I didn't learn to drive until I was 19. In HS, a fellow XC teammate was struck and killed by a driver. It would be years before I realized how much this tragedy affected my feelings about driving. It also built a core value within me - safer streets for people.
#MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
In high school, my mom took a job in DC while we still lived in Raleigh. We'd visit & she'd hand me a metro card and let me explore the city. My first 🚇 experience. Riding was like nothing I'd experienced before.
High capacity transit in cities just made sense. #MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
I can thank my friend in pre-k for my ❤️ of 🚌. She invited me to the state fair & my 1st sleepover! Her mom shared a car w/a BF. He needed it for work, so she said, WE'RE TAKING THE BUS! I was confused. Ride the bus? I never rode before but soon discovered the joy.
#MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
I loved the bus.
But on weekends, I'd disappear off into the woods and would ride my bike for hours before finally ending up at the library or cafe to do my homework.
Cue my love for cycling... and for locating greenways, sidewalks, and bike paths.
#MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
In grade school, I rode the bus for hours to my magnet school across town. I learned to sit back and enjoy the journey.
...😏 I'd also skip class, hop on the City Kitty (aka the CAT bus aka GoRaleigh) and ride the bus downtown to the legislature to watch debates 🤓
#MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
Photo of the nerdtrain group standing in front of an Amtrak train underneath the Emeryville San Francisco Connection sign. The group is surrounded by travel bags, and in the middle of the group is a person, Payton Chung, holding a sign that says Welcome Nerd Train!
I'd also visit my great aunt and uncle in King of Prussia. They didn't fly; they took Amtrak. They'd tell such great stories about their adventures riding the rails. I wanted adventures and stories too!
Now, I vacation by rail with my #NerdTrain pals. #MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
I spent summers and holidays in Philadelphia, with her and other family, riding SEPTA and walking to shops, and freedom to explore the city on my own. I also loved walking around the city her, pointing out mundane sidewalk and bus stop fixed to report and help others #MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
Black and white photo of a couple standing on a train station platform. The couple is my grandmother rose and grandfather Jim. They're both wearing suits and she is holding an overcoat. Her hair is pinned back in a half ponytail, and she has an unimpressed look on her face. My grandfather is standing next to her with a stiff stance and a cigarette in his left hand.
This is my late grandmother, Rose.
She lived 84 years on this earth and never once drove- never even got a driver's license! She rode SEPTA and PATCO. She was strong, opinionated, and wasn't afraid to stand up to injustices and fight City Hall to help other people. #MyTransitStory #TransitThursday
