Must run in the family...

Today's funny story is actually from my brother.  Apparently I'm not the only one in the family that is prone to moments of super-stupiddom...

My brother is in CA and is starting school next month.  Until then he is trying to get better acquainted with his surrounds.  By "surroundings" I mean Orange County.  Now he doesn't have a car - which is both by choice and financial reasons.  But the OC has an extensive bus system so he was never worried that he wouldn't be able to get where he needed to go.

This past Friday he got on the bus to visit a friend north of him in Huntington Beach.  He consulted the bus system's website to get his route.  And he got there Friday just fine.  Problem was, when he went to leave on Saturday he realized not all the buses that run during the week run during the weekend.  Therefore the buses he took to get there he couldn't take to get home.  So he had to wing it. 

Apparently he's not good at "winging it".

I'll spare you the long version.  The short version:

He got on a bus at 9AM Huntington Beach.  He didn't actually get home until almost 8PM that evening.  He lives 25 miles from Huntington Beach.  Even considering terrible traffic it obviously shouldn't have taken him ALL DAY to get home.    Also, within that time frame he went back and forth through Huntington Beach a few times.  Correct me if I'm wrong but going back and forth thru your original destination is usually not the most direct route to take...

Note for travelers heading to CA and planning on using the bus system.  When they give the direction the bus is going they do not say "north", "south", "east" or "west".  It'll say something like "Los Alamos Hwy".  If you don't know where that is in relation to where you are you're screwed.  Which apparently he was....

Alas, after talking to him Saturday night I promptly got on the internet and sent him a copy of the Thomas Guide for the OC.  If you're heading to CA for any extended period of time I suggest you get one for your area.  You'll need it.  Especially if you're relying on the bus system.