Okay MARTA, I take that back

Fresh from the Big Apple, I owe MARTA an apology.

MARTA isn't nearly as hot down in the tunnels as New York City's Subway. Whew. On a recent business trip, there wasn't an ounce of air moving down under and I thought the financial crisis was going to wipe me out when earlier the same week, Americans witnessed the most insane economic gyrations in perhaps the history of the country.

DC Commute Scene

On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., my big plan to get around was to use Metro. I lived in and around the city from 1984 to 1996. For a short period during those years, I owned a car - and it was just after graduation from college. However, when I made the jump across the Potomac from Arlington to Georgetown, things dramatically changed and so did my perspective about owning a car.

I encountered six auto break-ins within a two-month period and decided to sell my Volkswagon Fox. It was for the best, too. Not only were the break-ins costing my bottom line, I was really broke. At the time, I was working my first newspaper job (as a glorified paper pusher) and while it seemed like decent money at the time, it wasn't nearly enough to live on when you factored in rent, expenses and college loan payments.

Not owning a car changed my perspective. Every trip was planned in advance. If I needed to get to point A, then needed to commute to point B, every detail was considered from carrying groceries home to what time the last Metro train pulled out of the station. It was a great lesson that taught me many things - including how to get your pet to the animal hospital on public transportation, ie: walk.

But a lot has changed since that time. More people live in the city and more people live in the metro area.

So back to my commute on a recent Wednesday earlier in the month.

I slid into the Metro station in Arlington, Va. and went down to wait for the train. What I encountered was absolutely stunning. The Metro cars were about as jammed as metro Atlanta's MARTA and Metro trains run more frequently. Had Washington, D.C.'s metro area grown that much - yes. My brother reminded me when we discussed real estate prices not long after this experience.

So I couldn't hop on to the first Metro train. It was another few until I actually began my commute in to the city's center. 

Lucky for me, I planned to get to my destination early so I could explore and find a latte.

Yes, a lot has changed. It was great to be back.