Dive Into The Deep South

We enjoy pretty much all of our travels, but sometimes it's nice to go back to more familiar territory. On this next delivery we would be going up into Missouri and then taking a deep breath to dive into the Deep South. 

We carried a load from around our hometown up to Springfield, Missouri. That is becoming a much more familiar area, too. From there we turned south and picked up a load in Springdale, Arkansas, that would be hauled to Decatur, Georgia. Our route took us through some stunning landscapes and towns with names that are as southern as sweet tea: Ozark, Jasper, Brinkley, Tupelo. If you're not using a proper southern drawl then you're not saying it correctly. 

In some of those areas the trees grow so thickly together you'd have trouble hollerin' to your neighbor. Is it any wonder?  They are in a hot house created by an act of God. The air falls on you like a wet blanket, while the skies swell in the heat until they finally burst,  sending welcomed showers just in time before everyone faints. It is that balmy weather that makes everything so lush with vines and moss clinging to the trees. It also breeds the biggest mosquitoes you've ever seen!  

Driving through Memphis, we crossed the Mighty Mississippi River and found ourselves looking at one of the largest train yards we'd seen. We weren't delivering there this time, but the sight was impressive. 

After an early night in Atlanta, we'd be delivering our load of compactors to a job site where a retirement home was being built. You never know where these products are going to be needed, making some of our deliveries pretty tricky. 

We had to wait awhile with some other drivers because the job site was bustling so much nobody knew where to unload us. It finally happened right on the city street with one of the crew directing traffic. I was just glad it wasn't me out there trying to do it. In a pinch, I've had to do that for Hubs, but this time it involved an intersection in a busy part of town. No thank you! 😬 

After getting free from that circus, we were to drive over to Robin's Air Force base and pick up two separate orders bound for bases in Arkansas and Oklahoma.  The bad news was that they all needed to be tarped. Let me just say what a torturous thing it is to tarp in high winds. If you know, you know. And those winds were high that day. Hubs and I both nearly took flight right off the trailer more than once when the wind caught the tarps. I think we were there for 2 hours! If I never see another tarp, I'll be just fine and dandy. With that accomplished, we went back through Atlanta and made a beeline for Arkansas. 

When I saw this Buc-ee's billboard, I had to send a pic to our son. We don't mind being called geeks, or whatever, we are simply the most ardent Tolkien fans that ever inhabited one family. 

We trekked back across the same highways we'd traveled on to get to Georgia. More mountains and valleys decked out in the finest greens and speckled with a plethora of wild flowers. We greeted Sweet Home Alabama the way any good Lynyrd Skynyrd groupie would do, singing at the top of our voices. And eventually rolled into the air base in Little Rock, Arkansas. This was just before Memorial Day and the whole base was prepared for ceremonies. What a great time to be there and express our gratitude for our freedom. 

Interestingly enough, while on the way to make the delivery to Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, we were also brokered a load that picked up in Russellville, Arkansas, and needed dropped in Pasco, Washington. Good timing, and a little strategy played parts in our journey. We'd get into Russellville soon, and stay the night so we could get the Washington load first thing in the morning. Then straight away we'd need to get to Oklahoma before the base emptied for the holiday weekend. Whew!  We tried to sleep tight that night because a long day lay out before us come morning.