Red River Army Depot

We got up early the next morning and followed our directions to our pickup only our pickup wasn’t where our directions had taken us! So we back tracked and followed the customer directions that came with our dispatch and once again, no luck. So when all else fails, pull over and ask someone. Pops went into a gas station and someone inside gave him good directions and then we drove right there, although it was a “fur piece,” according to the man.

Once we drove onto the base we parked in a parking lot that was already over crowded with trucks and went inside for our paperwork. Each of the bases we’ve been to do these things differently but this place was different than any so far. There were two small offices with three workers in each. There was a very small room in between the two offices. Drivers had to wait in the small center room in line until your turn to go into the paperwork office. This is where your paperwork would be given to you and you find out which building you will then drive to. After this you get back in line and wait to go into the other office which will give you badge clearances to enter the gate. This office also holds any and all prohibited items which aren’t allowed on base, ie: cameras, knives, flammable items, etc. We handed over every knife in our truck (butter, steak, slicers and dicers,) and my camera. This entire procedure took about 2 hours.

After this you then go to the truck inspection site. Since there was so much hooey at the paperwork building, I was expecting the full, complete, every nook and cranny search of our truck but we were waved right through. Man!

So we drove to our place of pickup and waited about 15 minutes before someone showed up to load us. After that we drove back to the paperwork building, waited in line once more and received the rest of our paperwork, picked up our hold items and left the building and the base.

All in all, we were over 3 hours at that pickup. Good grief.

So now we drove out of Texas and through Arkansas. Pops had told me earlier that we would stop in Memphis for fuel so I drove through the state and pulled into West Memphis which is still in Arkansas for fuel.

We got fuel and bought lunch at Taco bell then got moving again. Pops was driving now and he drove us through Memphis, into Nashville and then we went north into Kentucky. We stopped at a rest area that was about 25 miles short of delivery. We stayed there for the night.

The next morning I drove us into the National Guard Base in Frankfort, Ky. It was less of a process this time. We found our building right away and got unloaded in the blink of an eye almost. And then we headed toward Lexington for our layover.

On the way, we stopped at Walmart in Frankfort because I wanted to get a small roast for in the crockpot. Ever since Sunday I can’t stop thinking about the barbeque so I wanted to do a pork roast in the crockpot and then shred it when it’s done and put bbq sauce on it. I know that will be a poor imitation of Texas BBQ, but it’s all I have.

While I was in the store Pops got a load offer and declined it because it is going into Canada and was also a hazmat load and the pay wasn’t what we usually get for that.

When I came out of the store we got another load offer for another military run and at the same got a phone call asking us about the Canada run. Pops accepted the military load on the computer at the same time the dispatcher on the phone agreed to a higher rate for the Canada so suddenly we had two loads. But the military load was already coming onto our C-link computer with the dispatch so that is the load we are on.

I drove us out of Kentucky and into Indiana to within 20 miles of our pickup. We are at a shopping plaza with about 12 different stores so I won’t get bored here.

The roast is starting to smell pretty good and I’ve already visited the tanning salon, Pops and I have finished up with our daily devotionals and now it seems like nap time. Haha

After we deliver this load on Thursday we are hoping for something that will bring us a little closer to home. I am looking forward to our Camp Meeting next week. I can’t wait to see so many people that I care about.