Just kicken' back
Trip Start
Oct 08, 2008
1
8
13
Trip End
Apr 2009
Mesa,
Arizona,
United States
Saturday, November 15, 2008
I noticed that I forgot to tell you about our most amazing night after arriving in Mesa. The TINA TURNER concert. It was amazing. That woman can really belt out a song and is a great performer. The handicapped seating was pretty far up so the few pictures I got (you aren't suppose to record anything) aren't much to look at and certainly don't convey the tremendous energy in the arena. I managed to stay in my seat until half way through the second set but when she sang Proud Mary I had to get up and move - I simply cannot sit still when she sings that song. Of course the prices at the arena were outrageous!!! - $5 for a soda and $7 for a dry hot dog. Of course the T-shirts and my "Tina" teddy bear weren't cheap either but it was all worth it.
I have finally figured out where the nearest Safeway and Home Depot are and how to get from one end of this huge town (actually about 6 towns all run together) to the other, mostly without getting on their "freeways" which are usually giant traffic jams going 70 mph.
Because this metro is several small towns that have grown together it is fun driving around. You leave a shopping center and in a few blocks there is a citrus orchard or horse farm basically in the middle of town. You can't judge anything here by blocks because the distance from one corner to the next could be as much as a half mile or more. Driving down the streets near our camp park you think you are in a commercial district but if you look at a satellite view of the area (use Google maps and enter 3265 E Main, Mesa,AZ 85213) you find behind most of the businesses on the street are hundreds of mobile and/or motor homes. You notice a sign that says something "estates" and a driveway and actually that is the entrance to a whole gated community with up to 1000 parking spaces. On the "block" where we are parked are 4 such parks, all are 55+ communities. Our park is a small 36 space without the "amenities". In the large gated parks they have everything from tennis courts, spas, and craft centers to medical clinics and hair salons. Of course you pay dearly for all those amenities (that we wouldn't use anyway) which is why we picked our little park. (Pictures are from their web site).
We have done most of the "honey-do's" on the coach and decorated our patio and are going to start venturing out more and seeing some of the local sights. Tomorrow we plan to go to a big car show - Lost in the 50's type - that will have 2500 old cars. Can't imaging seeing them all in one day! There are some great museums and even some ancient Indian ruins nearby we also want to see. Will also visit a couple of the casinos and see if lady luck will reward us with a jackpot.
Just after we got here Brandt's roommate left town and he had to move. Unfortunately he ended up 45 minutes away but we still get together a couple of times a week for shopping or dinner and he plans to go to the car show with us. His new roommate has a nice house in Mariposa and we are planning to be there for Thanksgiving (he asked me to cook which I will enjoy).
I will try to be more diligent about posting
