Friday, August 8 – I rose early and packed my suitcases. I had a great breakfast with the remaining Elderhostel group (some left earlier). I caught a hotel shuttle ride to the Greyhound Bus Station, arriving about 8:30am. I was told that the 11:20am bus was going to be late – about 12:30pm. I went to a nearby deli, Rockets, to get a sandwich and apple juice drink to take with me. I had a cup of tea and a muffin to tide me over. Back at the bus station I was told that the bus would not arrive until about 1:00. I was about 10th in line by now. We finally boarded the bus.
When I tried to sit in the front seat next to the window (the driver’s small but extremely heavy backpack was placed next to the aisle in that row), the driver ordered me to move back. I told him that I was sitting in the front seat. He asked me where I was going. When I said Portland he again told me to move back in another seat. He told me at least three times to move back. I sat in the seat anyway.
We had no sooner left the Greyhound Bus Station when he threatened to take a woman behind me off the bus. We turned around at Medical Lake to return to the bus station. The door was loose but the driver had not pushed the round knob to lock the door. I saw it unlocked as did the young man in the front seat of the aisle across from me.
Back at the Greyhound Bus Station we changed buses. The bus driver went into the station. The Greyhound Bus floor and front window was filthy. I sat in the front seat again with the driver’s heavy back pack. The bus driver showed up with his pink lunch sack in hand. The young man across the aisle said that we went back as the bus driver forgot his lunch.
We finally left about 2:05pm. We were not allowed any food on the bus trip other than what we brought with us or could quickly grab from machines. And go to the restroom. We had to do one or the other or both in less than 5 minutes. There were no food machines and no restrooms at The Dalles and Hood River. The smell from the restroom at the back of the bus was sickening.
Some of the passengers had missed their connections so the bus driver told them that they had to go all the way to Portland.
A young college graduate student got on the bus in Tri-Cities. She asked to sit in front seat where the backpack was placed. I told her that the bus driver did not want anyone sitting there. He smilingly took the backpack from the front seat and offered the front seat to her. His extremely heavy backpack fell down the stairs blocking the door. The bus driver and the young college grad student chatted all the way to Portland.
We finally arrived in Portland about 8:30pm (two hours and 20 minutes late). The bus driver made up some time but at the expense of the physical comfort of the passengers. I will never again ride a Greyhound bus if I can possibly help it!
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