As I wrote Friday, I had to work until 4 PM that day, and so was late to Gaeltacht Minnesota‘s Weekend in Winona. I would have been even later, except for some planning ahead.

My original plan had been to drive to my job in downtown Minneapolis, then drive to Winona from there. This would have meant driving from downtown in rush hour, never an easy experience and much worse with all the highway repair. So in the morning I drove to the Park and Ride at the 28^th Avenue Station, in the southern suburb of Bloomington, i.e. the direction I would be going in the evening. I then took the Light Rail train to work. After work I took the train back to 28^th Avenue, cheerfully letting Metro Transit get me through the worst 10 miles of my trip. Then I got in my car and drove to Winona.

I even saved money on the deal. Downtown parking would have cost me several dollars, while the Park and Ride was free. The net driving distance was longer, but I may have actually saved gas by avoiding the stop and go (mostly stop) driving out of downtown.

Besides, it felt really good. 20 years of working in downtown Chicago imprinted in me the belief that the train is the right way to commute to the city center. I miss that here in the Twin Cities, not living near to the only train route.