Commute

Monday I decided to do things the hard way, and go to the city using transit.

Helen has her own car, which meant I didn't have to use the coast bus system getting to the ferry. I used my car and parked it at the terminal for a bargain rate of $2.25 for the day.

That all means that I got to the ferry in 30 minutes, instead of over an hour-and-a-quarter of busing.

The ferry ride has no charge when headed to the city; they get you on the ride back. Foot passengers load on before the cars, so I was easily able to be the very first in line at the cafeteria. Grabbed a meal of bacon and eggs and toast and potatoes. No need to do a transit adventure on an empty stomach.

The boat ride is about 45 minutes either way. When they opened the floodgate for the foot passengers, I scooted out quickly. It wasn't really a fair race, as I needed a stop next to the bus stop at the machine that sells fares. I was ahead at the machine, but it put me well back in the line for actual bus loading. In future I will simply use the fare card I purchased this time out and will be one of the first to the bus.

The bus is extremely long, and is in three sections. Being one of the last bodies aboard, I had to stand. My spot was right on the hinge between two bus sections. Whenever there was a turn, my spot became very similar to surfing. No place to put my bag either, so had to carry it strapped on the entire way, and it was heavy.

Got off at Park Royal mall. Found where my next bus would pick me up, expecting a 15 minute wait. My handy dandy transit app said one of my buses had left one minute earlier. However, a bus promptly turned up with my number on it. The bus I'd “missed” was slightly late, and so I got an early pickup.

My bus riding ended at Lonsdale Quay, which is a transit hub, as well as a shopping and eating venue in North Vancouver. The total bus fare is $2.75 going in either direction. I scouted out where to catch my return ride, and then headed off to a Starbucks which was on my walking route.

After my coffee break, it was about a ten minute walk to the North Vancouver Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy. I received a lovely welcome from the Black Belt instructor, Marc Marins.

The noon classes are always small, and this time there were about 7 or 8 of us. My partner was a friend who moved to the city a year-and-a-half ago. When sparring time started, she was my first partner.

After Elizabeth, I rolled with two big, young guys. They were both pretty good, and will kick my butt when they pick up a little more technique. My final partner was Marc, the instructor. He dumbed his skill level down to around my own, and found a few pointers for me in the middle of the roll. I liked that.

After class, Elizabeth and I walked together back to Lonsdale Quay. She is likewise a transit rider, but her ride was heading the opposite direction from mine. We chatted. She wants me to “make” other members of my school come train in the city, too. I agreed to mention it to them.

Ate a nice plate of pad thai at the Quay, then caught my bus homeward. For some reason traffic was insane. Arrival at Park Place mall was late, but the big issue was that the bus to the ferry terminal was extremely late.

Most of the passengers looked nervous, and did a lot of watch glancing. We ran from the bus to the ferry ticket booth, but it didn't help. Loading was already finished, and the ferry pulling out.

Now, with plenty of time before the next boat home, I strolled off to pick up my second Starbucks coffee of the day. Got my boarding pass, which was $13, and waddled to the appropriate waiting room. Only a couple of people were there ahead of me, and the room was all nice and warm. My wait was 2 hours. An annoyance, but I really had nothing to rush about. Sat all comfy with my drink, and my phone, and did a bit of people watching.

Boarded on time, and sat in another warm spot. Sometimes seats can be shockingly cold on the boat as there are places exposed to the outside air. Did the 45 minute ride comfortably, and then picked up my waiting car.

Being right in the middle of ferry traffic, the drive was slow, but nothing shocking.

To get my hour of Jiu-Jitsu instruction, along with a half-hour of rolling, I had first hit the road at just after 7am, and got home at about 7:15pm.

Next time, I won't go to eat after class. My pad thai added two hours to my adventure that I could quite happily have done without.

The total travel bill worked out to $20.75. Coffee and food was more at $33. If I'd taken the car, the food and coffee would likely have been the same, but the transportation costs higher at $54.50.

I wouldn't have missed the ferry if I'd been driving, but in the future having a car could have an opposite effect. Foot passengers normally get on if they arrive on time. Cars sometimes get left behind if there are too many of them trying to fit on.

Comparing perfect transit versus automobile trips would see me on the exact same ferries regardless of transport method. No time savings either way.

There is even a third option. I could ride the same ferries, and ride my bike. This is more of a fine-weather option, but quite viable. Google Maps says that the ride each way on the city side will take 90 minutes. That would be fine. As my bike will soon be electrified, it will take even less time. On this side, the bike would easily ride in the car to the ferry terminal, as it is a folding one.

Is this all worth it? If I were still a working Joe, the idea of giving up what is effectively an entire day-off to gain 1.5 hour of Jiu-Jitsu would look like madness, even if the financial cost were irrelevant. Most people only have two such days in a week. Being a retired gentleman of leisure, this isn't really a consideration. I have seven free days each week.

Marc Marins teaches 3 noon classes per week. The Saturday one is good, but very crowded. The two weekday classes are much smaller, and students receive more attention.

I think I'll try and attend the two weekday classes unless something else pops up. This week, for example, I cannot make it to both, and so will be content with only one.

Before the commuting starts to feel like too much, which it likely will eventually, I'll shift down to once per week. If even that starts to drag, I can cut it back even further. Once in two weeks, or perhaps once per month.

This is my take on the ins-and-outs of training in the city from here.