Well I had a great visit in MN after the "trip from He!!

[Busted Knuckle]

Well I've made it home and unloaded all the goodies I relieved Paul of.

Almost had to go right back out to take some "retirement home evacuee's" back home from Hot Springs, AR to N.O. But they post poned the trip at the last minute. They are afraid the'y just have to leave again because of "IKE".

Anyway after "ditching" the protester's at Minneapolis Airport. I had a nice meeting/visit with JD @ C & J Bus Repair. Which was cool after so many times of talking to him on the phone.

Then I went and had a Bridgestone tire "adjusted" @ Pomp's Tire in Savage, MN. (yeah right they adjusted make bank account by $581.00 until Bridgestone sends me a refund!).

From there I went on to Paul's place in Belle Plaine, MN. It was perfect timing as Paul had just got home from school when I pulled up. We spent a minute doing a quickie fix repair on my front roof hatch. (long dumb story, maybe I'll feel like telling later. Just consider the topic title and what I'd been doing for 4 day's at this point.)
Then we took a look at all the parts he had "aquired" in disassebling his SETRA, and I made a mental note of what was necessary, and what wasn't.
So now we went to work loading what was necessary. Well I had to leave one bay empty as he had all 12 windows he'd removed from his coach over at the shop where his caoch is being store & worked on.
So we carefully loaded the other 2 bays completely full top to bottom with all kinds of useless goodies to a typical bus nut, but very useable parts to an operator such as myself. We even had to prop open a window and slide 4 15-20' pieces in and lay 2 in the aisle. And use card board on top of the seats for the other 2.
Once all that was loaded, we loaded up Paul, kids, puppy, neighbor & kid, & myself and drove to where Paul has his bus stored, and is working on it.

First we took a grand tour of Paul's awesome project. Well I don't know much about slides & such, but I do know some about fabrication & ground up projects. I can tell ya from first hand inspection this is one CLASS A project. It would make my main fabrication guy proud to see such quality work being done. I was truely impressed! Even came up with some "new" knowledge of how SETRA's are built. And some ideas for "when" I do get to start on one of my own.

Then we looded up the 12 windows, and went back to Paul's. Then Paul treated me & the family to a very pleasant supper at a local establishment.

Then on Wednseday Paul went up to Mr. & Mrs. Diehl's palace & met the great Brian & Hillary Diehl,, as well as meeting up with Craig aka Gumpy, and Brian aka Belfert. After checking out Brian & Hillary's awesome Cummin's repower & Belfert's remodel project Craig had to leave. Then Brian, Brian, Paul & I went to dinner at a loacl establishment (as I understand it Hillary declined as "it was just guy's gonna be talking buses & guy stuff!" LOL!) Then Paul & I went back to his home.

So I must say I have now met the rest of Paul's family, & Mr. & Mrs. Diehl (and pup). Also JD, Dan, Fred and several others & C & J's. And I had a great time meeting all of them and just relaxing after the kaotic trip from St. Louis, to Iowa City, to Madison, WI (with a side trip down to Chicago for supper), to Minneapolis/St. Paul.

It was great meeting all of the new faces, and seeing the ones I have met in the past again. I look forward to meeting up with ya'll again someday. Hopefully someday Paul & I can start a SETRA rally, and let others attend as well! (but SETRA's and Eagle's will have priority! LOL!)
  BK 

PS the trip home was QUIET & uneventful!