Talked to big brother Mike last night after getting home from work and was informed that I hadn't posted in a couple of weeks. So folks are wondering what's up here in KY. Work, work, and work. Yep. I am now working full time for Amazon which means 4 days in a row at 10 hours a shift. So if I haven't posted forgive me, I've been a bit tired. Actually last night I got home early because the system was slow or something and they offered to let who ever wanted to leave early a chance to go home. I think I was the first one out the door. My dogs are tired folks. The big question is: will she be able to complete the tasks and survive 8 more weeks of this pace? I'll give it my best shot.
Did run down to Nashville last weekend on my days off to take care of some business. Got a great haircut. Thanks, Cindy! Took care of some bank business and some insurance stuff. Then I was ready to get out of Nashville and all that Friday afternoon traffic and come home to my Seeker and the peace and quiet of the park. Got home Saturday afternoon and the park was packed! Seems they have a special Halloween in the Park weekend and every space was filled. It was fun to sit and watch the kids trick or treating. Later they played mini golf with glow in the dark golf balls and clubs. Lots of campfires and some of the campers went way over the top in decorating. It was fun to see. By Sunday afternoon the place was a ghost town - only us Amazon campers left behind.
This weekend I will be moving to a site closer to the water and to other Amazon campers. I hope to get in some more kayaking before the season gets too cold. I have talked to other workers who live at the camps closer to work but I just love waking up near the lake and hiking nearby trails. It's just a wonderful place to be everyday and I'm sure I will miss it when I leave. But for now I think I'll finish my laundry and get dresssed for work. Today is my Friday so tomorrow I will sleep in and start the weekend. Will try to have some great adventure so I have something to blog about.
Stay safe and have an adventure!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Motorcycle Diaries: American Style
Having completed my first full week of work at Amazon most people I'm sure thought I would take a long nap. Nope, not me. Phil surprised me Friday by showing up on his motorcycle to take me for a ride. Now, as wild as some of you may think I am, motorcycles have always been something I stayed away from. But that changed in Asia. It's the main mode of transportation on those crowded streets. Tuktuks are just taxi motorcycles which I made extensive use of in every country I traveled in except Singapore which had an excellent subway system. And while I was outside of Bangkok I rode "motor cy" which was usually a Kawasaki or some other small, fast, lightweight motorcycle with an eager young male driver that took you quickly from one place to another in a hurry and cheaply. But I never rode one more than a mile or two. And finally, while in Vietnam I took a two day trip on the back of a large motorcycle up the new highway to the mountain town of Dalat. It was a very scenic drive with a driver who was very thoughtful and made sure we had a stop every hour or two to "rest my bum".
Still, here in the U.S. I had never traveled any where on two wheels unless I was pedaling. But about 2 weeks ago Phil showed up in Hohenwald on his bike and took me on my first American ride. The Natchez Trace is a beautiful ride for a beginner like me. We rode into town to deliver some things to the grandkids who of course had to have a ride too. Then we went through town where we stopped for dinner then went by the shop where my neice Karly and her friends were working on parade vehicles for the next day's homecoming. My total first day mileage: less than 30 miles. And I really enjoyed it, so when Phil showed up this weekend and said he wanted to take me out to see some fall color with some of his Gold Wing friends, I had no idea what I was in for.
Saturday was a beautiful day for riding the backroads and seeing fall colors. We rode over to a place called Pine Knot, KY and met up with the group then rode with them to Pineville, KY where we stopped for lunch. The group headed on east from there toward Hazard, KY but we went south to Harrogate, TN by way of the tunnels at Cumberland Gap and then back through the mountain and headed back to camp. It was all so much fun and the weather was perfect fall temps with lots of sunshine and good leaf color. The group was friendly and I had a good time visiting with folks at lunch. But, when we got back to camp my body knew that it had been on the back of a bike for over 300 miles. I was very sore. Started humming the Madonna song "Like a virgin" and making jokes about being bowlegged. Needless to say, the next day I did all my traveling by car!
So am I a full fledged biker babe now? Not yet, but why not? Could be a new direction for my retirement. Thanks Phil, for showing me a new way to have fun.
Still, here in the U.S. I had never traveled any where on two wheels unless I was pedaling. But about 2 weeks ago Phil showed up in Hohenwald on his bike and took me on my first American ride. The Natchez Trace is a beautiful ride for a beginner like me. We rode into town to deliver some things to the grandkids who of course had to have a ride too. Then we went through town where we stopped for dinner then went by the shop where my neice Karly and her friends were working on parade vehicles for the next day's homecoming. My total first day mileage: less than 30 miles. And I really enjoyed it, so when Phil showed up this weekend and said he wanted to take me out to see some fall color with some of his Gold Wing friends, I had no idea what I was in for.
Saturday was a beautiful day for riding the backroads and seeing fall colors. We rode over to a place called Pine Knot, KY and met up with the group then rode with them to Pineville, KY where we stopped for lunch. The group headed on east from there toward Hazard, KY but we went south to Harrogate, TN by way of the tunnels at Cumberland Gap and then back through the mountain and headed back to camp. It was all so much fun and the weather was perfect fall temps with lots of sunshine and good leaf color. The group was friendly and I had a good time visiting with folks at lunch. But, when we got back to camp my body knew that it had been on the back of a bike for over 300 miles. I was very sore. Started humming the Madonna song "Like a virgin" and making jokes about being bowlegged. Needless to say, the next day I did all my traveling by car!
So am I a full fledged biker babe now? Not yet, but why not? Could be a new direction for my retirement. Thanks Phil, for showing me a new way to have fun.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
An Official Member of Amazon CamperForce
It's official! As of Monday, October 3, I have become a member of Amazon CamperForce. There's even a domain site by that name although it's not up and running yet. In other words, I'm a work camper at the Amazon fullfillment center in Campbellsville, KY. I live in my rv and go to work 4 days at week in a warehouse which pays for my campsite and puts a little cash in my pocket. Exciting, don't you think?
Well, ok, exciting may be stretching it a bit. But I do like living in my rv in this beautiful state park and not having to pay a bill for it. Yesterday was orientation and safety school. Today, or I guess I should say tonight since I don't go to work until 5pm, is on the job training. It certainly looks like an adventure in the making. And I'm making a whole new set of friends. Yesterday I met Carol who was one of the original workers from 3 years ago. She and her husband are very nice. They are camping at the rv campground in town which is just across the road from the warehouse. But there are plenty of us right here in the state park - so far 10 campsites are taken by camperforce workers but more arrive every day. I'm camped in between Lana who is a newbie like me and a very nice couple who worked here last year. And Sandy is in a site across from us.
What I really enjoy, besides the quick friendships I'm making, is seeing how differently we all live. One couple has a very nice 38' class A with all the comforts. Sandy has a 2003 BT Cruiser that she is totally reconfiguring on the inside to suit the needs of her and her 2 cats. Lana has a very cute puppy named Alex and they live in a vintage 1970 PlaMore travel trailer that she is totally redecorating. There are even some hardy souls here in tents I'm told although I'm yet to meet them.
I guess I could have picked a location closer to the plant - my commute is 8 miles - but the state park has so much to offer: water for the kayaks, trails for me and Gus to walk, caches along the trails, beautiful night skies, and a good internet connection. TV requires a dish or something stronger than my antenna but I can get along fine Hulu.
This week I will be working half days in a program Amazon calls "hardening" to get my body used to a more physical work. After that it's 4 ten hour days a week or more if I choose to take overtime. So I'll try to post more this week before the long hours set in.
Well, ok, exciting may be stretching it a bit. But I do like living in my rv in this beautiful state park and not having to pay a bill for it. Yesterday was orientation and safety school. Today, or I guess I should say tonight since I don't go to work until 5pm, is on the job training. It certainly looks like an adventure in the making. And I'm making a whole new set of friends. Yesterday I met Carol who was one of the original workers from 3 years ago. She and her husband are very nice. They are camping at the rv campground in town which is just across the road from the warehouse. But there are plenty of us right here in the state park - so far 10 campsites are taken by camperforce workers but more arrive every day. I'm camped in between Lana who is a newbie like me and a very nice couple who worked here last year. And Sandy is in a site across from us.
What I really enjoy, besides the quick friendships I'm making, is seeing how differently we all live. One couple has a very nice 38' class A with all the comforts. Sandy has a 2003 BT Cruiser that she is totally reconfiguring on the inside to suit the needs of her and her 2 cats. Lana has a very cute puppy named Alex and they live in a vintage 1970 PlaMore travel trailer that she is totally redecorating. There are even some hardy souls here in tents I'm told although I'm yet to meet them.
I guess I could have picked a location closer to the plant - my commute is 8 miles - but the state park has so much to offer: water for the kayaks, trails for me and Gus to walk, caches along the trails, beautiful night skies, and a good internet connection. TV requires a dish or something stronger than my antenna but I can get along fine Hulu.
This week I will be working half days in a program Amazon calls "hardening" to get my body used to a more physical work. After that it's 4 ten hour days a week or more if I choose to take overtime. So I'll try to post more this week before the long hours set in.
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