We left Tucson on November 10th and headed north to Mesa, Arizona. After 144 miles we were camped at Usery Mountain Recreation Area next to our friends Doug and JoAnn, who were next to our mutual friends Fred and Jo. This is a new place for us to stay in Mesa, our last stay in the city was in November 2008.
The campsites are well separated with Doug and JoAnn's fifth wheel and truck next door but still a ways away.
Once we were set up we went to find everyone and were excited to see Ian and Margaret were visiting. We had not seen Ian and Margaret since Polson, MT in August.
We had not see Doug and JoAnn since March. We matched up with Fred and Jo in January.
JoAnn's photo of the group at Fred and Jo Wishnie's. Ian, Fred (with Boo Boo), Jo, Margaret, Bill and Diane.
Bill's photos.
Doug, JoAnn and Ian.
Fred, Jo and Margaret.
Ian and Margaret took off to get home before dark. We will see them again, especially since Bill's new computer is being shipped to them.
The sunset from the trail behind our RVs.
Birds and sunset photos from November 10th
For dinner we went to a favorite place of ours, Rancho de Tia Rosa., which was all decorated for the holidays.
Dinner at Rancho de Tia Rosa from JoAnn's camera. Fred, Bill, Diane on left, Jo, JoAnn and Doug on right.
The restaurant was a hit.
Thus ends our first day at Usery Mountain.
Photos and video from November 11 exploration of the Buckhorn Campground Trail in the daytime
Bill accompanied Fred, Jo and JoAnn on a shopping trip to Wild Birds Unlimited and Trader Joes in the late afternoon.
Photos from the Buckhorn Campground Trail at sunset on November 11th
November 12th we all piled into the Wishnie's truck and headed to Chandler for lunch and a visit to Lee Lee's Oriental Market. We have a very good lunch at Mimita's Cuban Cafe and then we all explored Lee Lee's. You can read about the day in Doug and JoAnn's journal entry, http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-560113.
That evening we watched birds, including some Harris Hawks. Here are the photos.
Photos and Videos from November 13th
Photos and Videos from November 14th
Ian and Margaret met the group at a German restaurant in Mesa for our last evening. We won't report the name of the place since it was not consistent with some having a very good experience and some not so good.
From the left, Fred, Jo, Bill, Diane, Doug, JoAnn, Ian and Margaret.
Leaving in the morning of the 15th the Peach-faced Lovebirds finally found our feeder and all we got was this lousy photo.
Luckily we got better photos on the 13th.
We had a great time with our friends and now we are scattering. But we will all be in Arizona much of the winter so we expect to see each other some more.
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