Well readers, I missed Christmas, Easter, and my Birthday. I can only hope that you'll forgive your wayward step dad. :-)
To make up for it, here is a shiny new dime!
Because no one has asked for it: commuting in and around Rosslyn. A tragedy in multiple scenes.
A young man leaves his house in Herndon, right off the Fairfax County Parkway. He does not have red hair, nor is his boyfriend going to be killed if he doesn't have the money, but besides that, it is just like Run Lola Run.
First Scene, Driving all the way. Make a left on the parkway, drive a couple of lights, get on the toll road. 50 cents to get on. Traffic can make your speed anywhere from 5 to 25 miles an hour along the toll road until you get to the second toll plaza. 75 cents. No matter what speed you were doing before, you are now going 11 miles an hour. Just until you get past the exit for the Beltway. Now your are free and clear, but unfortunately, you are getting off at the next exit. Rt.123 If you miss this exit, you will be merging with 66 and getting a ticket for HOV violations.
Rt. 123 is full of traffic lights and cars, you are traveling about 4 miles. It will take you quite a long time. But then you will get on the GW Parkway. Travel on the GW Parkway for a while, get caught up in traffic for people trying to get on Rt.50. Once you arrive in Rosslyn, $10 parking is normal. Total time spent 2 hours 10 minutes round trip. $12.50 bucks in parking and tolls, and lots of wear and tear on your car, and your nerves.
Scene two. Drive to the Metro Station. Turn right on Fairfax county Parkway, get off on Rt. 50 to take a short cut down to Rt. 66 Get on 66 west. Hope you brought a pack of cards. You are travelling less than 4 miles on 66, but you will be on this road for 30 minutes average. That's 8 miles an hour for those of you playing at home. Parking at the Metro can be... problematic at best. The Orange Line starts at Vienna, so at least you get a seat. 30 minutes later (give or take) and you are in Rosslyn. 2 hours 40 minutes round trip. $11.90 total including parking and round trip travel. Much less wear and tear on you car, and lots of companies have Metro Benefits. Mine pays for the whole thing, saving me close to 3 grand a year.
Scene three. No car at all. The bus comes to the end of my street. Catch the bus, use SmarTrip card, not cash. Sleep till Vienna, get off, get on the Metro. If you use SmarTrip, the bus costs 35 cents each way; its $1.35 if you pay cash. $8.10 round trip with SmarTrip, no wear and tear on your car. 3 hours plus round trip. I gave up on this months ago: 3 hours round trip means almost two extra workdays spent in transit over the course of a week.
I guess the moral of the story is: If you are moving to the D.C. area, as some of you are, and some of you may be... your commute is a serious thing to consider. I know many of you are from the Big City, and D.C. seems like it shouldn't be any bigger a deal, but let me be clear: The traffic here is not to be trifled with.
