Just look at all those bus routes.
As of July 1 of this year, as long as you can present a valid student ID, those routes are all yours. This summer, the city of Athens and OU worked out a deal that made Athens Public Transit buses free for students through next June.
This is big. Before the deal took effect, the standard fare for a one-way trip was $1. So, if you, say, wanted to keep up a regimen of three weekly trips to Petland to play with puppies and had no car, you'd have to budget for more than $150 in bus fares for the academic year. There are some discounts available if you buy passes that are good for several months, but that's neither here nor there.
In case you're still wondering why access to city buses is useful, The Post has taken the time to draw out some of the things you can do now, free from the burden of a bus fare.
Check out Devil's Kettle Brewing
Jackie O's isn't the only craft brewer in town.
Devil's Kettle Brewing at 97 Columbus Rd. produces a variety of craft beers, some of which are pretty boozy.
Luckily it's close to a stop on the 5 line. It would be quite the walk from the campus area.
Walk or run a little too far on the bike trail
The problem: Running or walking on the bike trail is boring. At some point, you'll have to turn around and see all of the same sights.
The solution: Once you've had your fill, find the nearest bus stop and hitch a ride back to campus. There are stops as far out as Wal-Mart on East State Street and Athens High School in The Plains.
Visit Chauncey
Chauncey (pronounced chance-ey) is a town of just over 1,000 people on the outskirts of Athens. The Athens County Dog Shelter is also right outside of town. The 6 line has two stops near Chauncey.
Hike to Strouds Run
Some people don't know you can actually walk to Strouds Run State Park by taking a trail starting at Sells Park right off of East State Street.
The walk is a good way to fill an afternoon. It's somewhere between a four and six mile hike depending on exactly where on the lake you're trying to go, so take some water and wear comfy shoes.
You'll need to ride the 2 line or 3 line for this one.
Eat at Taco John's
Taco John's is a fast food joint that serves Mexican-inspired foods, a la Taco Bell. Athens has the only one in Ohio — most of the restaurants are farther west.
Hop on the 3 line to get a taste of Potato Olés, a sort of variation on the tater tot.
jh082913@ohio.edu
@JeremyHTweets
