Home alive
Not only did I survive the return from Springfield to Columbia, but I also didn't assault anyone who deserved it.
Here's the breakdown of the return trip.
Friday 6AM: Leave Springfield on bus to Joplin.
Friday 7:30AM: Arrive Joplin. The connection to KC has been canceled for the day. Told to stay on the bus to Tulsa, where I'll be routed to KC and on home.
Friday 10AM: Arrive Tulsa. Thus begins fun. Told that they can get me to Columbia, but all routes east of Tulsa go through Joplin. I could have waited in Joplin for the bus to come through. Have to wait for the bus to Joplin.
Friday 2PM: Leave Tulsa.
Friday 5PM: Arrive Springfield. So far it's been 11 hours on a bus and I've effectively gone nowhere. If they had told me about the problem before I left this morning, this would be the start of the story.
Friday 6:15PM: Leave Springfield
Friday 11PM: Arrive St. Louis. Thus begins my 3 hours and 45 minutes of layover in the bus terminal.
Saturday 2:45AM: Leave St. Louis.
Saturday 5AM: After 23 hours on a bus, I arrive home. 168 miles in 23 hours. That's almost twice an average walking speed!
Lessons Learned:
1. More than 50% of the passengers on any given Greyhound bus are convicted felons. This is from conversations with the passengers and overheard conversations between them. Apparently they're on no-fly lists. The most common tattoo seen on the trip was the teardrop.
2. Greyhound employees can't read a map.
3. Leaving town should only be done in private vehicles, until mass transportation becomes available.
4. Springfield needs an Amtrak line.
Here's the breakdown of the return trip.
Friday 6AM: Leave Springfield on bus to Joplin.
Friday 7:30AM: Arrive Joplin. The connection to KC has been canceled for the day. Told to stay on the bus to Tulsa, where I'll be routed to KC and on home.
Friday 10AM: Arrive Tulsa. Thus begins fun. Told that they can get me to Columbia, but all routes east of Tulsa go through Joplin. I could have waited in Joplin for the bus to come through. Have to wait for the bus to Joplin.
Friday 2PM: Leave Tulsa.
Friday 5PM: Arrive Springfield. So far it's been 11 hours on a bus and I've effectively gone nowhere. If they had told me about the problem before I left this morning, this would be the start of the story.
Friday 6:15PM: Leave Springfield
Friday 11PM: Arrive St. Louis. Thus begins my 3 hours and 45 minutes of layover in the bus terminal.
Saturday 2:45AM: Leave St. Louis.
Saturday 5AM: After 23 hours on a bus, I arrive home. 168 miles in 23 hours. That's almost twice an average walking speed!
Lessons Learned:
1. More than 50% of the passengers on any given Greyhound bus are convicted felons. This is from conversations with the passengers and overheard conversations between them. Apparently they're on no-fly lists. The most common tattoo seen on the trip was the teardrop.
2. Greyhound employees can't read a map.
3. Leaving town should only be done in private vehicles, until mass transportation becomes available.
4. Springfield needs an Amtrak line.