Amazon- Back Behind the Pick Cart

October 11, 2016

The four weeks between leaving Geneva Point Center in New Hampshire and arriving in Campbellsville, Kentucky for our 12 weeks working at Amazon have flown by! No leisurely “vacation” between assignments this year. With a marvelous grand-daughter and her parents to spend time with, and catching up with my parents and the rest of the family, we were busy and happy. On top of that the RV needed an extended stay at the dealer to take care of some maintenance and the installation of new coach batteries, including a newly constructed shelf for them. The rig also spent time at the Mercedes-Benz dealer for the truck part to have some work done. We squeezed in doctor and dentist appointments, re-stocked the rig, visited the storage unit, and attended another family wedding on Nantucket. This time we were able to introduce the island to our son-in-law and 18 month-old grand-daughter, and relive experiences with our daughter. We made many memories to treasure, as well as reconnecting with extended family. Phew!

Sunset on Lake Winnipesaukee

Our last night...

Goodbye Geneva Point Center!

Granddaughter running wild at the wedding on Nantucket

All Gussied Up

On the beach in Sconset

Knocking down sandcastles

On the ferry back to Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Heading back to the mainland

Needless to say we left Maryland for Kentucky a bit on the worn out side. Not the best way to start the rigors of Amazon! Amazon pays for two nights at your chosen campground before you start, so we took two days to drive after leaving Maryland. The night in between found us as usual at a Flying J Truck stop just over the Kentucky line. We arrived at the Green River Resort on Saturday, October 1^st. Definitely not as nice as it looked on their webpage, but the owners are friendly and it is so much better than the trailer park we were put up in while working at the Jeffersonville, Indiana warehouse last year.

Passing through the famous Sideling Hill Syncline as we head west through Maryland on I-70

A really, REALLY big box!

We found a suitable site backing up to a fenced in field and were greeted by our buddies from last year's Amazon experience. Lyle and Lynda and their Black Lab, Lola, arrived three weeks before us and showed us the ropes. The campground is small, just a loop and one short entry road with sites. There is a camp store with hot food, ( we haven't tried it yet), a decent shower house, and a laundry room. That is a godsend! No driving into town hauling laundry.

Our Neighborhood

Our campsite

Most of the campers are working at Amazon, and a few at a local construction site. The local seasonal campers who are still here have been told to move their rigs out of the park. They usually pay a small amount to leave their RV's on a site for the winter, but the resort owners can make more from Amazon by renting to all of us until Christmas. So far it has been pretty quiet here in the evenings since most people are working now.


Green River State Park is across the road, and an Army Corps of Engineers dam and visitors center is 3 miles down the road. We made a visit on our day off and explored both parks. Greg is planning to get out his bike and do some riding on the trails. I get enough exercise walking 10-15 miles a day at Amazon, thank you!

Authentic Kentucky equestrians

Houseboats at the Green River Lake Marina

The outflow from the main dam

Residents of the visitors center

The sign does Not say Greg will get his arm back!

On the beach with the main dam in the background

Green River Lake

Civil War era house at the park used as a field hospital during a nearby battle

Ghostly apparition?

We started with orientation and safety training on Monday. We spent 8 hours learning a new Amazon Fulfillment Center. SDF-1 is smaller than last year's warehouse and a lot older. This facility has been in operation for 17 years and is currently three buildings joined together. Two have been totally refurbished to take on the overflow of apparel that goes into Jeffersonville where we worked last year. Amazon is making a big push into the apparel market. There are still a lot of toys and miscellaneous items, but not a lot of heavy items.


This Fulfillment Center has used workcampers for 7 years, and apparently is very dependent upon us to get them through the Peak Season. There is definitely a “friendlier” attitude here than we found last year. It has been fun to run into familiar faces from last Peak.


Our first week consisted of orientation on Monday and then four 5-hour days of “work-hardening” while we did actual picking and tried to learn the layout of the warehouse. Oh, my! Yours truly was dazed and confused! Picking came right back easy-peasey, but the rat's maze warehouse will take a while, even with the maps they gave us! Friday was a short day. There was a water main break in town and the warehouse had no access to bathroom facilities, so everyone was sent home with pay. We had Saturday off and then picked up our regular schedule, so we went back in for our first 10-hour days on Sunday and Monday. I stayed up for the Presidential debate on Sunday night. Bad move, (for a host of reasons...) but had to be up at 5 am. We clocked in at 6:30 am and back out at 5 PM. That last hour on Monday was one foot in front of the other...


For now, we get three days off, while working for four. Once mandatory overtime starts we go to five days. Voluntary overtime was offered this week so Greg decided he wanted to earn more. He went back in today. I am luxuriating in sleeping in until 8 am and having nothing I have to do today! First time since???



Well, one week down, 11 to go! I'll update when I can. Last year I managed one post a week for our six weeks. This year with 11 to go...no promises! Hoping to get out a bit before the weather cools down. For now it is sunny and beautiful. The warehouse is a bit like the show title, “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. It's always artificially sunny and warm!