In the wind, once again

© 2011 Lydia Hinshaw

This is how I felt Thursday

 BOZEMAN, MT --  We left our jobs in Yellowstone National Park Thursday, and now are on the loose in Montana.

 We enjoyed being tour guides in Yellowstone, met lots of nice folks and loved showing them bison, elk, and on a lucky day, a bear or two.  But the 1975-vintage buses we drove did not treat me kindly.  There was no way to adjust the driver's seat so that I could be comfortable for even an hour, much less the seven or more that were required to do the job.  I've driven buses for five previous employers without encountering this problem.

 Forced to sit in too upright a position, I finished each day stiff, sore, exhausted and often unable to sleep very well before getting up to do it all over again.

 As a commercial driver, I was subject to random drug tests and thus could not go near any prescription painkillers. 

 Fortunately, Prince Charming had my back, so to speak (although I wouldn't wish my particular back on anyone.) Our employer understood, and allowed us to resign and leave as soon as we'd packed up, cleaned our room, turned in uniforms and equipment and completed a minor amount of paperwork.

 It's a shame we weren't able to complete the season, but I have long since gotten over the naive notion that quitting is a terrible thing.

 Friday morning we'll set out in the Magic Bus, with its wonderful adjustable seats, and head toward one of my favorite places, Glacier National Park, where I worked for the summer in 2005.