Greensboro is known as Gate City because we were the hub of so much rail transporting of commerce throughout the state and south. Above is the train depot downtown, the J. Douglas Galyon Depot. This past weekend, a carbon footprint-conscious family member of ours opted to take Amtrak to Raleigh as opposed to driving. She reported that the ride was fabulous, the train was not very busy (unfortunately) and that the round trip cost was about $30. When you consider purchasing gas, the stress of driving to Raleigh on I-40, fighting traffic once there, and paying to park, $30 sounds pretty good. Shared transportation is increasingly a viable option these days, especially with ride services like Uber and Lyft upon arrival at your final destination. Also, you can take your bike on the Amtrak train if you want to bike upon arrival.

Imagine planning a day trip to a nearby city, going with friends by train, maybe even traveling with your bookclub, scout troop, biking or running group. The more we start using public transportation, the more it will be available to us. That sounds like a good New Year’s resolution. Happy Tuesday! Happy Point A to Point B. Look how clean and pretty the depot is. Grab your softest blanket and let’s ride!