Humboldt State students from Los Angeles and San Francisco take the long journey back to HSU with the Homeward Bound buses.
The trip takes about 14 hours for those who board the bus in Los Angeles, while it takes eight hours for those who board the bus in San Francisco. The buses travel approximately 650 miles to get back to Arcata. There are occasional pit stops within the commute.
Ana Vazquez is one of the many students who took the bus from Los Angeles.
“I had a nice break,” Vazquez said. “I got a chance to sleep more than I did when I was at Humboldt, so that’s a plus.”
Another student, Jason Barnes, said he prefers traveling on the Homeward Bound bus.
“I like to take long trips like this,” Barnes said. “On Amtrak, there’s weird people, but here it’s easier to sleep throughout the ride.”
Students like John Martinez come prepared for long trips.
“My phone kills a lot of time when it comes to taking trips like this,” Martinez said. “I’m either listening to music or texting to friends and family when I have cell service.”
Even with the long hours students endure when traveling by bus, the Homeward Bound services have proven to be a better alternative for students to travel out from Humboldt.