The Best Commute In The Bay Area

Swing shift really is where it's at for me. Every day I wake up when I just can't sleep any more. I don't have to set an alarm clock or worry about being late for work. Basically, I set my own schedule so there's no stress. The company has very accommodating start time "windows" for each shift. Swing shift generally can show up anytime between two and five in the afternoon, but I can start work as early as noon if I want to. I rarely do that though. Until recently I preferred to arrive at work closer to five. Now that I'm working with Tiny putting in eight to twelve hours every day I'm trying to get there no later than two in the afternoon. The later I get there means I might be leaving the factory at three in the morning. That kinda sucks.

While everyone else in the Bay Area has to get up early and do the rat race commute stuck in evil traffic, or hop on a mangy BART train, or ride along in a stinky bus, I cruise to work on country back roads. In the early afternoon I'm usually the only person out on the road. By that time of day everyone else is already trapped slaving away over a hot desk at their otherwise meaningless jobs. I live on the edge of town so it's convenient to run around the corner for a cup of coffee and then have a relaxing drive to work. For me, this is the best part of the day.




Passing through vineyards the road begins to climb upwards through a series of tree tunnels. That's one of my favorite stretches, it's like riding a roller coaster. The Cougar eats up pavement like it was nothing. I never bothered to put a stereo in the car because I enjoy listening to it's dual exhaust. The crummy AM radio in the dash died many years ago. I hardly ever used it anyway. Under the hood there's a 302 V8 with plenty of power. It sounds damn good when I'm heading up this hillside.

Driving over the hilltop I enter another scenic tree tunnel. This one is made by a long row of Eucalyptus trees. I like the way they smell, Autumn doesn't. Autumn hates Eucalyptus trees which is interesting when you consider her hippy tendencies. Hippy girls are supposed to love ALL trees regardless if they happen to be smelly or not. Autumn hates on them anyway.

By the time I arrive in the parking lot at work my coffee is mostly gone and I'm ready for a long, problematic shift on the job. As soon as I walk in the door I can expect to be picking up exactly where I left off the night before. Tiny will have accomplished little to nothing all day except for chasing broads and surfing the web. Oh joy.