DECEMBER 2001

We had the bedroom in our fifth wheel set up for a second satellite receiver because the reception of local stations here in Mission is so bad. Most of the channels that come in well, are Spanish language stations, but the networks don't come in well at all. We thought about getting cable while we're here, but the extra receiver only costs about $5.00 per month and we'll be able to use it even after we leave here.

We left for Phoenix on the 15th. The first night we stayed at the Elks Club in Del Rio, Texas. This Elks Club has water, electric, and cable hookups. We arrived on a good day, too...the first and third Saturdays of the month they have a steak fry...steak, baked potato, salad, and soup all for $10.00 each. Yum!

On the 16th, we stayed at the El Campo RV Park in Van Horn, Texas. This is the park we usually stay at when we come thru the area. The woman who runs the place recognizes us by now!

The third night out, we stayed at the Elks Club in Willcox, Arizona. This Elks Club also has electric and water hookups...no steak dinner, though.

The next night, we stayed at the Elks Club in Gila Bend, Arizona. This Elks Club doesn't have any hookups, just a large graveled lot...but it only costs $3.00 to dry camp here.

The next day, the 19th, we drove into D & R Family RV in Glendale to see if we could get our solar fixed. We arrived late in the afternoon and spent the night in the lot so that we'd be there the first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to fix the solar...it apparently needs a new wiring harness. The guy in Oregon who installed our solar system for us offered to send us a new wiring harness, but since he'll replace it for free, we decided to wait until this summer when we're in Oregon to have it replaced.

Cotton Lane RV Park, where we normally stay when we're in the Phoenix area, was full so we stayed at Sundial RV Park. It's located near Olive and 75th Avenues...not a great park and certainly not one I'd want to stay at for any length of time, but for the Christmas holidays it was near where we wanted to be.

What Christmas shopping we hadn't already completed, we got done once we'd arrived in Glendale. We visited with family and friends and Earl had a chance to go golfing with Buck. While we were in the Phoenix area, we went by Cotton Lane RV Park and made reservations to stay there next winter.

While on our trip to Phoenix, I had a chance to try out my cell phone and Ositech King of Clubs...it worked like a charm! Connection speed shows as 19.2, although surfing speed in analog mode is somewhat slower. But at least I can do some limited surfing which I really haven't been able to do except in the winter when we're in one place with a land line into the RV.