Riding the Dog
My collegiate years were spent in western New York State, and like it or not, I found myself riding 'the dog' a lot. I think I flew back to Maine twice over those years. The quickest of all the scheduled runs seemed to be the Greyhound that left Rochester around 2:30 in the afternoon and arrived back in Portland, if everything went smoothly, sometime around noon the following day. Basically, it was a 22 hour trip, that I took for Christmas break and then again in May to end the year. Thanksgiving and Spring Break were usually spent with friends near school. Making that trip twice a year was enough for me. Throw in a few variables like snow storms, mechanical problems, and rerouted buses and even a mundane trip got interesting. The nights were long, the seats were greasy to your head, and the food was barely edible. Books, magazines and just watching the New York Thruway and Massachusetts fly by in the darkness kept me company for hours. I do believe my love of driving in the late night hours, watching the dim lights in houses and wondering all the while what these folks were doing in their lives, was given birth on these trips. The voyages were long, but the arrival home was always worth the aggravation. Bow Wow!
ps. Just checked the Greyhound Bus Line schedule. The trip these days takes just under 11 hours for about $123.00. Back then a one way ticket went for about $32.00. Not bad.
I've been on a few Greyhounds that fit your description. One thing, though. Why did you keep doing it. You know what they say about someone who keeps doing something when they always end up with the same result. I wouldn't say that but...
ReplyDelete:-)
I don't believe I ever took a bus trip other than to high school ball games but, my grandmother used to take the bus when she would visit us in Arizona after we moved here. She was afraid of flying so it was either the bus or the train and the train didn't come very close to Phoenix so more often it was the bus.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of bus travel, but fortunately there are still buses around for people who cannot afford any other kind of transportation.
ReplyDeleteI rode a train home for holidays my first year in college. It was an overnight train and I slept like a baby, tired from exams... not sure I rode the Dog. Love your story, Bird.
ReplyDeleteBises,
Genie
Racehounds now :)
ReplyDeletethe dog. :)
ReplyDeleteSo it takes half the time for four times the money..figures! Happy days Birdman!
ReplyDeleteThose were the days, and according to your photo they still are.
ReplyDeleteI rode the dog with my mother and brother way back in the late 50's from Santa Fe, NM to Idaho Falls, ID. It took a lonnnnnnng time!
ReplyDeleteI rode a Mexican Dog from Albuquerque to Mexico City in the early 1970s. That took a real longggggg time, and the food was really baaaad, and I won't even tell about the toilets.
I seemed to take the train - I can't remember a long bus ride. That bus must have stopped at every little town to take that long to get to Maine!
ReplyDeleteThe things we'd do back in the days...
ReplyDeleteGreat memories. The arrival home is always a great feeling. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteLA By Diana Live Magazine
When I was young I enjoyed driving through the night on long trips. These days not so much. But I am still enchanted by roads and highways at night.
ReplyDeleteMakes me think of the old Commander Cody song "Home In Me Hands": I went down to the Greyhound station to catch an outbound dog. Got my ticket from the man. He said, son, you gonna check your bag? I said, no thank you, sir. I just carry my home in my hands.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think they were still in existence. Nice shot.
ReplyDeleteI "rode the dog" for 2 months back in '88- had a great time-thx for the memories!
ReplyDeleteI took the night Greyhound back to U of M once and never again. All I remember is that when the lights were turned off the guy next to me tried getting way too close.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I rode hours and hours on Greyhound Australia, but I don't know if it's the same dog, possibly not...
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Cezar
22 hours! beeehhh!!
ReplyDeletei took the greyhound to montreal, from boston. and back. never again...
i do love the chinatown bus from boston to NY. just 15 dollars and they drive like idiots... makes you a bit sick at times, but somehow i love it!
Ah, the Congress Street Greyhound. I lived near their! Its a beautiful shot, and I think you should get a job at the Portland Press, doing stories like that.
ReplyDelete