The Green Tortoise Part lI

A question from the group is presented to Driver Dave. "When can we get into our big bags?"

"I promise you we will have a big bag party everyday. The next time you'll see your bag will be tomorrow morning when we arrive in the Ruby Mountains which is where we'll have breakfast before hiking." As he finishes, people start mumbling all around me. Most of us didn't put any pajamas or toothbrushes in our day packs and that is all below the bus now. No chance of getting to it until morning. Plus I know the Ruby Mountains. I lived in Elko, NV for nearly a year and hiked in the mountains weekly. There is no running water where we're headed. Good thing I packed an extra toothbrush and toothpaste.

"It'll be okay people." Dave continued. "We will be stopping at a truck stop and rest stops along the way. We have to stop every couple of hours and you will have lots of opportunities to get what you need."

"Are we stopping for dinner?" A hungry voice asks from the middle of the bus.

"We are driving straight through to the Ruby Mountains. We will be stopping at a truck stop later tonight to "Miracle" the bus. There you can pick-up a snack if you need one." Dave sounded a little frustrated and said, "Please, hold your questions. We have a few more rules to go through to insure we have a safe for everyone...us and you."

I roll my eyes and look around to see if there is anyone who is feeling what I'm feeling. The German looks at me and says, "I hope I can have a smoke soon."

I nod remembering what it felt like not being able to smoke when I was addicted to nicotine. Frustrating to be on someone else's smoking schedule.

"RULE NUMBER 6: BUDDY CHECK! Look around you and say hello to a few people. Remember what their faces and names are...they are your buddies. When we get on the bus and do a "Buddy Check" you need to make sure they are there. The drivers have a full plate and cannot be held responsible for you being on the bus. When the bus stops and we say we'll be 15 minutes, you need to be back in 15 minutes. 10 minutes is even better. The bus will not wait for you. If you get left behind just find a pay phone and call 1-800-TORTOISE." Driver Dave said this with such authority that I was certain it has happened many, many times.

"Oh shit." I said to Mami, the Japanese woman I met at the station. "I hadn't considered what I'd do if I was left behind!"

I ask Driver Dave, "What exactly do we do if we're left behind?"

Dave says, "You call the number and let them know where you are and that you've been left behind and then you need to find a way to get to where the bus will be stopping next." He pauses and then says, "That reminds me, of another rule. RULE NUMBER 7: ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THE BUS IS HEADED. We will tell you everyday, several times during the day where we are going. It is your responsibility to know where we're headed. When Cassie or I are talking, PAY ATTENTION!"

Makes good sense, I thought. Pay attention.

"Does everybody have a Buddy or two?" He asks us. I look at my new Buddies, Mami and Kirsten a very thin German woman who was all smiles. We nodded that we had our Buddies and Dave said, "Good."

"Now, if we stop during the middle of the night to fuel or for any other reason and you need to go to the bathroom or get off the bus you must put something on the driver's seat to let us know that someone is off the bus. We are very focused driving and cannot be checking if everyone is here. The best way is to put something with your name on it and if anyone is awake during the stop, please help remember who is on the bus so we don't drive off without you. And if we do drive away, what do you do?" He asks us like we were school children taking an oral exam.

"Call 1-800-TORTOISE!" We say in unison.

He and Cassie smile and say "Good! Wow. This might be a smart bunch!" He looks really pleased. I guess that has been a difficult part for other tour groups.

"Okay. There are other rules but we'll get to those later as we need them. For now, relax, enjoy the ride. We'll be performing the miracle on the bus in a couple of hours and if anybody wants to fall asleep now, there is the back of the bus. Questions?" He opens the floor to the passengers.

"Where exactly are we headed and what are we doing for breakfast?" Someone asks near the front of the bus.

"Oh right! I forgot! Yeah, you need to always know exactly where we're headed in case you're left off the bus." He chuckles. "We are headed to the Ruby Mountains specifically in Lamoille Canyon. There we'll make breakfast, reverse the miracle and then head deeper into the mountains for some hiking."

He taps himself on his head as if forgetting something really important and says, "Oh man! I really forgot Rule number 8 which is very important!" He shakes his head and says loudly, "RULE NUMBER 8: YOU ALL MUST PARTICIPATE IN MEAL PREPARATION, SET-UP AND CLEAN-UP! EVERYBODY MUST PARTICIPATE OR IT WILL NOT WORK! We are all here together and how the Green Tortoise works is that we have to work together. Cassie and I will direct you during meal times which about 70% of your food is covered in this trip and you will need to have cash to provide for yourself during the other 30% of the time, but while we are together, we have to work together. Got it?" He scans the bus and looks everyone in the eye. We nod in understanding.

He looks at the children and says, "You too! No exceptions!" and he smiles to the kids who have been very quiet and attentive during the reading of the rules. They smile and nod to him back and he laughs.

"Okay. We'll be stopping in a couple of hours. I gotta get to bed. See you in the morning!" We all say goodnight and he walks across the big bed in the back of the bus, opens the cupboard door and hops into the cabinet/bunk that hung above where I was sitting in the back of the bus.

I looked at my new Buddies, opened my back pack and found a bag of Bing Cherries I'd bought earlier in Chinatown.

"Cherry?" I said to my new friends. They were hungry and each grabbed a big handful and we snacked chatting about the rules and wondered how we were all going to sleep together.

"I snore." I warned them. "I have ear plugs for anyone who is around me and if I could stop snoring I would but I can't so I do." I said. "I hope it doesn't ruin your trip."

"I sweep tru eneting." Mami says.

"Yah, me too." Kirsten says.

"Well, if you can't sweep," I say, "I got the ear prugs."

They nod okay.

To be continued...

So much love,
All the way from over here,
Linda