2014-05-08 - Walk and Bus to Yucca Valley and Return

Miles: 5.0
Start Time 1:30
Moving Time: 1:45:00
Temp In: 78

Got the bug to take the bus to Yucca Valley for some adventure at 1:15. I took a quick shower and left home about 1:30. I had to run and walk to get the 3/4 mile to the bus stop by about 1:40. I got to the stop and turned around and there was the bus. No time to spare. My legs will be a mess to morrow from the running.

The ride the 29 Palms Transit Center and on to Walmart was uneventful. Since I had not eaten the first thing I did was to get a cheeseburger and a large chocolate shake at the in-house McDonald's. I poked around WM a bit then decided to kill another hour by walking the mile down the street to the old WM building which now houses a Tractor Supply store. I have seen references to this chain on the web and perhaps driven by a few stores in Texas but had not been in one. It seems to 1/2 hardware store and 1/2 feed store. It looks like a very farm oriented place. It will be interesting to see if it can hold on in this more urban environment. There are probably many horses and small animals in this area but no significant agriculture to speak of. Time will tell.

As the time to catch the return bus neared I went to the nearby Stater Bro's market and got a loaf of sprouted sesame bread and walked to the bus stop across the street. The ride back to 29 Palms was also uneventful if you do not count the 450 pound guy across from me who did not stop talking the entire time. He was boasting about his LA gang days and his various encounters with the law. Some of it was mildly amusing.

When I got to the 29 Palms Transit Center at 5:50 I discovered there is a gap in bus service between the TC and the base from the last bus at 5:00 until the next at 7:40 (not so easy to spot on the web site with separate PDF files for each route but more visible on the printed one page schedule displayed at stops). Rather than sit there for an hour and 1/2 I decided to hoof it the 2.8 miles home so I ended up with more exercise than I had planned which is not a bad thing.

I am off to treat myself to some Mexican food.