Yesterday’s post was about an interesting parking garage in Chicago, today is the story of why I went up to the top of the garage.
A long block was a prairie with native grades & flowers, it looked well kept because a wide border was mowed. A concrete curb separates the natives from the tidy lawn.From the top of the adjacent parking garage you can see fenced-in prairie. Click image for map link.
My assumption is this is a way of land banking until Northwestern decides to build on the land. The block held a large zig-zag 1940s/50s building, razed sometime within the last decade. The block is fenced, it isn’t used as a park. Land here, between Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue, is much too valuable to sit vacant. The campus map doesn’t identify it.
The result is a very neat looking, but easy to maintain, block.
Earlier this month I noticed an interesting parking garage in the block east of where we were staying on a weekend in Chicago, it was both landscaped and musical…
The Erie Ontario Parking Garage occupies the western half of a long city block in Chicago, located within the Northwestern University Chicago campus.The garage includes an entrance for CTA busesThe back of the planters on the top level, 12. Major brackets secure the planters to the structure.In the center we see more greenery.The 12th floor is also known as the ‘Yellow Submarine’ levelIn the elevator & stair lobby you hear a brief clip of ‘Yellow Submarine’ by the Beetles Beatles, on a constant loopEach level features a song clip related to the color assignedThe directory on the ground floor lists all ten songs for levels 3-12
Here’s a list of the songs for each level (links to Wikipedia):
If you’ve ever returned to a garage and forgotten where you parked your car, you’ll appreciate the songs. You just might have Purple People Eater in your head all day.
This post is about my first trip on Megabus, roundtrip from St. Louis to Chicago.
In January 2012 I emailed Megabus asking about making online reservations for a trip that would include my wheelchair. At that time there was only one way to do it, as this reply indicates:
Currently the only way to reserve for a special needs request is thru our toll free # at 877-463-6342. I am sorry this is uncomfortable for you but the good news is that you will be able to make this request online in the very near future. My understanding is that the developers of our website have made this feature a priority.
I’d explained my uneasiness with making phone calls, they don’t have a station like Greyhound & Amtrak.
In mid-June I was able to make online reservations for myself and my husband to visit Chicago last weekend. As promised in 2012, the website now allows me to indicate I’d need room for my wheelchair. I’ve been on Amtrak & Greyhound with the wheelchair, I didn’t know what to expect with Megabus, neither of us had used Megabus before.
To make the most of a 3-day weekend in Chicago we booked a bus leaving at 3:05am on Friday, August 1st (his birthday). A week before we got an email saying the departure would be delayed 15 minutes.
We arrived early, a Megabus was waiting at the stop on 14th StreetThat bus headed to Memphis thoughOur bus arrived from Memphis, a low-tech ramp was unfolded to get my chair inside the busLike Greyhound, their buses have a section where two rows of seats slide to make room for a chair. They can’t sell 3 seats as a result. Amtrak doesn’t lose any seats to accommodate a wheelchair.When we stopped I was able to look up the back stairs to see the skylight roof upstairs.Many of us on the lower level had our phones plugged in to overhead power. MegaBus includes free Wifi, I stayed on AT&T because I have an unlimited data plan.We arrived in Chicago’s South Canal St., near Union Station.
Others waiting with us on 14th Street didn’t like the new St. Louis stop being located on 14th Street, it used to be west of St. Louis’ Union Station, because of a lack of a parking lot. We walked to the stop from our loft. Via email:
Until **Monday** July 7th 2014, the Megabus stop for all arrivals and departures in St. Louis will be located West of Union Station on the East Side of 21st St near the intersection of Clark St and 21st St. The bus stop will not be in use after this date.
From **Monday** July 7th 2014 onwards, the megabus stop will be located on the Northbound side of S 14th Street, between Spruce Street and Clark Avenue.
The bus to Chicago originated in Dallas/Ft. Worth, with stops in Little Rock & Memphis, before coming to St. Louis. As such, many seats were taken. The bus had two drivers, they switched during the break halfway to Chicago.
The return bus had only one driver, who returned to Chicago. Next trip I’ll book a bus that isn’t coming from Memphis so it’ll be empty when we board, allowing my husband to sit across the aisle from me. It seemed like the trip up the drivers were speeding while the return trip the driver stuck to the speed limit. Both arrived basically on time.
When we rolled up to both buses I was greeted by name, they were expecting me. I wasn’t expecting such personal service for a low-cost carrier.
I still prefer rail travel, but Amtrak costs more and they’re currently doing track work, so Amtrak is using charter buses.
The cheapest dates to travel on Megabus, like airlines, is Tuesdays & Wednesdays. Glad to have another option to reach Chicago, Kansas City, and others.
Last month the hubby and I decided to go town to Sainte Genevive, Missouri. I’d been once or twice twenty plus years ago, he’d never been. The fastest way there is I-55 south, but we took the long way heading south from downtown St. Louis on Jefferson Ave until it merges with South Broadway into St. Louis County. On highway 231 we passed Jefferson Barrack’s Cemetery, which we’ve seen before including a memorial service a few weeks earlier. We were close to two parks we visited last year, Cliff Cave Park and Bee Tree Park.
We got to the end of 231, turning left (south) onto state highway 61/67. Very soon Siri is telling us to turn left for Kimswick, MO. Charming, we made a note to return for lunch or dinner sometime. We continue passing through Barnhart, Pevely, Herculaneum, Festus/Crystal City, happened on a charming old roadside park, before finally arriving in Sainte Genevive. The backroad journey took at least twice as long as the interstate, but it’s so much more interesting!
More after the pics…
Vernacular buildings in historic Kimswick, Missouri, click image for more infomationHighway 61 roadside park near Bloomsdale, MOFourche a du Clos Valley as seen from the highway 61 roadside park, you can hear the traffic of I-55 below but you can’t see it. Click image for more info.Sainte GeneviveSainte Genevive lost a historic building in 1934 for a service station, which later became a firehouse, and is now a cafe.Stunning views at Chaumette WineryI love this house on highway 61 in St. Mary, MO
Most of the Ste Genevive wineries are a long drive from the historic town, next time we’ll take I-55 so we have more time to explore, possibly staying overnight in one of the many choices for accommodations.
We’d decided to cross the Mississippi River and return to St. Louis via Illinois, but first we stopped in St. Mary where I fell in love with the house shown above. We crossed the river into Chester, IL and came north on Route 3 without stopping. Very different terrain 0n the Illinois side. I love seeing these historic towns on a map, a nice grid of streets.
June 3, 2014Featured, Transportation, TravelComments Off on Chicago’s Taxicabs More Interesting Than St. Louis’ Taxicabs
In a recent post I wondered if local taxicabs could be more whimsical to compete with the likes of Lyft, Uber, etc. It’s true nobody hires a vehicle because of a pink mustache, but they’re distinctive. This past weekend we were in Chicago for a few days. We drove up and parked in the garage of the condo building where we stayed — $84 for 48 hours with no in/out privileges. We walked and used the bus but we also took four cab rides. Taxicabs are everywhere in Chicago, no need to call and walk — just walk to the street and hail one. At least where we were staying.
Of the hundreds & hundreds of taxicabs we saw, I think only 1-2 were the Ford Crown Victoria that’s so commonplace in St. Louis. No wonder really, the last Crown Vic was produced in September 2011. Though large vehicles, they’re not any easier for me to get in/out of the backseat than any other 4-door.
The Prius we rode in gets 40-50mpg vs 14mpg on a Ford Crown Vic
Of our four trips three of the four were in hybrids: Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, and Ford C-Max. The fourth was a black town car that stopped for us. The most common taxicab vehicle was saw while in Chicago was the Toyota Prius. We also saw Ford Fusion Hybrid & Nissan Altima Hybrid. We saw quite a few of the modern/stylish VPG MV-1:
The styling looks like an SUV-ish riff on the traditional London cab, with a low-step-in (or roll aboard) flat floor and oodles of headroom. Dimensionally, it measures 8.0 inches shorter in length, 2.1 inches wider, and 18.2 inches taller than the Crown Vic. The rear doors swing open (90 degrees on the passenger side) to reveal a bench seat wide enough for three amply proportioned passengers. An optional ($349) rear-facing jump seat behind the driver accommodates a fourth, and standard anchoring plates are fitted to secure two wheelchairs, though locking down the second one precludes use of the right half of the bench seat. There is currently no provision for fitting a front passenger seat, though one is being considered, along with a passenger airbag. (Motor Trend)
I want to ride in one of these on our next visit in a few months.
It isn’t by chance that Chicago has so many hybrids, their approved vehicle list is either hybrids or CNG. Other creative taxicab examples in Chicago is using social media and free wifi:
In addition to tweeting, he also allows clients (or potential clients, as the case may be) to follow him on Google Latitude or Find My Friends so that people know wherever he is at any given time and can contact him when they need a ride. He offers free WiFi within his cab for iPhone and iPad users (“Don’t use your limited data!” he says), and plans to soon offer free WiFi for regular laptop users. Sometimes, as seen in the tweet above, Temuri gives discounts for his social media followers, and he always remembers who everyone is. (ArsTechnica)
The St. Louis Metropolitan Taxicab Commission doesn’t appear to have an approved vehicle list. I know St. Louis is a conservative town but more regulation to push taxicab companies into buying hybrid vehicles would likely prove better for the industry, the companies bottom line, and our air quality.
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