Travel Update

We had an uneventful trip from Travis to Casa Grande. We stayed in Bakersfield, courtesy of the Walton family, and then on to a night on the desert near Quartzite. I love the desert when it is deserted - and it was. But there was some critter who visited in the night and left paw prints on the hood of the car, and we never did figure out what it was.

We had an "intresting" encounter with a truck driver, not once but twice the day we drove from Bakersfield to Quartzite. Once outside Bakersfield, and again outside San Bernardino, he swerved over toward us as we were passing him. I waited too long before calling 911 so he did not get stopped, but he should have been. We have no idea what his reason was other than the fact that we were in an RV taking up space on "his" interstate.

The park here in Casa Grande looks about the same, but we are shocked that the Encore company is actually spending some money and is replacing the entire electrical system - and it needs it. We are parked in the same general area as we have been for the past three winters, and have pretty much the same neighbors.

Jeff and Bev arrive tomorrow night for their annual holiday visit - at 10:30 p.m which is way past my bedtime!! I'll have to take a nap. Ken and I are thinking we might go to Bisbee/Tucson/Sierra Vista for an overnight while they are here. Bisbee is a rather interesting former mining town, and the draw for Sierra Vista is Ricardo's restaurant just south of town.

Keith and Janet and the girls are cruising in the sunshine of the Caribbean, and Colleen is horseback riding in the snow in Montana. Skiing is on the agenda for tomorrow; for Colleen that is. She, Jim, and the girls drove to his brother's in Missoula yesterday and will enjoy a few days of true winter.

Gary and Carolyn Ousey got on a ferry out of Victoria a day earlier than expected so they scaled the Siskiyous today and will be in Casa Grande in two or three days. They are staying at a park that is about two miles from here, so I'm sure we will see them often.

Another couple we know will be coming to this park around the tenth of January, and then we will hook up with the Spragues back on the Quartzite desert the end of January. Such a social swirl.

Stay cool or stay warm as the case may be. Ciao.

On our way to Arizona

We left home one week ago Monday, and are just now finishing a stay at Travis AFB before moving on. We will probably stay in Bakersfield tomorrow night and go on to Casa Grande the next day.

Our time here was pretty well filled with several days in the Sonoma Valley visiting wineries - and tasting wine - and buying wine. Brian has some connections to some folks in Napa who grow merlot grapes so for our Christmas gift he arranged for us to meet them, do some tasting, and take a case of wine away with us. A most enjoyable endeavor all the way around.

Jeff and Bev came up and met us in Sonoma on Friday so we had lunch and dinner together along with visiting a few wineries. We will see them again on the 29th when they come to Phoenix for their annual post-Christmas visit.

It has been difficult not having Cooper with us because he has been our traveling companion for so many years. For the first few days, I kept wanting to turn around to see if he was sleeping, but it is getting easier as time goes on.

I am up after midnight writing this because I couldn't sleep, so I guess I will go back to bed and try again. I will post again after we get to Casa Grande. Ciao.