Take the E Train

Each weekday morning I rise early to catch the bus into Denver’s Union Station, a huge transit terminal. It’s about a twenty minute ride, and I’m on the laptop most of the way.

At Union Station I have about ten minutes to traverse the length of the concourse (equal to four football fields) to the light rail platforms. There I board the E line, which delivers me to the Denver Tech Center about half an hour away. Between the bus and the train it’s about an hour long commute, but I’m on the clock and working for most of it so I don’t mind. It’s that much less time I have to spend in the office.

On the way home I’m off the clock, and instead of “work,” I give attention to my own projects. I use the time well, writing and editing stuff. It’s a hell of a commute no matter how you look at it, but my productivity offsets any inconvenience.

Sometimes I gaze out the window. I’ve been attracted to some of the old Denver redbrick Kerouac buildings along the way. A few months ago I jumped off the train and took pictures of an old restaurant. I posted some of them, probably too many, to my Facebook page.

I like that I can travel such great distances without an automobile. On all but the coldest and snowiest days, my commute actually begins with a bike ride to the bus stop on the highway. It’s only about a mile. The mass transit system in the region could be better. There’s an ongoing debate about extending the light rail from Denver to Boulder, a common-sense proposal shot down for the usual reason: who’s going to pay for it?