Riding The Mustang 3 (mini blog)

Lake Tahoe Is Big

It is approx 22 miles north to south and 12 miles east to west, both being maxima. Very roughly the lake is the size of the Isle of Wight rotated by 90 degrees but more of a blob than a diamond.

From a public transport point of view it splits into South Lake and Truckee at the north.

It was renamed Truckee after a Paiute chief, whose assumed Paiute name was Tru-ki-zo. He was the father of Chief Winnemucca and grandfather of Sarah Winnemucca. The first Europeans who came to cross the Sierra Nevada encountered his tribe. The friendly chief rode toward them yelling, “Tro-kay!”, which is Paiute for 'Everything is all right'. The unaware travellers assumed he was yelling his name, so 'Truckee' both he and the settlement became.

The Truckee area has its own transport (use "transit" or "transportation") area ...

... Truckee Area Regional Transportation with its own livery ...

... and route map.

But fbb is going to concentrate on South Lake Tahoe where two sons stayed and where they photographed one bus! 

It was the rear end ...

... of a service 50.

The company web site ...

... shows the scope of the operation.

Each coloured blob takes you to a computer driven map, not as good as it should be for the tourists. 

The 50 runs every half an hour, seven days a week, and is the most frequent of the operator's routes.

The route starts in the north at a destination called "Stateline" where a Google Maps extract gives a subtle clue as to why that name is appropriate.

Here there is a rudimentary bus station, called optimistically, Stateline Transportation Center.

At the other end of the route is another "Transportation Center".

That is the South Y Transportation Centre.

It's a posh bus shelter, innit?

This is where "the lads" photographed their route 50. It was just along the road from their gaff.

The map also shows the North Shore Water Taxi ...

... providing a two hourly circular. On-line pictures also show Tahoe tour buses ...

... and we are reminded that one of the main sporting activities is skiing. It snows a lot because you are 6,700 feet above sea level (1,900 metres in the new money). 

Sons 1 and 3 (sort of) did not realise this until they woke up ready for the trip to Frisco ...

... when a bit of snow the night before had become ...

... quite a lot of snow. The buses are used to it ...

... but the Mustang needed careful coaxing to get on the road and lower down the contours.

Most pictures of the Lake are taken in summer sun, but its crystal clear waters ...

... and gorgeous mountainous surroundings ...

... are a treat at any time of the year.

The buses are interesting, too!

 Tomorrow we rock up here ...

... and here!

 Next 'Riding the Mustang' blog : Fri 4 April 

Riding The Mustang 2

 America is Big!

Today fbb is going to follow No 1 and No 3 sons from Vegas to South Lake Tahoe and on to Frisco. But we neeed to realise the distances involved.

454 miles! And then on to Frisco, another 204.

It is also worth remembering (although fbb could never remember as he never knew!) that Las Vegas is very much in the middle of nowhere - in the middle of nothing much. In the UK we are used to a steady stream of picturesque villages wherever we go, but in the area where the lads (!) were travelling on days 2 and 3, there is a whole lot of this ...

... and quite a bit more of this ...

... and roads like this.

Some highways were simply packed with interest ...

... for mile after mile after mile.

Leaving one small community called Rachel ...

... No 1 son reported that after the busy metropolis, as pictured above, came a sign that said ...

... and,  quite accurately, the next building was a burger store -  after 150 miles!

In fact Las Vegas started as a pit stop for the Mormons travelling from Salt Lake City to San Francisco for supplies.

It grew in importance with an American air base and splurged dramatically when Nevada made gambling into a pastime (calling it "gaming") and legislated for "six week" divorces. The result is what we see today, plonked incongruously in what is pictured above - namely not a lot!

The "City" of Tahoe is very much tourist oriented ...

... and fbb will return there tomorrow with a review of Tahoe's public transport.

Needless to say, the Mustang riders did not hang about to enjoy the buses; but, for the time being, we need now to look at a chunk of public transport that is way more interesting, even than Tahoe.

It is in San Francisco.

And here it is:-

Indeed! Whilst the UK pootles around with experimental autonomous vehicles (see below), driverless but with a driver, several cities in the USA have genuine driverless taxis available NOW, and without a driver.

While marvelling at the ludicrously expensive appendages needed to make them very safe (?), the first thing you notice is a lack of useable door handles!

You cannot open the door until you have booked your ride. 

There : open sesame!

And for this you download an app. fbb looked at the web site ...

... but it told you nothing ...

... except how wonderful it all was.

For useful information you have to download the app. fbb decided not to risk it, in case he inadvertently booked a ride and the system removed much fine gold from the fbb account!

The inside presents you with two screens which map your ride similar to a standard in-car computer jobbie as not used by fbb; nut far more sophisticated!

You can see what the on-board technology is doing as you enjoy the drive. Sons were well impressed, one suggesting that the tech was so good that he felt far safer than in any cat he might be driving. 

Here is a video of a chunk of their computer controlled trajectory.

Warning: these two videos are set to "loop" so they will repeat for ever unless you stop them!

And a closer look at one of the screens.

It was all so well controlled and so effective that they soon relaxed and it wasn't at all scary - hence the "head banging", for want of a better word, music.

It does have a pretty light on the top which makes it look like a cop car!

Perhaps that's why it works so well - other motorists are especially respectful!

Which reminds fbb of a song by the late Tony Bennett. The words went something like this:-

We rode Way-mo in San Francisco,

Not on the hill, but had to go.

Ignored the little cable cars

Climbing halfway to the stars!

In the evening dark, we paid our fare

We used the app in San Francisco,

Ir was a thrill, expensive though,

To be where electronic cars

Viewed street scenes, not the stars!

And the evening ride was not a scare.

Here is the official word!

Just for the record : it cost $40 for a 20 minute journey. It would have cost $14 on an Uber driven by a person. See "China" below!

Meanwhile, In The UK

Every stop? Every of not very many!

Whilst this route will interact with other vehicles, it is hardly on a par with proper public roads.

Here is what their PR says.

Solihull council have bought that hyper ugly bus with a very small seating capacity ...

... and you have to pre-book, which makes it useless in practice.

Of course it has a driver - who doesn't drive unless anything embarrassing happens!

Meanwhile In China

There are concerns (you bet) about costs and possible revenue.

Hmmmm?

 Next Mustang mini blog : Thur 3 Apr