Veterans Day in Mesa, Az

It seems quiet here in the park, as there are so many vacancies in all the spots. When I inquired about the number of spots available for the winter, there were not too many, but folks will not arrive until later in the season. There were two pet spots left as of yesterday, and we took one. Today the second spot was filled as well.

We otherwise would not be accepted here with our dog. So we lucked out arriving here in November, when there was a spot available in the pet section. Now the pet section is only about 20 percent of this park. And the literature they hand out says that you should keep in mind that not everyone loves your pet. Not when it barks, and poos on the neighbors space, for sure.

I can't wait to see the rest of the rules here, but the books for this year have not been printed yet. So we only hope that we will not be in trouble with things not being as they should be, to match our lifestyle. You know, with the drunken beer parties and all! Lol.

I can't remember the last time I had a beer. Oh well.

Since we came off the road and set up the trailer on a permanent site, Loyce declared that today was cleaning day. Everything has been scrubbed from top to bottom. Floors, walls, cupboards, all emptied and washed out. She is relentless.

I mostly did a few lifting jobs and tried to stay out of the way. Mid afternoon we went to the Wal Mart two miles North of the Park, and suddenly realized how close we are to the Park that my parents had a park model in years ago.

Our park's East wall is the West wall of Orange Wood Shadows. We are no more than a 1,000 yards from their old trailer. We enter this park from the South on Main street, and the entry for Orangewood is on the North from University, and that had me thinking we were much farther away.

We drove thru the Orangewood park and found it to have many much older park models, and be tighter crammed together. My folks old rig, we guessed is about a 1982, and is still there. Actively owned by a snow bird, who isn't here yet.

Mesa Spirit is just as old as Orangewood, but has built new common facilities, and remodled the old buildings along the way. So we seem newer and nicer here. Also the sites here are at least ten feet wider, which doesn't seem like much, but gives the whole place a more wide open feeling as you drive thru. To be sure, we have many park models as well, but they are not as dense, and do not overpower the RV's and Motorhomes.

Once all the RV pads get rigs parked on them, I'm sure this will become very crowded as well. But then we didn't buy the place or a park model or anything long term, we only rented a site thru February.

We did drive over in the original part of this park, and it is just like the old Orangewood park. Just as tight together as well. So we are in the newest part and lucky to be here.

With that said, this is a city camping experience, and it does not have the outdoors "it factor" that comes with a state park or a Core of Engineers park. After we spend the two months of Jan and Feb here I'm sure we will be itching to get the "Heck Outa Here. "

On Veteran's Day. As a Veteran from the Viet Nam war myself, I hold our men and women in uniform in the highest honor. The sacrifice they make in their family life and personal aspirations can never be replaced by any honors that they may receive. It is because of their dedication, that you and I are able to live in this country, and not have our thoughts and these blogs censured, or worse.

Please help these folks repatriate, as they come back from their duties in foreign lands. As a veteran from Viet Nam, I know the feeling of not being acceptable, because you fought in an unpopular war. May that never happen again.

Retired Rod