This morning I delivered an armored troop carrier to Camp Lejuene, NC for a Marine Corps Expo show taking place over the next couple of days. I met with the factory rep, unloaded the truck, and after the paperwork I headed for the gate. Another of our drivers was also there delivering a Sandcat and we departed together.

As we have to lay over here until Thursday afternoon to reload the vehicles and haul them back out again we decided to drop our trailers at Lot 201, which is one of the logistics lots on the base, and then bobtail out to find a relatively cheap motel in town. Just about the time we got to the lot the factory rep called me and asked if I could return and help out with getting the vehicles positioned inside the tent as she had no idea how to drive them (factory rep who can't operate her own equipment?).

As they are our main customer I agreed to bobtail back over and help out. The guys there working the show setup aren't military and don't know anything about these vehicles. They couldn't even find the battery cutoff switches for them, which I found hilarious. The truck I had brought was too tall to fit under the tent entrance and they wanted to dump the air out of the tires. They knew there was a way to do it with those trucks but had no clue how.

I hoped into the truck, pushed a couple of buttons on the dash and whoosh! the air begain dumping from the tires, lowering the vehicle down several inches. I them backed it into the tent, into position, and punched the buttons to reinflate the tires. Piece of cake. I then backed the Sandcat into the tent and into position.

The factory rep was pleased that I had agreed to come back and help, and said she would make sure to let her company know that I had been a big help. Heck, I am not above getting a few brownie points here and there.

I met back up with the other driver, did a search for motels on my GPS, made a few calls to check rates and internet availability, and led the way to the motel we settled upon (the other driver had no GPS).

Now I am settled into a room for the next two days, killing time. I went for a short walk after checking in just to get the lay of the land and see what was around. I found an Applebee's, a Hooters, and a few other places, as well as a tobacco shop where I popped in and picked up an ounce of RLP-6 pipe tobacco. I am looking forward to trying it out as it's one I've not smoked before.

Sadly, there is no smoking allowed in any of the possible drinking establishments around so I doubt I'll be spending much time in any of them. It's simply uncivilized to not be allowed to smoke a pipe while having a pint or two. I'll just pick up some beer and drink it in my room. I have a fridge and a microwave so am set for cold beer and hot food. There's also a grocery store close by.

I've had my lunch so I think it's time to walk over and pick up that beer so I can try out this new pipe tobacco in a civilized fashion.