What are some of your more interesting modes of transportation to get from
point A to point B [either locally or to vacation or business spots]?

30 responses total.

Aircraft, cars, cabs, buses, subways, trains, walking, elevators, 
escalators, stairways, hallways, and the moving walkways at DTW (boring)
and between Concourse B and C at O'Hare where they play mind-numbing
Phil Glass minimalist music to make you crazy before your flight if you
were unlucky enough to fly United.

I used to do mixed-mode trips quite frequently, not because I wanted to do
it that way, but because it happened to be convenient.  One time, I went
by bicycle from East Lansing to Ann Arbor (leaving the bike with friends
in Huron Towers), hitchhiked to Columbus (where I spent several days at
OSU), and bought a 15-day bus pass to travel to Houston (to visit another
friend) and other places.

Another time, I took a train from East Lansing to Duluth, drove from
Duluth to Houston, flew from Houston to Chicago, cab from O'Hare to the
Chicago bus station, Greyhound from Chicago to Benton Harbor, and hitch-
hiked from there to East Lansing.  (Um, long story.)

Hitch'n is the only way to travel.

I know someone that hitched across the country; he sure did have some 
interesting stories to tell.  What kind of stories do you have to tell?

As for my modes of transportation, I've flown a number of times, though now
I always check about the size of the aircraft when making reservations...
I get motion sick fairly easily and have been in small aircraft twice and
got *real* sick both times [once was in a 4-seater sea-plane out in the
state of Washington, the other was one of those small commuter planes that
hold maybe 20 passengers.]  Trains are pretty neat for just sitting back
and enjoying the scenery while traveling; also, you can meet/talk with some
rather interesting people to help pass the time.  Driving is nice in the
sense that you can make your own plans as to when to stop, etc.  

A friend and I hitchhiked across the country in 1980, all the way to 
Los Angeles... and finally went as far as Tijuana with the musical
buddies we met in LA.

The most important thing I've learned is don't ever take anyone else's
veiw on the people anywhere. Find out for yourself.

The people in the Cass Corridor will slice you up if you walk through
at midnight.

I used to live on Fort st.

Bicycling!!  As some of you are no doubt tired of hearing by now, I
bicycled from the coast of Virginia to the southern tip of Illinois
three years ago. (Jeez, how can it be three years ago already!?)

Bicycle touring is a great way to really see the country -- and it's
healthy and easy on the environment, too.

   My preferred mode of travel is driving so that I can explore all of
the unusual spots off the beaten track. I love seeing small towns and
wondering if they really are all alike. I spent 2 years in Croswell MI,
which was wonderful if you have a job and something to do at night. If 
you don't have either it can be a boring place. 
   The reason I wrote that was so that I could tell you of my venture
to Springport, a little towm on m-99 just 7 or so miles north of Albion, 
and the interesting thing is that it LOOKS and FEELS just like Croswell,
only it probably doesn't have that nauseating pickle smell at night.

[I've been to Croswell, Jim; as a little kid, we had a cottage in Lexington
and often, we took little side trips to othe places...]

When one is going to b driving many hours, what are things that work well
in keeping awake/alert for the trip?   [Things I do are stops every couple
hours to stretch the legs/get air, keep the window or vents open, listen
to lively music.]

    Well, Croswell is a required stop if you need to eat or to do laundry.

Lexingtom has these things, but I've found prices are better in Croswell.
I am curious as to where your parents cottage is/was. My Grandma's is
just before that HUGE dip in M-25. It's about 1/4 mile from the 
restaurant on the corner of Lakeview and M-25. In Croswell, I lived
2 blocks from Aunt Janes and let me tell you that it was NOT a 
pleasent experience. Put me off pickes for 2 years after that.

It's been probably 20 years since my grandmother sold the property; though
I have many fond memories of many summers up there with my cousins...  Since
this was prior to my driving years [I was around 12 when the property was
sold], I don't remember the street names per se.  It WAS north of Lexington,
past a campground for some organization [Muscular Dystrophy maybe?], past
a motel.  I do remember taking hikes to a little store called 'Hilltop',
if that means anything [if it's still even there].

  Sure, that rings a bell. I know exactly where that is. The camp IS
owned by MDA( I used to visit).My dad had friends in Port Sanilac,so
for me it was a well beaten path, and let me tell you, that motel does
charge some heavy duty room rates. 

  I guess the craziest thing I ever did was pedal my bike from my grandma's
to Port Huron and then over to Sarnia ( NOW there was some fun). I think that
I did somwhere near 80 miles that day. I wouldn't even THINK of doing that
today.

Anyone here do any sailing?
For a mode of transportation it can't be beat!!
It's also fun.

I sail. However, not generally as *transportation*, except for a litt
e beating along the coast. Usually, I end back where I started.

Sailing is great whether one beats along the coast or goes on an extended
voyage. Try sailing to another part of the state and then going on a local
tour, trying food, entertainment, whatever.
Coming back to the boat is a real experience, preparing for the night,
planning the next day's trip or outing. Then casting off early in morning,
watching a port come awake just as you leave, that's life.

The galley is a little cramped in my 12-foot sloop. In College, my
roomates and I talked about sailing around the world, as we devoured
Joshua Slocum. Life didn't work out that way. I taught myself celestial
navigation - and then along came GPS. My plastic sextant gathers dust.

Hello Rane;
I'm back and still sailing.
A small boat can be just as much fun as a larger one, in a different way.
I learned Loran-c and now GPS first. I now would like to learn celestial




soon
This program is giving me a hard time, so I'll quit.
Talk to you again?

How are you connecting, while you are sailing? ;->.

It's been too long since I've sailed or water skiied.  Are there places
around here where non-boat-owners can rent sailboats or skis/driver/boat?

If you are associated with UM, they have a sailing club. I used to
sail there a lot, as a volunteer sailing instructor (the sailing
challenge pales on Round Lake after a bit, so the challenge becomes
keeping newbies upright). I think there is sailboat rental on some
of the other lakes up that way (Portake Lake?), but haven't checked
recently.

I mean I'm sailing figuratively, I don't have an Internet connection yet on 
the boat.
Has anyone tried something a little bigger, like lake Huron maybe?

I've been out in Lake Michigan, between Charlevoix and Harbor Springs,
on a friend's 24 foot boat. Its a great life - do the town, and sleep
on the boat. 

  I like the bus as well. No worries, just sit back and listen to the
walkman as America rolls by.

But it takes sooo long.  I have difficulty sitting still for the long periods
of time necessitated by taking a bus to the places I mostly frequent (NYC and
Seattle.)

  The ride from Charleston to Detroit wasn't that bad. I *thought* it would
be an express bus, but it was a local. I now can say that I have been on US
23 from Ashland KY to Toledo OH, on the bus, and in a car from Toledo on.
  I was hoping that it would've been a daytime bus so we could see the Mighty
Ohio river. Oh well.

My most exciting forms of transportation:
1.  Hot Air Balloon ride - my family bought me a ride for my birthday 2 hrs
    ago.

2.  Shinkassen or Bullet train - on a business trip in Japan.  Maybe just as
    good was a "Lufthansa Express" train in Germany.

3.  Small private planes - anytime anywhere.

1. Walking
2. Car
3. Bus
4. Airplane
4. Sailing
6. Riding a horse
7. Ox Cart
8. Camel riding (in a desert)
8. Elephant riding
9. Hydrofoil
11. Cable Car
12. Train
13. Pram (for kids)
14. Elevator
15. Escalator
&c &c

What no mules or donkeys?  I was at a recent lecture on land use and public
transportation, and in Ottawa apparently 2% of winter commuters in Ottawa,
where up to half the people are now using the new rapid bus system, get to
work by skating on the frozen canal.  NO traffic jams there, I hope.  Has
anyone tried winter camping by skate?  Or cross-country skiing and sleeping
in different places?  I have never heard of either being used except to go
in small recreational circles.  It is not travel if you end up where you
started, the same day.
        We have been on three bike-camping trips, of up to two weeks, and we
took our tent, bedding, pots and pans, stove and food, and went on dirt roads,
and never knew where we would be camping next (except for a couple of
scheduled stops at the houses of friends).  We camped at a sheep farm and were
wakened by Maa Maa at 6 a. m., at a private lake owned by egg farmers (since
then we have not bought commercial eggs, poor chickens!), and two nights in
a row at a family-owned dairy farm near Paw Paw.  They sent the youngest kid
out to help us set up the tent, served us breakfast, let us try the
trampoline, introduced all the pets, and let us climb the silo.  I can't
imagine an arranged tour being half as interesting.  Have not been on a
walking tour except for four days of backpacking in Porcupine Mountains, again
carrying everything.  By the end we were rationing 'fuel', hiking really makes
you hungry.

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