Can't get away from it!

Gila Bend, AZ

We left Benson about 8:30 this morning and arrived at our "home" for the next 6 days here at Holts Shell RV Park in Gila Bend.

But now back to yesterday.   We went to bed Saturday to the sound of winds a whippin and the rig a shakin.  During the night I woke to the sound of rain.   It had been so seldom that I'd heard rain in the last two months, I really was not at all sure if that was it.   

Then around 6:30 I awoke and looked outside.  To my surprise - SNOW!    Real snow.  Yup, just can't get away from it.

Slippery steps out of the rig.

View from the steps:

After our morning coffee and a little breakfast, it was off to church.  We have attended to same church our five Sunday's in Benson.

When we went into services at 9:30 there was snow on the ground.  When we came out at 10:30 it was gone except for the higher elevations in the mountains.

The drive from Benson to Herefore where cousin Muriel lives is about one hour.   Being hungry we grabbed something at the McDonalds in Sierra Vista on the way.  We arrived at Muriel's about noon.

After visiting for a few hours we decided we would all take a ride up to Ft. Huachuca not far from Muriels.  She worked at the Fort a number of years.

This is an active military base.  To gain entrance we had to show ID's at the gate.   Muriel directed us around the base.   Even though it was quite chilly and there was still snow on the ground there, we got out and walked around the cemetery for a bit.

When we were in Deming, NM we were curious about a large balloon type thing hovering in the sky.  When we got down near Ft. Huachuca we saw the same type balloon.  We had asked Muriel what it was.   She explained it is a surveillance balloon that detects drugs, weapons and other illegal movements.   The one at Ft. Huachuca sat grounded yesterday, probably due to the high winds.

The locals call it Fat Albert.

After our tour we were all hungry.  Muriel suggested Chilpolte Grill.   We had seen this chain but never ate at one.    Hey, it was good!

Back at Muriel's she showed me some OLD photo albums left to her.   Most of the pictures were taken in the 1920's until 1950's.    As I was leafing through the pages, I saw a picture of a group of children seated around a table for a birthday party.  Muriel was not in the picture but her younger brother Bill and younger sister Bonnie was. As it was at their house, the party must have been for one of them.  And there seated with the children was me and my brother.  Muriel had no idea these were us.  

Ah, it was so nice getting to know Muriel.  Our time together will always be a precious memory.  As we pulled away from her house I shed a few tears.   But it was time to move on down the road to our next adventure.