Got a bus back to MN :)

We started the day the same way yesterday ended, at Mel's Diner. Breakfast at 5 am local. One egg, two slices of bacon and potatoes.

The sun is not quite up as we pull out of the parking lot. The rest area halfway to Sacramento is still closed ... through the end of the month ... so we did not stop between Verdi/Reno and West Sacramento. Actually we did stop a few times as it was still rush hour traffic. But for California traffic it was not bad.

We no longer have to wash our RV's so we also found a different place to stop. As I'm ready to fuel I see that fuel is $4.39 a gallon. But the company is paying for it and it IS the closest station to the drop. And we will keep filling here until someone says something about it. More room to get in and out than the other station.

We get to the drop right at 9 am, which is when our paperwork says they open. The sign says they open at 8 am. No one was at the front desk where we are supposed to check in, so someone else sent me to the back office. No one there either so I went back to wait in line. We were 4th and 5th in line when we got there. Found out later that there had been two more ahead of them that were being inspected. Finally at 10 am they were done with checking in the first two RV's. At that point BB went to get the rental car. I pulled mine in for inspection before 11. BB was back with the rental car before they were ready to inspect hers. Two people doing the inspections, one was the same guy we've worked with for the last two years, the other was someone I'd never seen before.

Once they were done inspecting BB's I started calling about a bus. He now wanted me to call him back at 3 pm.

So we were not in a rush, we stop at In-n-Out Burger. Plenty of food.

Mid day so it only took about an hour and a half to get to Livermore. At this point I was planning on staying if he didn't have anything for us today.

We got our paperwork from the RV's all sent in and then walked. At 3 pm dispatch still didn't know if there would be work. We spent some time walking the outlet center and then ate. It had only been about four hours be we wouldn't have time once I got the bus. For an outlet mall, they have a pretty good food court. Häagen-Dazs :), Subway, Johnny Rockets, Villa, Chicken Now (a California chain, and a couple of likely local Asian places. BB and I split one of the Asian meals which was still more than enough.

Finally at 5 pm dispatch asked if I wanted to go to BURNSVILLE, MN. YES ! ! !

Where we walk is about five minutes away from the buses so it doesn't take long to get there.

Got my paperwork and then talked to one of the other drivers. Picked up little bits of info, including where to wash the bus in MN.

We are getting paid to go via Des Moines so that is how we will go. It sounds like some are going via Oklahoma City, this person was going through South Dakota.

Because I am running close on hours, we will run about eight hours a day instead of ten hour days. Now that I've laid out the trip, we can't make it in time for delivery on Tuesday either. Even with the extra day ... and another night of over $100 for a motel.