MESA, ARIZONA 1/12-15/2011

In case it is not evident to those that read this blog, we know we are very blessed to be afforded the opportunity to travel.  We have spent the last 4 1/2 years serving our church on a mission, traveling on loops around the country to keep visits current with our 5 sons and their families, traveling to wonderful places in between and being able to reconnect with other friends and family.  Too, we have spent a little time at our home to reconnect there too.  There is no way to put into words the feelings we have about the blessings we have had!  We are very, very grateful!!!!!!!
   On 1/12 we pulled into Mesa Regal RV Park in Mesa, AZ.  We were pleasantly surprised at how familiar we were with this town, having only been here for a week once before a couple years ago when we came into town to spend some time with our oldest son and family.  It is a very large town with lots of people, but very easy to get around in.  The park we were in is a retired folks RV park with at least 1000 sites, we were in # 1619.  Here is our spot.

 We had our own grapefruit tree that we enjoyed harvesting breakfast and snacks from daily.  These tree ripened fruit just melted in our mouths!!!

 We came to Mesa with the intent of reconnecting with some friends and family that live in the area.  Wayne had only seen his cousin, Cass, once in the last 40 years.  He, his wonderfully kind and patient wife, Laurette, and his super intelligent and bubbly youngest daughter, came over for dinner at our place.  We had a super evening visiting, reliving and forgiving the past.  When they left late in the evening, it was hard to say good bye and know that it will be awhile before we can see each other again.  Old family ties were reconnected and we will get together again soon.

 Another reason we came to Mesa was to go to the temple there.  It is one of our favorites.  It was very nice to spend an afternoon here.  Rejuvenating!!

 Also, we wanted to have some time with our oldest son's wife's parents and two of her siblings.  We think we are so lucky to have the friendships we do with the parents of each of our daughters-in-law.  Getting together with the Lemans is like going home.  We count Tom and Rosalie as good friends that we can let our hair down and visit with.  We had a joint venture dinner at their house with each of us contributing.  Good food, company and conversation!!!!

Finally, we also wanted to visit with one of our missionary girls (Heather Rogers) we served with that announced that she was getting married.  Wayne felt he needed to check out the guy to see if he was worthy of such a wonderful young lady, so we met them for frozen yogurts at a place we want to go back to called Blue Surf.  Excellent frozen yogurt!!!  He passed the test with flying colors.  After, we took them to see our trailer and visited more.

 

There you have our busy 3 1/2 days in Mesa.  On Saturday, 1/15, we hitched up and headed south.  We got as far as Casa Grande and pulled off to set up for the night so we can go to church in the morning, then we plan to spend about 4 or 5 more days here just relaxing and seeing some of the sights.

1/11/11 DAY OF ONES

 Monday, 1/10/11, we left Pilot Point RV Park at 11:30 AM, bought fuel for only $3.12 per gallon, shopped at Goodwill for Ann to get a few long sleeve shirts (nippy mornings), mailed a birthday card to Karen,and then went to the County Court House to search for the marriage record of Wayne's Grandparents.  He knew they were married somewhere in Arizona and he had decided to search every court house until he found their record.  This was the first one we went to and he found them!!!!  So now we know they really were married!!!!  Wayne was elated to find this long looked for and elusive record, and for it to be in the first courthouse we visited!!!!
4:00 PM we headed out across the long desert drive on I-8 to Gila Bend where we will take Hwy 85 north to Phoenix, AZ.

 The scenery was all the same.  We planned to join some fellow RV'ers that we would find dry docked in the desert, as is a common practice down here.  We only saw one group and felt it was too soon to stop for the night.  Finally at 6:00 PM we saw a lone fifth wheel off exit 78 and decided to join them.  They were fellow retired teachers and were glad for the company.  Mr. and Mrs. Riggs from Redmond, OR!!!  Small world!

We slept well, parked on the cement pad of a long gone service station.  The Riggs left about 9:00AM. We were going to follow suit and.......

 .....then Wayne decided that seeing as how he had been wanting to change the oil for about the last 500 miles and we were here in the middle of nowhere on a cement pad.....

 ....why not?  So we changed the oil and filter in the truck!!

 The 2 1/2 gallons of old oil was poured into the containers that held the new oil to later be recycled at a convenient spot.

 The new oil was added first though!  Like Wayne's Wal-Mart work shirt?  He used it for many years in his classroom when he would be doing science experiments that were potentially messy.  Now as we travel it is his cover shirt for changing oil and other messy jobs!

 

Then we took off about 11:00 AM and drove a few easy miles, only to stop at a rest area to read the historical signs.  While we were thus engaged the bearded guy below approached Wayne and asked if he was Wayne Cowley.  Wayne instantly recognized him as Dave Loper, and gave him a big hug!!!  Then Sally came around the corner and she got a big hug too.  Then Ann came around and the hugging started all over again!  Dave and Sally were friends of Wayne's from back in his college days and early days in the church.  In fact Dave was the one that confirmed Wayne in the church.  Then a couple years later when Ann and Wayne got married, Dave and Sally accompanied us down to Oakland along with John and Karen (Ann's brother and wife).  They later moved to northern Oregon and about 1985 or so we lost contact with them.  Then out of the blue we run into them at a rest area in southern Arizona!!!  Imagine that?!!  We are both RV'ing down here, but they are doing so to establish a business they started and we are just trying to find our way east.  They still have a place up in Oregon.
We spent an hour or so catching up and comparing family pictures before we both had to go our separate ways.  By exchanging info, we hope to stay in better contact over the coming years!!

 

We then drove on to Gila Bend, bought fuel and did laundry, which gave Wayne time to do this blog!  Gila Bend is a really depressed area sustained only by the fact that it is at a crossroads of two highways between 4 big cities.  A good fuel spot  in the middle of desolation!  We will spend tonight dry docked somewhere between Gila Bend and Phoenix.