1 city bus to Des Moines IA (delivered)

... spending the night at Mason City IA

Delivered ! ! No issues.

Still no elevator. Walked the stairs for breakfast. Eggs, sausage, etc.

Was going to suggest something to the desk clerk but their phone was ringing and I didn't want to spend any extra time. We are already a few minutes late, we both woke up to the alarm today and not right away. Not awake at 4-5 AM today.

Usually there are trucks parked where we did but the only truck here now was not here overnight. Either just stopped in for the free breakfast or a place to park until their next delivery.

When we pass an area with truck parking (no rest rooms) we see another bus heading to Des Moines. I honk.

Then we stop at the rest area and I pour in the rest of the DEF while BB uses the rest rooms. Once I had DEF issues I never let the tank get below 3/4. Plan was to also call the drop but I forgot.

Wind is still rocking the bus pretty good today.

Shortly after coming out of the IA scale I catch up to a truck that is going slower than me and is (also) all over their lane. If I had been watching ahead, I might have slowed and paced the driver. Part of the reason he was having issues staying in his lane was he was keying something into his phone while trying to find the wind.

... and because I passed him, other trucks past him and the cop sitting in the median couldn't see him. $17,000 fine for commercial drivers using their phone.

We get to the truckstop and wash near Des Moines and there is a line for the wash, as far as we can see. At least a dozen trucks wound around through the Flying J parking lot. I fill first. There is one pump island open so I quickly back in assuming that if I try to drive to come in backwards it will be full.

Today I need both DEF and fuel and I forgot that I needed to fill fuel first. Every time I moved my bus a couple of feet, the truck waiting in the next lane was ready to jump into my lane :) I had thought I wouldn't need to add any more fuel but with the wind I ended up putting in another 14 gallons to get it to delivery level.

Right after I got into the wash line, one trucker tried to cut between the trucks in the parking lot and got 'stuck.' He was still there when I moved enough that I couldn't see him any more. Then two trucks tried meeting at the corner just ahead of where I was and they were locked there until the wash line moved enough that one of them could move. Then the other one was so close to parked trucks that they needed twice the room to pull ahead.

Not sure what was going on to start with, it was taking forever between times when the line would move. Finally BB started timing our moves and then it was down to 5-7 minutes a truck. This place had only one of two bays open today.

After half way through our wait, I told BB that they were going to open up the other bay right when we got to the door. Not quite. We were a couple of trucks back from our turn when the doors opened ... because a pumper truck was cleaning the sludge from the bay ... and by the time my bus was washed, they were done pumping/cleaning and those trucks were gone. Not sure when they were going to open the bay, but it was now ready, just as we were done.

Other excitement, for me. The waiting line was up against the fence for a truck dealership. I noticed that one of the the trucks had a transporter plate in the back window. I asked online who moved trucks for that brand and tried calling the driveaway carrier dispatch. No one picked up so I finally emailed from a junk account. Turns out the carrier had gotten back to me within the hour wanting me to ship them their plate. :) But I didn't see the email until I got to the hotel tonight. (Not sure the dealer would have given me the plate, some guy off the street) But now the carrier knows where their plate is ... ah, a good deed for the day.

Two hour wait at the wash, this is going to change our plans.

We are only a few miles from the rental car place. Ah, BB does not like this brand. Too many questions, too hard sell on the extra's. ... and she looked at the fuel gauge wrong and talked herself out of a 1/4 tank of fuel.

The drop is fenced so we meet at Fleet Farm to move our luggage to the rental car.

I've been this way once before so I <> have the route memorized. But partway there I remember last time I had an issue getting in. So I stop and look at a map and then remember there is a different way in. This way in has a speaker to talk to security. The other gate is activated by the buses, once they are in service.

Security lets me in but I have to call my contact to find out where to park. I ask which door, they are numbered, and he says next to the parts department, not listed. :(

I guess right.

After a few minutes someone comes out to inspect my bus. They ask no questions so I tell no lies. We are to take off the protective plastic the shipper puts on the bus so I ask where to throw the plastic away. They tell me which door and inside that door ... is the bus we passed this AM.

I had called my contact from the wash line this AM to find out which paperwork was correct as I had two different addresses. Neither, they were both wrong. But already two hours before I dropped, the other driver had dropped ... but we never seen them at the fuel station ... or the wash ... Hmmmm

Done. Delivered. No issues.

I call about field work but no one picks up. We head in the direction of our car, then make a big u-turn so we can eat at McAlister's Deli. Not quite as good food this time but still good. Maybe cause it is 3 PM and we are eating our noon meal.

Sometime within the hour I get a call back. No field work until Thursday or later so we do not 'need' to head home. But by now there is no work left that can be done in just two days.

We also do the math and because of the extra time at the wash (and eating) we now would not get home until 10 PM. We just made enough in the last 10 days that we don't need to work again this month so we decide to get a hotel ... soon. But by now we are out of Des Moines and past Story City so the next hotels are in the Mason City/Clear Lake area. We decide to get our car tonight but not return the rental until in the morning when the office is open.

Boss is still in the office in Forest City when we pick up our car. Not sure if that means more work? There are still a few 100 RV's that seem complete that have not been moved to our lot yet and this is quarter end.

Quality Inn in Mason City wins out. $50 cheaper than the Best Western in Clear Lake and we are still getting $50 back for every two stays. Lots of semi's at the Best Western. Maybe too windy for them? Passed one semi that was all over his lane. Then he tried to keep up with me ... up to 75 mph ... his left tires are out on the shoulder with his steer tires on the center line. 75 mph ... this cars cruise does not work, not sure why.

Must have been yesterday a truck passed me ... plop, plop, plop. Flat rear tire.

Today I saw smoke coming from an oncoming truck. Rear brake was smoking. I could see it a 1/4 mile away, not sure how the driver can't see it.

At the Quality Inn we walk across the highway to the Culvers. We split a burger. We must be getting old. The 'don't walk' light comes on before we are halfway across the street.

Load board

US - 263

IA - 64/60

MN - 13

WI - 16

Only one trip total on the rental list and that one is in Virginia. Where are the Bagley's when we can do them?

We need to get the rental car back by noon, 1 PM tomorrow. We will likely stay in the area until then in case there is a short trip that works for us.