I'm a Green Tortoise Adventure Tour Driver!

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Well I got the gig with the Green Tortoise (hereafter referred to as GT). It’s August and I’m about to drive 33 passengers on a sleeper bus across country from San Francisco to a loop of 8 national parks! While I will get paid to drive, I think I’ve already spent a good portion already on mileage driving back and forth to Oakland from Fort Bragg for testing and training!

Pre-Trip Day 1-2 (Wed/Thurs) SHOPPING AND BUS

I met my co-driver, Dave Bale, who warned me right away that I’m going to go crazy with his set ways and detailed organization. He IS very well organized, having worked for GT about 17 years. He’s done the National Parks loop at least 20 times, but not in the last two years. So he’s fresh. And as it turns out, he’s great at delegating jobs and not interfering or hovering over you as you do them. I appreciated being entrusted to check tire pressures (8 tires) and figuring out how to fill or deflate them. I had trouble with the inner tires on the duals but eventually it was done. I did the lights and brake check with Dave, and then we inspected the first aid kit, the kitchen utensils and equipment, and the bus bays for loose stuff. Then we bought about $2000 of food in three places and I watch in awe as Dave packed and repacked to minimize space and still be able to find everything. Then we bought ice and filled the cooler (metal-lined spaces under the benches). Done each day at about 4pm. Friday is the big day, and it’s a resting/chill day with no chores. We were on our own scheduled to arrive at the barn around 5pm.