04/29/24

 Just like a girlfriend I had, my trips were going further and further south.  10 rides, starting close to Cedar Park, into downtown, and ending up in Buda.  People were everywhere!  It was so good to see downtown Austin moving again.  So much has changed since I the last time I drove for any length of time downtown.  New streets, streets completely gone, new buildings, and other buildings completely gone.

The rides came in one after the other and I didn't stop for a little over 2 hours.  I can remember when it would take me most of the night to get to $100.  Wasn't like that today.  

One of the rides early on was a multiple person ride (I don't even know what the fuck they call it now).  As we are navigating through the residential sections and then onto I-35, I had this sensation of being on a field trip and actually felt the excitement.  Something about the view and the time of the day triggered that.  I didn't want to share the thought with the riders.  They might request to be immediately dropped off in the middle of the freeway just to get away from this driver that is having teenage boy flashbacks.

A group of ladies from Canada was sightseeing and on their way to Amy's Ice Cream in SOCO.  They wanted to stop and take a picture at the "Greetings from Austin" mural that is at the corner of South 1st Street and West Annie Street.  It faces Annie Street, so we navigated our way around and parked a moment for photos.  There were 3 of them and before I went to help with getting a photo of all 3 together, I snapped the one below.

I eventually ended up in Buda.  Having to be back in Leander at a specific time meant that I had to turn the app off and haul ass back up north.  Made it with 8 minutes to spare.

04/15/24

 04/15/24

I kinda thought there would be at least 1 ride of someone going home from work or from a club.  That was how it worked out.

It felt good to hear someone say that they loved their new job.  A job taking care of older adults with Alsheimer's and dementia is not a job for everyone.  She was happy about it and wanted to share stories about it.  She talked about the ones that were living longer lives and what they had in common.  No sodas, of course no cigarettes or alcohol, and they didn't get all worked up about working out.  They went about their day in a casual manner and just enjoyed themselves.  One of the residents was about to have their 99th birthday. 

First pickup ever from the Haute Spot.  A group of 4 inebriated adults that smelled as such.  They started singing a Randy Rogers song and then wanted it turned on in the vehicle.  I fired up my Spotify and looked up the Randy Rogers Band.  They sang most of the way back.  Its always good to hear people singing along with a song.  This was a good trip both fun-wise, and money-wise.  They also gave a $13 tip. 

The last trip took me out to somewhere east of IKEA near the tollway.  I dont think I could retrace that path if I wanted to.  The only way I got back out of the neighborhood was that another ride was requested and the directions to get to them, got me out of the neighborhood.  Then they cancelled the ride.  I had already rolled down the windows to get the smell of cigarette smoke out of the vehicle.  The guy smelled like a human ashtray.  Maybe he was a superhero and that was his superpower.