Lizard Lessons in Covington
“…to Covington?”
I pulled out my headphones and looked up.
“Sorry, do you know which bus goes to Covington?” he repeated.
I was the perfect person to ask since not only did I live around the corner and unapologetically love being a tour guide, but I was also going the same way.
The Cincinnati skyline framed by Covington, KY billboards and the Chesapeake & Ohio RR Viaduct.
In town for the Omega Psi Phi Grand Conclave, the man was one of 30,000 attendees who were making downtown Cincinnati feel much livelier than usual for a Thursday evening. And when he told me he was from Chicago, I felt my brain impose an irrational pressure to ensure that I didn’t steer him wrong. The Queen City’s reputation was at stake and fate had now made me its chief ambassador.
“I don’t get over to Northern Kentucky as often as I should, and that’s mainly due to the transit situation. Sure, I could drive, call a ride, hop on my bike, or even walk—but all of those have caveats. Relatively easy and frequent public transportation options do exist between both sides of the Ohio River, but they require some planning within limited hours. It’s just not as simple as it really should be.”
I kept those thoughts to myself, though. My new friend didn’t need the backstory, but I was starting to feel like I had to make excuses as bus after bus failed to show. Eventually, I just hailed down the next passing Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky coach like it was a cab.
The driver seemed surprised that we were trying to catch any route at this particular stop at this particular hour (even though that’s what the app had instructed two strangers to do), but he was headed to Covington anyways and offered us a lift. And so, I rode across the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge in the summer sun while my new friend told me about his grandkids.
I had no real agenda or plan except to wander with the camera.
And as I pondered whether or not it’s fair to refer to Covington (and/or Newport) as “Cincinnati’s New Jersey” (and I genuinely mean that in a good way)—I encountered a lesson about lizards:
…before heading over to the shuttered remains of another abandoned “sports bar and grill” in the area…
Former House of Orange Sports Bar & Grill.
…and taking in the setting sun:
I thought about walking up Madison for a beer, but decided to head home via the “Southbank Shuttle”—the relatively easiest way to get between the local river cities. For the rest of the weekend, I kept thinking about that service (which could be going away soon) and the transit map rabbit hole I went down last year.
I understand why the shuttle is the way it is, but I couldn’t stop trying to invent a way to make the service simpler (as if I’m in any way qualified to do so). Granted, there’s challenges with local bridge replacements, one-way streets, funding, politics, and more, but damn…
I meant “Madison.”
…an easy to use, bi-directional, frequent, and free bus route connecting Covington, Newport, and Cincinnati just makes so much sense.
Or we could get some water taxis. Water taxis would be cool. Even Oklahoma City has water taxis.
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