3 Down, 1 To Go

We arrived here in Tucson on December 6 and our time up will be up on April 6.  Once again there are new managers at the park (7th in charge) and each one has instituted new policies.  For the past 9 years we could always extend our stay at the monthly rate per day rather than the off the road charge which is double.  A few people have tried to extend, but the park charged them a more expensive weekly rate or the daily rate.  We had planned on spending 7-10 days after the 6th but have decided to move on rather than pay the much higher rate.  

If the park goes with this change, then there will a big turnover next winter.  We've talked to a number of couples who are looking to checking out other campgrounds.  

We have been taking it easy the past week or so.  Last week we met good friends Pat & Steve for a nice dinner at the Guadalajara Original Grill.  We wound up spending 3 1/2 hours at the restaurant and only left when there was a group waiting to be seated since the restaurant was full.  

Steve & Pat

Pat & Steve are full timers and volunteer at different state & national parks as work campers.  They just finished a three month stint at the Lost Dutchman State Park east of Mesa, AZ.  This summer they plan on volunteering at a campground in Montana that is located on a big lake southwest of Billings.  

Yesterday I thought I saw a black cloud moving toward us and it was very small.  As it got closer it evolved into the Directv dirigible and it flew right over the campground.  You never know what is going to fly over with us being in the flight path of the local air force base, but this was a new one.

There are a number of Canadians in the park and each year they sponsor a breakfast feast just before all the snowbirds leave.  They decorate the rec hall with all things Canadian and provide pancakes, sausages & scrambled eggs free of charge.  In addition, they have bags of Canadian themed items that they auction off.  They sell tickets for a nominal fee and if you really are interested in one bag or the other you put all your tickets into one bag.  I placed our 10 tickets in different bags and didn't win a thing.  The two couples seated next to us wound up with each winning three bags.  So close, but so far!  Our next door neighbor was one of the winners.   Last year we won, but were blanked this time.

Gerry's niece Erin was recently transferred from Los Angeles to Washington, DC and she stopped by last night on her way there.  She went about 75 miles out of her way to spend the night and the next morning with us.  We had non stop conversations catching up what each other have been doing since we last saw her last February.  She wound up leaving for the next leg of her trip around 2pm and was looking at a 526 mile drive to Santa Rosa, NM.  She called and said she finally got there around 10pm and was going straight to bed.  It was great seeing her again and hopefully we will see her and the whole family again this summer and fall. 

The US went on daylight savings time except for Arizona.  Now we have the same time as Pacific Time and are three hours behind the East coast.  So, don't be calling us early in the morning if you are on the East coast, or we will return the call late in the evening out here.  Fair enough?

That was a summary of our exciting life out here in the desert.  How did your week go?