Tuesday, March 12, 2019, Move Back to Mesa, AZ

It doesn't happen often, but sometimes you have to break camp and drive in the rain even though you are in the desert. That was our morning as we left the North Ranch SKP park and headed back to Val Vista Villages in Mesa, AZ. It was only 103.8 miles (92,489.0 total) but with some heavy traffic and a few wrecks, it took much longer than expected. I'm not complaining, mind you, it was still an easy day heading back into familiar territory. 

This interstate stack reminds me of spaghetti junction in Atlanta.

We had a lot of Kroger points from buying gift cards on 4x points weekends and we were already familiar with the station layout at Greenfield and Main in Mesa, so we topped off the tank before parking the coach for the next two months. I think that this was officially the lowest price we have paid for a gallon of diesel since we have owned the coach - all the way back to September 2008!

I looked out our window and saw this guy on the neighbors RV. By the time I got the camera out he had moved but was still nicely positioned for a welcome-to-the-park portrait. According to my birding book, he was an American Kestrel standing about 12 to 14 inches tall.

The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest and most common falcon in North America.

Joani, of course, could hardly wait to get back to the lapidary lab to start cutting and polishing her finds from the Arizona desert and California coast (and the Michigan specimens she wasn't able to investigate when we were here last). Did I mention she has more than 270 pounds of rocks to play with in the lab - I know where I will have to go to see her whenever the lab is open for the duration of our stay.

I was excited to slice open one of my favorite west coast finds. It measures about 6" long and 4" across.

It is locally called DeeDeeite or Avila Brecciated Rhyolite. The dark gray is actually clear agate material (chalcedony).