Neo-Vaudeville on the 38-Geary 02.09.11
In his effort to ride all the Muni lines in the city, Gabriel Wheeler of Destination Nowhere asked his friend Audra Wolfmannn to come for a ride on the 38-Geary. Instead, her alter ego Odessa Lil showed up.
Odessa Lil is MC for hire. She hosts many a burlesque show, but does not limit herself to one calling. She will do weddings, divorces , Bar Mitzvahs, funerals, just ask!
Our first stop was Trader Sams where we indulged in some delicious cocktails. Odessa Lil kindly posed for photos with the bar’s patrons, the bartender, and the pinball machine.
Later we found ourselves at the old Transbay Terminal (R.I.P.). It was very sullen and full of homeless residents. It had an air of danger so we did not linger too long, but I snapped some good shots without any incident.
We ended our day at Union Square where Odessa Lil put her riding crop to good use by spanking some willing tourists and posing for more photos. It was an 8-hour adventure I’ll never forget.
I have done about 27 or so of these rides and each one is just as exciting as the last. But so far Odessa Lil has been the most colorful. Check my blog for new updates as I continue to explore San Francisco via Muni.
Thanks, Gabriel!
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No more 2.5-hour wait for the 38 01.24.11
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Through his own vigilant postings, Akit brought attention to the fact that riders were experiencing a 2.5-hour gap in service between the 38L-Geary and regular old 38-Geary out in the Outer Richmond. The last 38L to run on Saturdays left 48th Avenue headed inbound at 5:37 p.m. The next 38-Geary to leave the same location after that was scheduled to leave at 8:02 p.m. Yes, you read those times right.
If you were a passenger there, you were out of luck if you wanted to catch an inbound bus between 5:37-8:02 p.m., unless you were willing and able to walk three long blocks away to either the 31-Balboa or 5-Fulton stops at Cabrillo and La Playa.
But like we said, Akit scored a victory here. Read about Muni’s reaction over at Akit’s Complaint Deparment.
Congrats, Akit and Outer Richmond Muni riders!
When Steven met Vickie, on the 22-Fillmore 01.21.11
Photo by messtiza
At the Muni Time Capsule event back in November, KALW reporter Audrey Dilling spoke with several people who showed up that night to share their Muni stories. One of our favorites was this modern-day transit love story:
Listen to Steven and Vickie’s story
We’ve run a few stories about couples who found love amid the crazytrain that is Muni. Eric’s story of his future-wife’s hands is one of my favorites.
Do you know anyone who found a long-term mate on Muni?
Little green lunch on the 38-Geary 12.15.10
Photo by Thomas Hawk
I was riding on a crowded 38-Geary reading a book, trying to pretend I was somewhere else. Deeply engrossed in my book, I didn’t notice the commotion happening around me.
I felt something on my foot and glanced down at the floor to see the hugest bullfrog in the world staring up at me. I shrieked and jumped in my seat, dropping my book in the process. I then felt a tapping at my elbow and looked over to find a tiny little old lady trying to get my attention.
She dove under my seat and wrestled the frog into a pink plastic shopping bag. Then she nodded at me and scurried off hauling her lunch, which I could see squashed up against the side plastic bag staring mournfully out at me.
A frog on Muni. Hmm, that’s a new one.
What forms of flora and fauna did you experience on Muni today? Share your story here on Muni Diaries.
Muni Mobile Spinach Deals 11.18.10
Editor’s Note: Thank you for supporting Muni Spinach, a new deal program managed by Mobile Spinach. The Mobile Spinach Muni deals have ended for the year. If you have trouble using Mobile Spinach, email John Vitti at john@mblspn.com. Meanwhile check out our current deals by Scoutmob. If you have other deals you’d like to see on Muni Diaries, please email us!
And all of that would seem a lot sweeter if these restaurants would give me half off the price…
My day dreaming about food aside, this is really to tell you that we’ve teamed up with Mobile Spinach to bring you a huge set of deals on a couple of Muni lines! We all already take the bus from point A to B to C and beyond, which is all the more reason to check out the businesses on your Muni line to see if there’s a coupon you can use.
The participating merchants are pretty awesome: the long list includes Chow and Chez Maman ($20 for $40 of food and drinks), and discount for drinks at Blue Bottle Coffee, Elixir, and Blackbird.
Mobile Spinach is a social mobile coupon company, offering mobile cash that you can store on your phone and deals on local merchants. Their offers are loaded onto your mobile device and redeemable at select locations around the city. The mobile cash never expires – say if you buy the $20 for $40 of food and drinks at Burma Superstar, Mobile Spinach loads your coupon onto your phone, and you can redeem it at the restaurant after you polish off the roti prata.
Mobile Spinach is calling this new campaign is called Muni Spinach. To kick things off, the deals are located at various restaurants, cafes, and shops along the 1-California, 22-Fillmore, 38-Geary, and N-Judah lines. We’ve listed all of the offers, organized by line and stop. Click the merchant you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the appropriate page so you can buy the deal. All vouchers can be purchased directly from your iPhone, iPad, Android, or BlackBerry Torch. Each voucher is only available to purchase for a limited time, but can be redeemed at any time.
Note: The deals are programmed especially for Android devices, iPhones, iPads, and BlackBerry Touches.
Riding Six Blocks on the 38-Geary 11.16.10
Photo by christine.ricks
Pam recounts a series of events on the 38-Geary that she calls, “a sort of fiction.”
“I’m saving this seat! Michael! I’m saving this seat! I’ve got the good one!”
“Where’s your pass?” The driver attempted eye contact through the rearview.
“My husband’s got it. He’s coming! Michael! Michael!” She spat and spun, twisting her flat butt in the orange seat. I didn’t believe in Michael, Jesus, or her bus pass, and tried not to make eye contact. Eyes blazed vacant to the back of the bus, the home tattoo above her right eyebrow read, “Michael.” He did exist, and paid their fare with nickels and lint from ripped shorts. As he bounced pole to pole with the moving bus, I wished the driver would have thrown them off, but then I felt like an asshole. If crackheads have fare, they deserve to ride the bus too, don’t they?
They got me thinking about love. These two made some kind of wacky commitment to each other and were working it out. They had clothes and vacant stares and stringy hair and a bag with two fortys, and they snuggled together on the bus. They spooned in the god-damned seats. Her sunken empty eyes held something for his dirty face and too-large Cancun T-shirt from 1992 with tequila bottle and giant lime. He saw past the black finger tips and bitten nail stubs and stretch pants. The tattoo about his left eye read “Irene.”
Seat Sharing on the 38 — With Dim Sum! 10.15.10
Photo by Adam NFK Smith
Muni rider and semi-regular contributor Rachel of Fog City Notes had an interesting ride the other night …
The man immediately stood up. He gestured that I should take his seat. I was confused.
“Are you sure?” I asked. He nodded.
“Thanks,” I said, still a little baffled. I pointed at the dim sum. “Anything I should be eating right now?” I joked. He didn’t respond.
So I sat in the aisle seat, the dim sum sat in the window seat, and the man stood next to me, holding on to the pole over his head.
When the bus got to his stop, I carefully handed him his bags and he got out. I had a sudden craving for dim sum, but I didn’t act on it.
The 38-Geary Fairy Princess 09.02.10
Photo by squant
She and her Mom had been getting on the 38 at Ft Myley/VA Hospital for three or four days. She had been visiting her grandfather. She was probably 4 or 5 years old. Dressed in her best fairy princess outfit with the wings and the tiara. She carried her wand with the star on top.
She was quiet those first few days when she saw us. Us with our canes, walkers, and wheelchairs. The last day I saw her, she was excited and bright eyed. She told us she had helped cure her grandfather with her wand. She then went around to each of us and gave us a light tap on the head. I don’t know about the others, but I felt very much better for quite awhile.
Fun with Fare Inspectors on the 38 08.24.10
Photo by atacklamb
Saturday night Sam (who will be posting reviews of the hotel bars we went to) and I headed downtown for an evening of drinking in hotel lobbies. Trust me, it was both more and less glamorous than you can imagine.
We caught a mostly empty 38 at 6th Ave. and settled in to seats towards the back.
At 3rd Ave., a pair of fare inspectors got on and made their way through the bus, checking people’s Fast Passes, Clipper cards and transfers.
A woman sitting two rows ahead of us did not have any proof of payment. The female fare inspector sat down nearby and told her to go ahead and keep looking for her transfer, and if she couldn’t find it she would get a ticket. It was sweet of her to give the woman a chance. Also, these inspectors were polite and friendly. We liked them immediately.
The male fare inspector moved to the back of the bus, where he kept an eye on the back door.
We watched the inspectors, watched the fare evader woman rifle through her bags over and over again.
At Fillmore the female inspector started to write up the woman’s ticket. She explained how the woman could appeal the ticket if she found her transfer. The woman had some questions, all of which were answered by the inspector.
We got to talking with her. She was very chatty and gave us some tips on how to make sure we don’t get busted for fare evasion:
Tip 1- Always keep your receipt from purchase of a Fast Pass or Clipper refill. In a pinch, the receipt is good proof that you did indeed pay for your pass.
Tip 2- If your Clipper card gets lost or stolen, report it immediately and have it canceled, otherwise someone else can use the Fast Pass or funds on the card.
Her tips were good, common sense really, but I appreciated them anyway.
Our bus approached the Van Ness stop.
A man was standing next to a tree, facing us.
“Is he peeing?” asked the female fare inspector.
He was, of course. Standing next to a spindly tree, a few feet from an idling cab, this guy was taking his sweet time. And we all were treated (punished?) with a full frontal view.
“This is like the third time this week I’ve seen guys doing that in public,” I told Sam.
The female inspector started laughing, and pointing, and even rapped on the window.
Well, you didn’t think we’d give away the ending (it’s not that kind), did you? Mosey over to Fog City Notes to read the rest of the story and find out what else they saw.
Surprise Box on the 38-Geary, Saturday Night 08.11.10
Saturday nights are designed for a fun night out with friends. You got to sleep in that morning and you don’t have work the next day. It’s party time! The only thing that can put a damper on this fun night out is the ride home on Muni, especially if you live out by Ocean Beach. During the regular commute hours the 38-Geary is filled with silent workers on their favorite smartphone, headphones in, of course! But once night falls this grand ‘ol bus turns into a circus filled with college clowns, drunken acrobats (a.k.a. drunks girls in heels falling all over themselves), and freak shows (bums who think they are god).
I’ve spent many a drunken night on the always-a-madhouse 38, but I like to keep to myself and just watch the action around me. This most recent Saturday evening I found myself in my normal position of inebriation on the back of the bus, but this particular night was a special one. No crazies? Am I on the right bus? Luckily I was, so I thought to myself, “I guess I should be the crazy one!”
I suddenly shouted out, “I’m hungry!!!”
This is the part where beautiful music started, a bright light descended onto the palms of my hands, and an angel came to my hunger pangs. The man next to me, wearing a full chef’s outfit (which I didn’t notice before my hunger declaration), placed a white box in my hands and said “Here ya go, young one.”
Ok, maybe it didn’t go exactly like that. He placed the box in my hands and headed toward the exit without a word. I opened the box to find every cookie and yummy pastry known to man! As my angel chef walked off the bus, I yelled “I love you!!!” and he looked back with a smile. I shared my gift from heaven with the not-so-inebriated and quiet people around me. It was the most joyous bus ride of my life, and I will never forget it. Mostly because I’m surprised I woke up the next morning. Those things could have been poisoned! My mom told me never to take treats from a stranger and I failed her. My mom and I thank you, nice Muni chef man, for not killing me.
Are those cupcakes and Mexican wedding cookies in the box? Casi, you lucky you! Got another story of random wonderful strange encounter on Muni? I bet you do.
Ride Muni like a boss. Our Fast Pass Clipper card holders and Muni Diaries T-shirts are on sale 
