Early tomorrow

The things we do to save money…
I get to leave my house (that contains my bed!) at 0430 tomorrow. Yes, that’s frackin’ early!
I have to take public transit (ugh) to OAK, where my flight to IAD leaves from. Now, if you’ve read this blog in the past, you will find that I’m an avid fan of transit, PROVIDED IT’S DONE RIGHT! Like it is in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris, New York City, etc etc. It ain’t done right here. Period!
Here’s why I’m whining (even though the ticket was US$218, a good deal). I have to wake up and grab the bus. That’s a 30 minute bus ride to go a bit less than 4 miles. BLEAGH! Then I have to transfer to the BART train which gets me to the Coliseum station in about another 30 minutes. That’s about 20 odd miles or so. THEN, I have to wait for an “AirBart” shuttle that may (or may not) show up for another 20 minute (2 mile) ride to OAK so I can check in at least an hour early for my flight that leaves at 0740.
Keep in mind that driving takes 40 minutes or so (with traffic), but since I’m going to be on the East Coast for a week, it’s not cost effective to park the car at the airport. That would basically negate the “deal” I got on the ticket because flights from SFO are US$80-90 more to IAD.
Urban planners call the distance between your house (or destination) and the train station/stop the “transit gap”. Tomorrow, I’m going to be spanning a lotta gaps!
And the worst thing is that this is a domestic flight so that means no food! Yup, cut food and raise the fares. That’s a gRRRRREeat business model. And since this is OAK, there’s no food in the airport either! No McDonald’s in the terminal. Nada. No food! Nothing!
Grrrrr. A Sausage McMuffin on the plane ain’t a bad breakfast!!! It’s pretty good!