When was your last big adventure? Here’s a great story of how someone spent their entire day on the Tri Delta Transit bus for just $3.35 – we hope it inspires you to take one of your own!
My truck had been in the shop for a few days. I had a bad case of wanderlust. A bus stop is just 400 ft. from my front door. I had never been on it. I promised myself I would. I headed out the door with no definite plan and bought a day pass ($3.35) that really is a 24 hour ticket. It allows you to ride anywhere on Tri Delta Transit system for 24 hours. I walked to a bus stop. It was there that I met Sam S. He was a friendly guy, on his way to work. Before boarding he thoughtfully offered me his bus schedule with a tip “you’re going to want this.”
The highlight on the first leg of my journey was passing over HWY 4 on the Loveridge Rd. overpass and seeing workers in the piling pits with cranes operating all around. Thinking I was ready to stop (or was it drink a beer), I got off at the Park & Ride stop on Bliss Ave. in Pittsburg and walked to the La Pinata Mexican restaurant. I was served a basket of warm corn chips and spicy salsa with my beer order. Many patrons were drinking a bloody mary type beer, and I was tempted to try a tequila flight, but was anxious to get on with my adventure and headed back to the bus stop.
The next bus was a 391 eastbound. I jumped off at Hillcrest Ave, which is the hub of the system. Buses were changing route numbers faster than I could look them up in the schedule. I was wanting the 383 eastbound and ended up on the 388 eastbound and headed down Lone Tree Way.
Knowing Schooner’s Grill and Brewery would be a good stop to eat a late lunch I jumped off at Dallas Ranch Rd. A 15 minute walk, I was hungry and thirsty. I ordered a bacon burger slider with bbq sauce and fries, a beer sampler, and checked emails on the free WIFI. The slider was tasty. Still hungry and ordered the inferno wings, and a pint of the Irish Red beer. I headed out, crossed the street, and waited for a bus. In less than 10 minutes the 392 westbound whisked me away again.
It was close to 6PM, I decided to head to Celia’s Mexican Restaurant. A margarita would be a nice night cap to the day and give me a little more bang for my $3.35 ticket. I checked the schedule again for about the 100th time and the 388 bus was due in about 10 minutes. I drank the margarita down, just below brain freeze speed. I saw the bus coming before I even got to the stop. I was home in time for dinner with Peggy and the start of the Giants vs. A’s series opener.
I didn’t see any thugs all day. I saw babies and elders, some in wheel chairs using the system. The drivers were all courteous and helpful. The only problem I had was of the 6 buses I rode, only one had the air conditioner on. I didn’t see anyone with a window open and didn’t ask if I was permitted to open a window.
I’m looking forward to doing this again and transferring bus to bus like an old spiderman or at least a veteran of the Tri Delta Transit system. Maybe I can pass on the schedule, Sam S., gave me to another rookie bus rider suffering wanderlust.
