ACE Train #2

I now have a couple weeks on the train, and generally the commute is very nice.  It is definately very peaceful.  I sleep most of the way to work.  I like to wake up in Freemont, and then I can see the sun coming up over Drawbridge as I go through the Bay, just before Alviso.

I like to look for wildlife on trip.  Of course they ar emost abundant going through the bay.  Ltely there have been numerous ducks and geese, along with th normal sea birds.  One day I saw a group of three bunnies chasing eachother along one of te banks of the  bay dikes.  I have also seen egrets and other sea birds.

Going through Niles Canyon I have seen wild turkeys, at least I assume there were wild.  They were big black Toms.  One had his back feathers spead like he tradigtional Thanksgiving picture.

I have had one bad experience with the train.  A week ago Thursday there was a slide in Niles Canyon,   My first warning was being met at the train station by a bus instead of a train. This first bus was to take us to Great America Sation.  By the time I got there, the seats were all taken.  One passenger had his luggage on a seat, taking two spaces, but didn't feel nclined to move it.  I ended up standing for about 40 minutes with my bag slung over my shoulder.  It was pretty hard, and my back ached for some days.  One of the ACE staff apologized, saying they couldn't get another bus.  It was still hard.

At Great America we were met by several charter buses.  We were all able to get a seat and the bus was headed to Manteca in traffic.  The driver heard 680 had an accident and was backed up.  He decided to try Niles Canyon, where the slide was, but this was doomed to failure.  He eventually took the bus to the 580, where traffic was failry light and took yus home that way.  We got to Manteca at 8:30, onl y an hour late.  Even then, driving home there was a train in the road and I turned around and went a long way around.

Next day I drove because thre were no trains running.  From this experience I have decided to continue with the 20-pass tickets rather than buying a monthly pass.  I think there will always be a few days a month I stay home, or just want to drive instead of taking the train.  A 20-pass ticket should last two weeks, and I am still on my first and it has been three weeks.