Hop on board

A few galleries in town would like to give you a lift. Just in time for the chilly weather, the ARound Town group of art galleries has restarted a shuttle service to take us around on First Friday.

We no longer have to bother with finding parking or choose whether to drive to galleries that are farther afield or stay downtown.

The shuttle, operated by Southeast Missouri State University, will drive from the River Campus to Aartful Rose and then the Garden Gallery. It will head back toward the river to stop at the Gallery of Inspiration on Spanish Street and make two stops on Main Street.

The galleries tried the shuttle in 2009 but stopped it because ridership didn't justify continuing. After a price chop, the shuttle is back in business. Patrons can park at the River Campus and ride to the other galleries.

I admit the blocks between William Street and the River Campus put me on high alert. And I'd rather hop a shuttle than drive to Aartful Rose or Garden Gallery. It takes the edge off having that glass of wine while enjoying the art.

Unfortunately, the Edward Bernard Gallery is not included in the shuttle route this time. The gallery on West Drive is worth the drive west, though. It just got a new shipment of Junkyard Animals, made from recycled car and metal parts.

However, the shuttle route is shorter now, meaning more frequent stops. With multiple stops on Main Street, there's also less chance you'll miss it. I missed it a few times the last time it ran.

Southeast installed GPS on its buses, but that system only works for certain routes and will be disabled during the First Friday runs.

If only the people greeting patrons at the doors to art galleries had bike horns or some other way to alert the people perusing the art that the bus had arrived or was coming. More people would get on a bus if they knew it was waiting.