This morning I took downtown Santa Barbara’s lone Zipcar out to do a mega-haul of staples for the emergency kit, as well as grab a few things from the office.
I knew from past experiences that the biggest pain-in-the-ass was getting all the stuff from the car to my apartment. I would find the closest stop on the street, throw as much stuff as I can carry into that gigantic blue IKEA bag, haul or wheel it down the sidewalk, park the stuff in the foyer, and go back to get whatever is left. Good strength exercise, though.
A dedicated parking spot in your residence is a huge convenience, a garage even better. I don’t know how people put up with constantly circling the block daily for a spot, worrying about tickets and getting towed away, etc. I wouldn’t bother. My bus pass is cheaper than the monthly fee to rent a parking spot at my apartment. Well, at least the parking is decoupled from my rent.
By the way, local Arco, Chevron, Shell, and Valero stations wouldn’t accept Zipcar’s fuel card. At the Shell, a clerk saw me struggling and walked out to tell me that Zipcar cards were a no-go. Thanks… The independent Downtown Fuel Depot accepted the card, no questions asked. I’m worried Zipcar is not going to be in Santa Barbara for much longer.