Why Riding Trax is my Favorite....

I love riding trax around Salt Lake. Ever since I was in High School and would skip school with my friends to go up to SLC, I've had a fascination with Public Transit. Some people find it tedious and stressful, but it's kind of the best part of my day. Here's why:

*The Scenery -

(I couldn't find any pics of the scenery but this is me and Linds on my 20th B-day at the Trax Station, it was a super fun day)

SLC isn't exactly gorgeous all the time with the smog and drab little buildings but I love getting to observe the city from the train and getting to spot out new places to visit. Sam Weller's - the Used/Rare bookstore (back when it was in Gallivan Plaza) was one of these finds. Best store ever, I'm sad they moved to Trolley, it's just not as fun. Also, I love seeing cool graffiti art and the trax line tends to go past all the best murals.


*Chillin' with Homeless Peops -

Yeah, some are mentally unstable and smell bad and maybe they won't leave you alone unless you give them some cash. But, there are a few gems on the train who just want to have a nice conversation. I remember one gentleman who used to hang out by the Smith's stop got robbed one day. He had a little red backpack full of all his possessions that someone took off with and his only real grievance was that they'd taken his bible.

Today, I met a real friendly guy who kind of made my day. I'd missed my train by a millisecond and was pouting on the bench when he came over and offered me a hotdog from the little $1 pack he'd just bought with a friend's food stamps (I declined, since I don't eat meat but it was really nice of him). He went on to tell me how he can't eat milk or gluten and so it's hard to find food he can eat for cheap. Then he read the label on the hot dogs and found out they contained sodium lactate. He vented for a minute about how hard it is to find things to eat and functioning with aspergers, then thanked me for listening, and went on his way. It kind of got me over missing my train.

Sometimes when I'm in a really good mood, I'll drop by the Wendy's next to Trax and get some value meals to take to my favorite hobos for lunch. Maybe I should start hanging with kids my age, oh well....

*It's my Fortress of Solitude -

I have a hard time being alone sometimes because I tend to think too much and get myself all depressed. I'm not as shy and introverted as I used to be and I feel like I socialize enough but when I'm alone in my house, I start to think like I'm the only person alive. So dramatic.... But being alone on trax, on the other hand,  kind of makes me feel like I'm still participating and doing something without having to overexert myself. I love having an excuse to just sit and think and maybe read a book without the distractions I have at home or around a computer. For that 15-60 minute ride, that seat is my home. When I lived in Sandy, it tended to be the only time I did homework too....


A few weeks ago, I had one of those rare days where I got out of class and didn't have work or school for several hours and no homework to do. It was really nice outside so I got on trax and instead of going home I just road all over downtown and made a few stops at the Gateway, a little German bakery, and a bookstore. I chatted with some people at the trax stops and bought myself a treat at the bakery, which I ended up sharing with a homeless gal while I waited for the train. Probably one of my best days this semester.

Probably a weird way to kill boredom, but it beats wasting away in front of a computer.