I recently returned from a long trip that was also a very easy trip. As I reflect on my journey, I realize that the smooth logistics were entirely due to the confluence of efficient mass transit with a city that's compact and completely walkable.
First, the route map: From Penn Station in New York City, I boarded an Amtrak train to Boston's South Station. The cars were very comfortable, with a power strip along the seats, so everyone could plug in laptop, phone, i-Pod, whatever. (Wish they'd had free wifi, but that will surely happen soon.) There was even a "quiet car", where cellphone use and talking were not allowed.
The rest rooms were clean and spacious, luggage was easy to store under or over seats and in special bays in each car. There was an hour delay just outside Boston, but I'd made sure to include an extra hour of layover before my connecting trip, since I know Amtrak is not always on time.
When we emerged at South Station in Boston, it was very easy to get oriented. The tracks sit in front of the waiting room, which is spacious, filled with food booths, a bookstore, newsstand, and lots of tables and chair for people waiting for trains.
My connection was with Concord bus line, and the bus terminal in Boston sits alongside one of the train tracks at South Station, so it was an easy walk to the bus. Once again, seating was comfortable, the ride was smooth and quiet, and in two hours of mostly highway driving, we arrived at the Portland, ME transportation center.
I did get a ride by car from there to town with my friends. But after that, we walked everywhere. We enjoyed rambling through beautiful Deering Park, with ducks, pond, walking paths, a farmers market, ballfields, playgrounds, and places to sit and watch the passing scene.
Portland is very compact, bounded by waterfront on three sides.
On the streets near the Old Port were numerous interesting local unique shops, restaurants, museums, a library, and waterfront access for summer tourist activities.
I don't think I saw more than a couple of brand-name stores. So the shopping was full of fun and discovery. And the food was delicious at the local cafes, too.
One evening, we happened upon a pumpkin-themed fundraiser at Monument Square (on Congress Street between Elm and Preble), which brought some light and laughter to a chilly Portland night.
A bit farther afield, we shopped at Whole Foods Market (hot soup, yeah! it was cold in Portland!) and explored the campus of the University of Southern Maine, which occupies one corner of town.
Oakhurst Dairy, a local milk factory in Portland, runs trucks that are bio-diesel powered and hosts Maine's largest solar-powered project.
The local buses are powered by natural gas. Deep breaths of the brisk air confirmed that those sorts of initiatives go a long way to keeping lungs healthy and energized in Portland ME.
An online snapshot of the city explains the setting in more detail than I could grasp in a quick visit:
"Portland is Maine's business, financial and retail capital and the largest city in the state. Seascapes and cityscapes blend harmoniously in Portland, perched on a peninsula, jutting out into island-studded Casco Bay. The metropolitan hub of Maine's south coast region, Portland is a progressive, lively city incorporating the character of yesteryear into a modern urban environment. Historic architecture blends gracefully with the new as you stroll along her working waterfront or the cobblestone streets of the restored Old Port section of the city.
With a metro population of 230,000, the Greater Portland area is home to almost one quarter of Maine's total population. The population of the city is 64,000.
The economy is strong. Bumper-to-bumper traffic and gridlock are unheard of. Portland is an easygoing city with friendly, hardworking people. Ranked nationally as one of the ten safest, culturally most fascinating US Cities and one of the top cities for doing business, housing is affordable, the schools and healthcare are outstanding." (from PortlandMaine.com)
On the train ride back to New York, I studied a local map of Portland, to see how the various spots we visited all connected, and it was clear how successful the city has been at encouraging a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
map courtesy of PortlandMaine.com
When I arrived home after what could have been an exhausting weekend, I felt energized. Efficient mass transit, easy connections, and lots of walking. Not a bad formula for good old urbanism at both ends of the trail.
