Turkey Trot Inspection and Skeleton De-Closeting

I’m still out in Cali and finally got to work today.  I have to check out some new buses our company is buying.  This involves an extremely detailed inspection checklist, several test drives, and some environmental tests.  We were out on one of the test drives when the driver started laughing and pointing out the side of the bus, then stopped for a brake test.  I saw what I thought was a huge lawn ornament in front of a corporate headquarters which then moved, the ornament not the headquarters.  It was an extremely large turkey, fully puffed out and seemingly really pissed at the bus.  The driver said he was kind of a mascot that showed up when they were driving on this road and really didn’t like buses.  It was strange because this was in a heavily industrialized area just south of Oakland and right next to an eight lane highway but here was this turkey.  He chased the bus as we pulled out and was really impressive, I asked the bus driver how fast we were going and he made it up to 15 miles an hour before the turkey gave up.  There was nothing in the checklist about being able to out run an angry turkey but I gave it credit for it.  I was checking out Facebook and found a message from a very old girlfriend.  We only dated for a couple of weeks but it was one of the seminal moments of my life.  She was the gal who I broke up with my first fiancé with to date.  It was important because this sent me on a totally different path with my life.  I eventually met the girl I was supposed to marry – my current wife.  We hadn’t talked in over thirty years and I guess we still haven't because we just exchanged a couple of text messages.  She has been married for over twenty years herself and lives in Belgium.  It was kind of neat but more than anything else confirmed the decisions I made that led me to where I am and who I am with.  See the pictures below from my road trip yesterday; yes I successfully imported the photos from my blackberry.  I really am getting into the electronic age – my daughter will be so proud.

The Redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Beach at Carmel by the Sea

Pacific Coast Highway near Big Sur

More of the Coast

Road into Big Sur Lined by Redwoods

Lunch Stop in Big Sur

Big Sur Brook with Chairs