The tour of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta yielded some interesting experiences that weren't related to water, fish or the ecological balance of the region.  

First, the bus.  Despite this being a VIP tour, our bus reminded me of the one driven by Sister Clarissa in the 1968 film, "Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows" -- a rackety old vehicle that probably had shock absorbers at one point (but certainly there was no evidence that they exist now) and no air conditioning. It was kind of fun for the first few hours, but when the outside thermometer climbed over 100 and we were soaked with sweat and stuck to our plastic seats, the novelty quickly wore off.

Second, the rules. At one stop, we were informed that no photographs could be taken of the outside the water plant. Inside, yes. But outside no. Seemed a bit peculiar since a well-traveled highway was just a stone's throw away. If someone wanted to take a picture, wouldn't they just pull over to the side of the road?  

And finally, from the 'you never know who you'll meet' chapter of life, we were escorted through a facility that collects, measures and then releases fish back into the waterways by two department employees. After the fact, we were told that one of them holds a land speed record on a motorcycle (328 mph) and the other is the father of NASCAR star, Jeff Gordon.