The Double Transit Nightmare

This morning we went on an early morning paddle up the river to Gansevoort Beach.

I LOVE being on the river early mornings!

Yesterday I also got to the boathouse early to paddle laps- the water was super choppy and difficult with lots of wind! NOT peaceful! I got 8 laps in, it took an hour and was quite the workout!

This morning the river was quiet and calm. 

We left on a slack current and came home on a south current which took 16 minutes!

Way off in the distance here you can see the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge.

*******

Originally I was signed up for both public program shifts, because I was also booked for the hotline and figured I would not do the back-and-forth.

But that 4am wake up got to me, and since there was enough volunteer coverage for both shifts, I signed out and made my way home to rest before the hotline.

I'm not doing Saturday shifts anymore; it always messes up my weekend.

I thought it would coordinate better with the boathouse but next month I'm switching back to a Sunday for my weekend shift.

So anyhow, there was an unauthorized person on the tracks and the E train- and all the trains in both directions- were taken out of service so the MTA could power down the tracks and remove the trespassing person.

It took me THREE HOURS (usually it's about an hour) to get home- between waiting in the train and then I just had to walk home which took a good 40 minutes. 

The buses were a mess, and crowded, and I would have to wait, so the most guaranteed option was just to walk it.

I got home, reset and took a nap.

Left on time for the hotline.

THREE MINUTES after i went into the train station, another announcement was posted--- ANOTHER unauthorized person was in the tracks! (Or was it the SAME interloper??) 

The whole thing all over again.

I knew immediately everything would be shut down for a long time, and I was right.

(Taking the bus in wasn't an option. Not only was everyone doing that, it would take 2 1/2 hours AT LEAST to get into Manhattan!)

I called the hotline office- they said take an uber and they will pay for it, so I did.

How crazy is that to get stuck in the same situation twice back-to-back!

At least I wasn't stuck in the tunnel with no way to communicate... and I did end up being on time for my shift.

I am NOT doing hotline Saturdays anymore!