May 19, 2013

05/03/2013

We've been here at the Edwards AFB Famcamp for a few days now and have been very busy.

On Wednesday we drove down to San Diego to visit our daughter-in-law Adrian who has been going to graduate school at San Diego State since Justin has been deployed.  We had a really nice visit and had a wonderful pizza dinner.

Justin will be getting home tomorrow from his deployment in Afghanistan.  It has been a long ten months for him and I can assure you, a very long one for Adrian and us as well.  During our visit with Adrian we learned that he has been honored with an assignment as a company commander.  More details on that will follow.

Since it was such a long drive to San Diego, we got a room at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station which turned out to be only 10 miles from Adrian's apartment.  So we spent the night there and returned to Edwards yesterday morning.

05/05/2013

On Friday we drove out into the desert to find a Geocache near the YB-49 Crash Site, northwest of Edwards.  The base is named for the test pilot, Captain Glen Edwards who was the pilot.  More images here:  https://www.google.com/search?q=yb-49+crash&client=firefox-a&hs=7FO&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-I2GUd3kNOX4igKSnYCIBw&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1467&bih=753

We then spent the evening with John and Melay Marcrum who live in Lancaster.  John fixed us a very tasty rib and sausage dinner and we had a great time catching up.  Thanks very much John and Melay for your hospitality and friendship.

Yesterday morning we hooked up and headed over the Tehachapi Pass and down into the San Joaquin Valley, arriving at NAS Lemoore about 3 PM.  We're going to stay here tonight and then head up to Fresno tomorrow morning.

05/06/2013

Since there isn't a whole lot to do and see in this part of the Central Valley, especially near Lemoore, we have been just kicking back.  We got our laundry done (free here), got some cleaning done and not much more.

Today we are heading up to Fresno to spend a week visiting my mother and the rest of the family.

05/10/2013

Joyce and Mother took a drive up to one of the local casinos on Wednesday so that Joyce could make her donation to the local welfare fund.  Then, they decided to go do it again today!  Later in the evening we had supper with my brother Alan and his wife.

Mother's computer, which she has had since 1993, finally died, so yesterday Joyce and I took her to the Apple Store "to look around".  It didn't take her long to decide on a new iMac with all the bells and whistles.  It's a beautiful go-fast machine and will serve her needs very well.

05/14/2013

Yesterday we moved up to Calistoga to visit Joyce's family.  If you haven't driven in California lately, watch out!  The roads that we took from Fresno to here were bumpy, full of cracks and generally a mess.  Highway 12 from Lodi to Fairfield was very bad.  For most of the way I never got over 50 MPH and for 90% of the drive I had to stay below 40 MPH.

05/18/2013

We had a very good time visiting with the family in St. Helena and of course, the time went way to fast.  We're going to need to spend more time in the Napa Valley the next time we come back.

Yesterday morning we made the short run to Travis AFB and are now parked in the Famcamp.  We're going to be here for a week visiting friends and attending the 7th, 44th and 86th Military Airlift Squadron's reunion.

The first event was held last night at the Hometown Buffet in Vacaville.  Thirty-seven folks showed up and we all had a great time.  Some tall stories, er...lies were told and a lot of laughter was heard all over the restaurant.  On young man stopped me and asked what was the occasion.  When I told him, he laughed and said his company would never have anything like that.  There is something really special about being part of an organization that you want to see your co-workers again.

Yesterday, the reunion day started with a visit to the C-141B, 63-8088 here on Travis AFB.  Being onboard that beautiful lady brought back many memories of my Air Force career including my younger days in aircraft maintenance when I worked on her as a young airman in the 602 Organizational Maintenance Squadron, then to my last flight as a flight engineer.  What a ride!

 With my best friend, Jim Glaspey.

 Is it time for crew rest?

 Jim's normal position during cruise!

Jeanne Galspey...Hey Engineer, Before Starting Engines Check Please.

 With Troy Fore, Ed Zakarakas

 Engineer...Arm the doors please!

Later we gathered at Pippo's Ranch in Vacaville for the main party.  I won't go into all the detail but suffice it to say there were a lot of war stories told, a good amount of adult beverages consumed and even a few tears were shed.  It was good to see all my "old" friends again.

7th & 44th Members.

86th Members.

This morning Joe and Lori Martin took Joyce and I out for a delicious brunch at the Cast Iron Grill & Bar in Suisun City.  It is always nice to reconnect with good friends again, especially with Joe and Lori.

May 1, 2013

04/20/2013

On Wednesday we left Kerrville, jumping on I-10 and heading west to Fort Stockton, TX.  Our plans were to spend one night at the Hilltop RV Park and then move on west.  Since our plans are usually cast in Jello and subject to change at the last moment, that is exactly what happened.

After settling in at the RV park, we drove into town to fill up with fuel and to look around the booming town.  We always thought that there wasn't much to see or do in this wide spot in the road but we soon found out there is actually more to Fort Stockton than meets the eye.

Driving down Main Street, just beyond the Pecos County court house we came upon the old historic Pecos County jail.  Since it was near 5 PM and closing time we thought we might not get to look around.  However, the attendant welcomed us and then gave us a guided look around.

Built in 1883 and in use until 1975, the jail housed inmates on the second floor while the sheriff and his family lived on the first.  The second floor had no window coverings, just the bars so you can imagine what the conditions were like.  Since it was so close to closing time, we decided to stay another day and return.

 This was the bathroom before indoor plumbing.

Our first stop the next day was at the Annie Riggs Memorial Museum.  Started in 1899 and opened 1901, the hotel was first called the Koehler.  Annie purchased the building in 1904 for $5000, $3000 down and the rest on terms.  Read more about the hotel here:  http://www.rvtravelog.com/riggs.dir/riggs1.htm

After leaving the hotel, we did the Fort Stockton driving tour.  Although we didn't stop at all the "attractions", we did check out:

Pecos County Court House
Zero Stone Park
The Oldest House
St. Stephens Episcopal Church
Fort Stockton
Cemetery

So, if you are ever out in west Texas, stop in Fort Stockton and smell the roses, er….the Yucca's.

We're now parked at the Fort Bliss RV Park.  The drive wasn't bad until we got into the El Paso area where we ran into a lot of traffic.

04/21/2012

Yesterday was a cleaning day.  I worked on the outside, washing half of the rig (I'll finish that today), cleaning out the basement and our storage bins.  Joyce worked on the inside cleaning the bedroom closet and our food pantry.  We moved some food items into the basement helping to lightening the load in the large slide-out.

I got an email from Tom and Denise Worley, who we met at the Army Recreation RV Park in Destin, FL back in March.  They were here at Fort Bliss when we arrived but actually left the next morning.  They are now at Fort Huachuca, AZ., where we are headed next.  After a couple of phone conversations with Tom and Denise, we have decided to leave here one day early and met up with them there on Tuesday.

04/22/2013

Yesterday Joyce and I took a "scenic" drive up Hwy 28 from El Paso to the old town of Mesilla, NM, just southwest of Las Cruces.  I wouldn't exactly call this a scenic drive but it was interesting.  We passed numerous groves of pecan trees, several fields of onions, a few cattle ranches and a couple of wineries but other than that, there wasn't much to see.

By the time we got to Mesilla we were both hungry so we had lunch at the La Posta de Mesilla, one of several Mexican restaurants there.

04/24/2013

We left Fort Bliss around 11 AM and made the short 111 mile run up to the Low-Hi RV Ranch, about five miles south of Deming, NM.  This is a Passport America park and is owned by the Loners On Wheels, a single RV's group.  The park is all gravel but had very good 50-amp power and water pressure.

After getting unhooked, we went into Deming in search of diesel which we found at a Chevron station for $3.60 a gallon, the cheapest we have paid since leaving Oregon in August.  At the Valero right across the street they had fuel for $3.70 and out on the main drag just off the interstate the stuff was $4.07 at another Chevron.  Go figure!

We then made our way out to see what was shak'in at the Elks Lodge.  As y'all know, Joyce likes to play bingo just a little.  Well, they had bingo at 5:30 so of course she had to play and actually came out winning $90.

We'e now at Apache Flats RV Park on Fort Huachuca, NM after a easy drive from Deming.  We were greeted with smiles and hugs from our friends Tom and Denise Worley which really brightened  our day.

Tom and Denise live on an eight acre spread at 9200 feet in Divide, CO.  Tom is a retired Army Special Forces troop.  After his retirement from the Army he became a Contra Costa County, CA Deputy Sheriff, retiring from that job a couple of years ago.

Last night we had a great supper at the La Casita Mexican Restaurant in Sierra Vista.

04/25/2013

Yesterday we did some errands and shopping at the Post Exchange and Commissary.  Joyce made a delicious pulled pork supper which we shared with Tom and Denise.  Denise brought a bean salad that was outstanding and some cold slaw.

04/27/2013

On Thursday evening Joyce played bingo at the Sierra Vista Elks Lodge where she met a lot of folks, including the Exalted Ruler who invited us to come out on Friday night for dinner.  So yesterday morning we hooked up and moved to the lodge's RV park where we have 30-amp electrical and water hookups.

After getting the rig settled into our parking spot, we headed over to the old mining town of Bisbee.  From the late 1870's to 1975, there were several copper mines in operation in "the Queen of the Copper Camps".  When the price of copper fell, the last one in operation closed down.  The city is now a mecca for artists and hippies who have set up shops all over town.

After walking around the town for an hour or so, we then took a tour of the Queen Mine.  In operation from 1877 to 1975, this mine yielded huge numbers of copper, gold, silver and other minerals.

Today we made the run up I-10 to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson and are staying at their Agave Gulch Famcamp, one of the largest in the Air Force system.  With our AF Camping Book and discount coupon's, we paid for one night at $19 and got the second night free.

Awhile back Joyce and I updated our internet device from a 3G aircard to Verizon's 4G, 890L Jet Pack.  It had served us well so far however, there are times when we will be in marginal coverage areas, like at Smith Rock State Park.  To help us get a stronger signal, we ordered a Sleek Signal Booster with the home office accessories and a charging cord from 3G Store.

When I turned the Jet Pack on today we had four bars of 4G service without the Sleek connected.  After connecting the Sleek, we now have a solid five bars.  That is a good sign that this thing is going to work for us but I'm anxious to see what happens when we have only two or three bars.  That will tell the tale.

05/01/2013

On Sunday we toured Saguaro National Park, the home of America's largest cacti.  After getting out National Parks Passport stamp and watching a 15 minute video about the park, we took the 6-mile Signal Hill Loop tour.

 The beginning.

 The end.

Our stay in Tucson was nice but the temperatures are on the march north and so are we.  On Monday we hooked up early and started the 300 mile trip to Kingman, AZ.  We don't usually like to drive that much in one day but we really wanted to get through the middle of Arizona and hopefully find a tad cooler weather.

We spent one night in Kingman and then made the 290 mile run to Edwards AFB, arriving here at the Famcamp about 3:30.  We plan to spend four days here, visiting Adrian, our daugther-in-law and friends who live in Lancaster.

More later.

Barry & Joyce