Every day As a Driver

I roll out of bed to the sound of a subtle beeping of my phone. Careful to disable the alarm before it wakes andrew and the rest of the house, I stumble out of bed and gather my things that were set out last night for today. As I wander in the hall, I start to hear other alarm clocks all down the hall sounding out and letting everyone know that 5:45 has come. The hall ways are fully lit, and in some way sit feels like night never came. In some ways, it never did. Six hours ago I layed my head on my pillow and closed my eyes against the broad daylight. This morning I'm greeted by the same light.

The bathrooms are busy, and the swish of our soft shells are the only noises to fill the hallway. We squeeze into the bathroom and straighten our hair quickly. There's no time to shower. I stumble down the rest of the stairs to find a dark kitchen table. The room is filled with only a long table and couches, and of course the sound of my grumbling about both having to eat oatmeal again, but also having 3 more pounds to eat before the end of the season. The warmth of the quickly microwaved oatmeal warms my face. I wait for it to cool by flipping through the house copy of the tour logistics, trying to understand where I'll be taking people today. The logistics lead me to think about what picture stops we'll be taking, what beautiful views I'll be allowing my passengers, as well as which pullouts we'll blow by as I tell stories to distract them from my attempt to maintain our timing.

After the outmeal is consumed, some granola bars find their way into my driving bags. Until now, I've dreaded the day, thinking that I'm too tired to drive or mentally exhausted from putting in the 80 maximum hours this week. Stepping onto the porch, all that slips away as I'm greeted by the cold, misty alaskan air.

The clear skies expose Mt. Harding, standing high across the lynn canal above the shop. I wander throught the yard to the driver room, gathering last minute paperwork, and the inspection report for the motorcoach I've been assigned. Looks good, except the air conditioner is weak. Typical. I review the rest of the notes as I hunt down my bus. The yard is bright with daylight, but also the flashing of hazard lights and red brake lights. The loud hum of diesel engines surround me as I arrive at my bus. I make a quick look over the exterior, throw on my gloves, and begin the lengthy engine and coach pre-trip check. After thirty minutes of checks and tests, I get my first chance to relax in the driver seat. I wait for the crackle of the radio, the long awaited invitation to come down to the dock. Eventually it comes and I leave the yard. I depart the yard, and get another view at the enormous glacially carved valley that surrounds everything I know. My bus excellerates roughly against the cold and I smile. Here begins my Alaskan Adventure.