Coffeyville, KS

So why stop in Coffeyville when we are so close to our Tulsa destination?  Well, Terry just happened to look at the atlas the other night and we discovered that we would be passing very close to Coffeyville, the town where John and Janie (of Flamingo on a Stick blog) are working for a couple of months at one of Amazon’s distribution centers.  When we pulled into the RV site at Buckeye RV, many of our neighbors converged on us, asking if we had come to work at Amazon.  It seems that at this time of year the campgrounds are taken over by Amazon seasonal workers and I am guessing that the population of Coffeyville rises exponentially from September through December as the workampers migrate here.  We are told it is a great way to replenish your coffers in a few months, allowing those leading the nomadic lifestyle to travel the remainder of the year.  Everyone here was very friendly, giving a helping hand in getting us settled.

There is not much happening in this small Kansas town but we were able to find a local haunt, with the guidance of Amazon seasonal workers, for a bite to eat and a chance to catch up with John and Janie.  They had just finished their first week of orientation and work and are already counting the remaining weeks down.  It sounds like a fascinating operation but not for those who are opposed to physical activity.  We were told by several folks, including our new friends, that it is a great way not only to make a few bucks but also to lose a few pounds and get yourself in shape.  Once you get acclimated to the job, we are told you can walk 10-15 miles daily during your 10-hour shift.  If you are interested in being a workamper at one of Amazon’s facilities that support this, I would highly recommend going to John and Janie’s blog, Flamingo on a Stick, to learn more about what their job entails.  This is something we have been entertaining, so we are anxious to hear what they think of this experience at the end of their 8-week tour of duty.

We were thrilled that John and Janie’s work schedule allowed us to visit with them, if only for a short time and are already looking ahead to when we might meet each other again somewhere down the road.

There is an email relating to friendship that gets passed around quite a bit.  It goes something like “some friendships are meant for the day, some for a season, while others are meant for a lifetime”.  We are hoping theirs is the latter.  Take care you two, until we see you again.