1 city bus to Des Moines IA

... spending the night at Rocklin CA

(long day, it is now after 11 PM)

... it is now 4/28 ... I had started the following and then lost everything when I shut off the WiFi. Opps.

Breakfast was ...

Our first stop was the Shell station a few blocks away. Cheaper fuel here than anywhere else before we drop this car. Both in this town and Santa Nella there is an Andersons Split Pea Soup and we have eaten at both of them. But we have not stayed at either of them. The hotel here is not part of any chain but does seem to be full up anyways. The hotel in Santa Nella is now a Best Western and their lot also seems to be always full.

An hour down the road was our next stop. I had just looked at a map and saw that the highway got close to the ocean. Then I saw a green spot, a park. It was a nice walk, we walked most of a mile. Lots of flowers in bloom. Lots of fog. We can see most of a mile or so.

We try to walk some and travel some. Get some exercise and some AC.

Our next stop was a cemetery in King City. Someone was in their office when we got there and one of the yard people asked if they could help. 5,000 graves and he wanted to know the last name, not the location I had written down. He walked us right over to it. I told him he was taking away our fun of having to look for it. :)

Then we talked to him for a few minutes before he had to get back to work. Interesting conversation. Another interesting thing we found as we still walked around was that every tree had a label on it. And very few trees were the same variety. And nowhere other than these little signs were there anywhere that listed the name of the cemetery.

By now it was lunch and there was a place a block or so away. Mexican. Castro’s Surf n Turf. Real food, not packaged and warmed.

Now reality hits. We didn't get going early enough. We had wanted to head out to Monterey from here but we are running short on time. We still could get there but then we'd be pushed for time. We like to be near the buses by 3 PM so we don't get stuck in traffic.

So instead we just head to Gilroy and stop at 'our' garlic store. Strawberries are in :) We got some. We just sat in the car and ate them before we pulled out. We also go some garlic not in olives this time. Plus four bags of chocolate covered fruit, plus dried garlic chips and cashews. Not cheap.

From here it should be an hour but it is usually two even before 3 PM. We drive past the shipper and they are still over loaded with buses. Then we head to the outlet mall so we can use their restroom and parking lot. I call dispatch a few times as he is running late and doesn't have answers yet. Finally he says he will call me.

... and we are going to Des Moines. Tonight. He had asked if I wanted to run to Portland first but I wanted to get home. By leaving today, we should stay behind the snow forecast for WY and get to Des Moines early enough to go up and get our car on Sunday ... and be ready to work in the fields on Tuesday.

We head over to the buses as soon as we know where we are going. The dispatcher is already there today which rarely happens. He is showing someone else how to do part of his job today.

... dispatch had told me that I was getting a CNG, which changes my travel route. It's not a CNG but I was thinking about the CNG so I asked if the buses can make it from Barstow to Williams (some of the trash trucks can not) So far they can. Then a few minutes later I am looking closer at my paperwork and he does have my paperwork listed as a CNG so I let him know it is not ...

After dispatch leaves I found out that security has changed their phone number so I need to call dispatch again. This all takes time so I let BB know I will be late picking her up from dropping the rental. Oh, this is a short bus so they are easier to park and take less fuel.

I pick up BB and we are stuck in traffic. Lathrop CA. Has a lot that was last used as a used car lot against the freeway. It now has 30 food trucks and the place seems to be packed every time we pass it. Now called the Lathrop Food Plaza.

We get to Rocklin before dark. We walk next door to Arby's. Then have my chicken salad sandwich again so I'm good for a food choice every time this month. BB and I split one of those and one of their monthly special sliders. That was enough food.

Load board

US - 244

IA - 66/62

MN - 5

WI - 13

We can't deliver until Monday so we have time. Then home for days, weeks.