Okay - we survived working there Monday. After work, had agreed to run to a couple of truck stops and look for a regulation book for the drivers. I went to two of them, but none had what I was looking for (and I didn't think to take pictures - DOH!).
For Tuesday - I needed to return to the location. This time, I had to make it in the still dark early morning hours. Now I got fabulously lost yesterday (monday), but I'm sure that I can find the location today, even if it is dark. Well, that sense of optimism proved to be most inappropriate.
Took the ramp off the I-10 and spotted Hunter Street. Wow - check THIS out! It's RIGHT HERE! I was completely delighted, crossed the road to Hunter and then everything looked just plain wrong. I should be going down Hunter a couple of hundred meters, then making an unmarked left hand turn to Enterprise. Well this "hunter" ends in a truck parking lot and the local denizens are not very enthusiastic over my arrival. They were even less enthused when I came BACK into their lot about 15 minutes later (lost)....
Assuming that Hunter was actually a series of truncated streets, drove in increasing radius circles until I found the location again. Oh I HATE THIS PLACE!!!! Spent about half of Tuesday there and then headed north for my next site visit in Oakland. A phone call informs me that another location near Oakland (Dublin) has an "incident" that occurred which needs my tender loving investigative touch. I call the Dublin manager twice to make an appointment for Wednesday. He ignores me, so i email him and explain that "I look forward to meeting him in person on Wednesday at 8am".... Sucks for you Buddy - I know your address.
Sometime around 12:30, I head north with a full tank of fuel. Tell you what, alot of people bag on CIS systems, but they offer smooth driveability and get terrific fuel economy. I'm actually had a ball driving in Los Angeles. Quite of few of the ramps are curved or change elevation. What a hoot to just KICK IT!!!! Plus when the traffic is moving, it's moving "right along." Pay attention, keep your foot in it and you can actually have fun driving in Los Angeles. Aggressive driving is bad, but "assertive" driving is rewarded here!
I jump off I-5 in Tracy to 580, heading toward my hotel in Oakland. This drive takes you through a wind farm area. I think every time I come to California, I see more wind turbines. We're getting quite a few of them in Oregon/Washington along the Columbia River Gorge as well. Arrive and park safetly at the hotel.
