After leaving Buckskin Mountain State Park, we drove down to Brenda, AZ and spent a couple of nights at Black Rock RV Village where we caught up with friends Bob and Brenda. They had spent the summer working in Yellowstone NP and then spent a month in Moab so they had lots to share. It was nice to spend some time with them.
From Brenda, we headed to Picacho which is about 20 miles south of Casa Grande. We had spoken with the owner in July about a possible winter job but decided not to take it which was a good thing what with Melissa buying a condo. Frankie requested that if we came by the area, that we stop in so true to our word, we did. Frankie and her husband recently had to take the RV park back from the previous owners who pretty much neglected the facilities and customers. So Frankie and her husband have had to do a lot of grounds work, remodeled the on-site restaurant where Frankie cooks home-style meals five nights a week, remodel the meeting room and just freshen up most everything else. They are now left to also rebuild their client base. With what they have gotten done in just a few months, I think they'll be able to do just that. The new name of the park is Arizona Hideaway.
Yesterday, we took a drive into Casa Grande and took in the movie Red at their new mall. Movie started a bit slow but did improve as it progressed. While we did enjoy the movie, I'm glad we paid matinee prices and not full price for it. We drove around Casa Grande and when we were here in 2008, we don't remember it being as built up but then again maybe we didn't get to the newer side of town. Had a good lunch at Eva's Fine Mexican Food on N Pinal. We both enjoyed our lunches, the restaurant is beautiful inside and it didn't break the bank. The complex the restaurant is in is a little confusing as we almost walked into a State Farm office thinking it was the restaurant. We were going to get fuel after lunch and noticed a station showing diesel at $2.99. When we stopped after lunch at Eva's imagine our surprise when the price read $2.89. Whoeee! That just doesn't happen.
Today we went to Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Ranch. Admission is $5 per person and you get a large cup of food to feed the critters and a small container of nectar to feed the Lorikeets. We enjoyed ourselves in 2008 so we decided to go back. It is a fun thing to do that won't break the bank. Lots of parking and if you are just driving by, exit 215 and take the frontage road until it dead-ends at the ranch.
Guys and their trucks
Ostriches are a bit intimidating when they have their necks stretched up long and are focused on the food in your hands. They sometimes try taking your fingers as well as your hand in grabbing the food.
John getting fawned over . . . lol.
John sure looks awfully happy with the Lorikeets. They are very colorful and aren't bashful about getting to the nectar. The attendant said they could take the lid off the container and I believe that they could.
I took a short video (my first) of a Lorikeet that really got into his bath. I wish I had filmed him for a longer period of time because he would go from the bird bath to the trough to a waterfall that you can't see and back again making sounds all the while. I don't think he could have flown because he was so saturated. It was mighty cute.
We are planning on arriving in Tucson on Monday. Looking forward to being able to "nest" and bring out the bird feeders.
