Aug. 9 Blast

Updates from the coolest bus fleet in Detroit

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News from The Detroit Bus Company

Dear friends and fellow awaiters of Mars rover images with evidence of the imminent Mayan-predicted apocalypse. Or whatever your thing is.We have great news. Just after our last email went out, we got word that the cutest member of our fleet, Lochness (pictured above), was all fixed up and once again ready for action.After three weeks in deep surgery -- and misty, dark horrors encountered by our pioneering bank account -- Lochness spent the weekend back on the streets of Detroit, Ferndale, and Royal Oak, running the Suburbanite Express Loop on Friday and the Downtown Party Party Loop on Saturday. She got the full workout and handled it masterfully.The surgery means she’s no longer letting off offensive odors from too much diesel pouring into the engine. Hooray for not only the health of Lochness, but also the lungs of our riders! Just in time, too, because last weekend ended up being the busiest we’ve seen yet. Thanks goes out to Gusoline Alley for helping us get the word out to Tigers fans that they can use our stop at the Alley to get down to Comerica Park. And that they did.It also was nice to get that problem off our desks because it meant we didn't have to get bland rental vehicles to pick up the slack, as we had to during the prior weeks. No one said the start-up business life was easy! Thanks to all who understood (or didn't care!).And since that worked out so well, a little reminder to anyone else who’d like to get down to some games without hassling with parking: The next Tigers home stretch begins Friday, Aug. 17, with a game against the Orioles at 7:05PM, and another at the same time the next day. You can board our bus at Gusoline Alley in Royal Oak or at Imperial in Ferndale.We’re also in talks with some Royal Oak and Ferndale bars about doing some Tigers shuttles on game days that fall outside our usual route times, as well. Stay tuned, and if you are interested in reserving space, contact us at [email protected] or by calling (313) 444-BUS1 (2871). We're thinking some upcoming Sunday games look juicy.A few weekend activities:

• Summer Baar Bazaar takes place at the Magic Stick Friday night from 8PM till 1AM. Get your gear from locally-based vendors at this “rock ‘n roll flea market” with bands and booze.

• The Strange plays at PJ’s Lager House Friday at 9PM, $5. According to Metrotimes, attendees should prepare for some “heavy, edgy noise” and “sleazy lyrics.” Probably worth a shot.

• On Saturday, there are are two daytime bicycling events taking place. In Midtown, there’s the 4th Annual Colin Hubbell Fund Midtown Bike Ride to support and promote the renewal of Detroit. $25. And in Ferndale, the annual Green Cruise returns to celebrate “human-powered transit.” With all that biking going on, it sounds like some people are going to be in need of some diesel-powered transit (that’s also eco-friendly because it means fewer cars on the road) to get around and relax. You know where to find us.

Till next time. By then, it could be more buses, more games, alien gods, and who knows what else.-- Andy and Garyhttp://www.thedetroitbus.comhttp://twitter.com/detroitbushttp://www.facebook.com/detroitbus