Everyone who rides with us has a story, whether it’s a favorite travel memory or a special reason for taking the bus. For Grammy-nominated musician Celia Woodsmith, the story is as simple as it is compelling: She wouldn’t be living in the Seacoast if it wasn’t for our service.
The long-time C&J rider, who lives in Kittery just over the Piscataqua River from our primary location in Portsmouth, settled in the area to be with her now-husband six years ago. The allure of the area’s thriving music and arts scenes, the beauty of the New England coast, and the proximity to her family were all key factors for her, but it was the ability to take the bus to Boston’s Logan Airport and New York City that truly sealed the deal.
This is Celia Woodsmith’s C&J rider story.
For Woodsmith, the potential challenges of living on the Seacoast had everything to do with her travel needs. As a touring musician who has been to over 50 countries and sometimes spends as many as 220 days of the year on the road, Woodsmith couldn’t be far from an airport.
She also strongly preferred not to have to drive and brave Boston and New York City traffic on a regular basis. The C&J bus has allowed her to make those trips consistently and easily, Woodsmith told us, which in turn takes the stress out of her frequent travel. Her guitar case is covered in stickers from far-flung locales, which in recent years have included Afghanistan, Russia, and many U.S. states.
“When I discovered that C&J went right from Portsmouth to your terminal at Boston-Logan…getting to the C&J bus station was easy for me,” Woodsmith said. “That’s what really changed my mind about coming up here to live. I really do have an affordable, amazing option for transportation to get down to the airport.”
Woodsmith first fell in love with music back when she was 18 years old at the University of Vermont, and she wasted no time in taking to the road to tour after she graduated. The guitar has been a constant even as Woodsmith has experimented with a host of musical styles and bands. She has toured with Nashville Americana band Della Mae, “washboard rock and roll” group Hey Mama, Avi & Celia, and rock outfit Say Darling.
Woodsmith is taking a small rest (relatively speaking) now after her recent trip to Russia, but soon enough she’ll be leaving Kittery and getting back on the C&J bus in Portsmouth to tour again. The world traveler says she’s grateful for the chance to support a local business and live in a place she loves.
“I really cannot say enough about how important this bus has been to me,” Woodsmith said.
Be sure to watch the entire video. We would love to hear your rider story, so please don’t hesitate to contact us and share it!