447.6 RV miles today, 5494 total

Will got up near dawn & went surfing again. We checked out at San Onofre Beach Camp Pendleton Military Campground and headed most of the day (400+ miles) through California & Arizona to Beth’s 1st cousin’s home in Gilbert, AZ. We went up over 4000 feet and down to 40 feet below sea level passing through Yuma, Arizona. We were able to look several hundreds yards over into Mexico along the route and even went through a border patrol checkpoint. We also saw an apprehension in progress by border patrol agents just off the highway!?!?  We stopped by UPS for a package & met Brant Miller (distant cousin, perhaps), an aspiring physical therapist. The sunset picture is from Dale & Tom’s backyard in Gilbert, AZ. Cousin Dale prepared a delicious meal on the grill enjoyed outside by Dale, her daughters Liz & Jen (1st cousins once removed), Will & me. It was a nice reunion, m, w, & t

“Land of extremes. Land of contrasts. Land of surprises. Land of contradictions…. That is Arizona.” ~Federal Writers Project, Arizona: The Grand Canyon State, 1956

“You know you’re an Arizona native when you think Taco Bell is the local phone company.”  ~Emma Louise Philabaum, quoted in You Know You’re an Arizona Native, When… compiled by Don Dedera, 1993

“The trip across Arizona is just one oasis after another.  You can just throw anything out and it will grow there, I like Arizona. ” ~Will Rogers

“One of the greatest things about the sport of surfing is that you need only three things: your body, a surfboard, and a wave.” — Naima Green