that sort of overcast grey that comes after a full 24 hours of rain with a constant 15 mph wind. She had a single red rose wrapped in a paper towel and she was on the VTA light rail 902 that runs from Campbell to Mountain View. Walnut Creek? Damn that’s Bart/Amtrak territory some 40 miles on the other side of the bay. She was not in for a good evening if that is really where she wanted to go.

So, why me? Why here? What gives? Well, due to an uninsured driver who rear-ended and totaled my 1999 Subaru Outback, I am currently stuck with my 14 year old Gary Fisher Hoo Koo e Koo (it’s a mountain bike look it up) and a company financed 2-way train pass until I am able to find a suitable replacement that I can purchase for the settlement amount.

51 minutes? That’s the time it takes the 902 to get from Reamwood (really I am not making that up) to Bascom or the reverse.

Last Friday was my trial run. It was raining and my Fisher was in no shape to ride. My wife, Kris, dropped me off and within 5 minutes I was winding down Tasman towards First Street. A quick right and down First to the SJ Convention Center, a little jog around the SJ Diridon station and three stops later Bob’s-your-uncle I am dropped off a mere ½ mile from work. Total distance traveled from home: about 13 miles at just under 4 minutes per mile. I walked in the rain from Bascom station to my employer, an internet startup of no consequence to this story whose name sounds like “schmeeeee-bay”, and arrived sufficiently early. “I can do this”, I thought. “I can fix up the Hoo Koo, get a train pass and save some trees while I wait to get a replacement for my beloved Bruce” (it was an Outback you see).

So I did.

Saturday I bought chain oil, two new inner tubes and a $5 set of those 3 tire prying wrench goo-gaws you use to replace inner tubes. Had never so much as thought about changing an inner tube in my life so it was a surprise when it all went smoothly.

Up and out on Monday morning. Kris made sure I had a yellow rain slicker on and a garbage bag down the back of my pants to avoid anything kicked up by the tires of my suddenly spry HKeK. Off I went through the neighborhood, up and over the creek that separates Sunnyvale and Santa Clara and North on the bike path on the SC side that takes you right to Reamwood Station. It’s less than a mile from my front door. It took me at least 7 minutes to ride it. First day, new legs, I know I will get better. Once on the car I got the bike in and hung up and just like that I was at work before you know it. It was on the trip home that I met her and her quest for Walnut Creek, and right then I decided to start a log of my daily 51 minutes on the 902. I will iPhone it in, both directions, every day as long as it takes before I hang up the bike and take to whatever new wheels the maker has in store for me.

But before I start my trip, I have to clear my conscience. To get to Walnut Creek you have to go back to where you got on, go the other direction (South in this case) and take a North bound (probably Sacramento) Amtrak train from SJ Diridon. At the end there is a bus involved but this is the best I can do for you. Good luck, I hope that rose gets to where it’s going and for the love of all that’s holy, put on a jacket.