Trudy and Ed...

[William Thornton]

...have a nice photo and write-up in The Fellowship. BL even gets a mention. Will provide a link when it's available.

[JE Pettibone]

[Chris]

I just received my copy of Fellowship magazine. I enjoyed the article on Ed and Trudy. I had to re-read it to find the reference to BaptistLife.com.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Not being sure when we might get our personal copy copy of the fellowship magazine we made a point of driving across town (Orlando) from Clermont to Collage Park to attend THE CHURCH ON THE DRIVE formerly FBC of College Park, College Park was home church two former acquaintances, the late Findly Edge who taught Christian Education at SBTS when I was there in the 1960's. Also Doug Simmons who used to be a regular on these pages back in the early days. Doug was the first local to greet us when we arrived at the only CBF national meeting to be on Micky's side yard. (International Drive).

Sure enough they had copies of the magazine available for the asking. I believe Jeff Hunt did as well or better than any reporter with whom either Trudy or I have had a phone interview.

I am glad that Chris and William found the story interesting.

[David Flick]

[David Flick]

[Dave Roberts]

Headline looks great. I look forward to getting my copy.

[JE Pettibone]

The Summer trip has started, Had to wait until after our sons wedding in Ormond Beach Fl last Friday evening. Left, Clermont Tuesday Morning and stopped in Lake City to visit with friends in the RV park where we stayed while searching for a permanent base camp all through Oct, Nov and well into December.

Stopped early yesterday, at a wall Mart just off of I-10 North of Pensacola due to the fact there was a storm coming our way out of Louisiana. The storm came this way and blew over pretty quick. Still have a steady rain that is supposed to last all morning. I hope it dries up by the time we arrive in Mobile Al. I want to see some of that City, the one place in that state I missed when attending Howard (now Samford) decades agp. There where a lot of students from Mobile and the presented it as if it where the Center of the world.

BTW does any one know if rick wright is still in Baton Rouge, La. We will be going through there today or tomarrow.

TIme to go back to bed the rain on the roof is putting me to sleep.

[Bruce Gourley]

Safe and enjoyable travels, Ed and Trudy!

[Haruo]

[JE Pettibone]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Yep, we are in the large parking lot of a well drilling company. It is across the road from a restaurant where we ate. When I pulled in here I went into the office and asked if it was OK to park in there lot while we ate, they said sure, you can stay all night if you wold like and I replied I may take you up on that. The restaurant sits in front of a nice looking Days Inn so it was fairly busy and the service was a bit slow the food was good but too much of it Trudy had a hughe Rib eye and I had Beef "pieces" and grilled vegetables, either meal should be enough for two people. Guess what we will have tomorrow. This town celebrated it's Centennial last year

Most of the roadway between here and San Antonio was good but several narrow spots due to new construction and LOTS of hills, Speed limit of 80 MPH. I found the real advantage of a diesel over gas in a motor home. There was one fellow with a beautiful nearly new Gas powered rig who passed me like I was standing still, on the next upward slope I had to slow down to keep from running over him. for forty miles we kept this up, until I stopped to empty our holding tanks. at a rest area that has a dump station. I am pleasantly surprised that we are getting nearly 9 MPG of fule.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Last night we stayed in the parking lot of the Ft. Stockton, Texas Wall Mart Parking l0t along with at least 10 other RVs that had stopped early due to heavy cross winds. Bough tgroceries and a couple soup thermoses. Had supper and turned in . Was rocked to sleep by the winds.

Tonight we are in a combined Mobile home and Rv Park on the out skirts El Passo.. I haven't seen any other RV's. It looks like the permanent residents of this park are 50/50 Hispanic and Anglo laboring types.

Very little grass, mostly gravel and cement. There are several wild birds walking around, we have both see this type bird before but neither of us know what they are, they look sort of like small turkeys. I am going to take a walk to see what else the park has. When Trudy checked in they gave her visitors guide, It turns out the Company that owns this park has RV parks in 18 States.

We have un hooked the car and will go exploring tomorrow I was needing a break about 11: AM today, so I took an exit pointing to Balmorhea. Nothing in sight except a bridge over I-10 just across the bridge was a sign saying 2 miles to the town. At the cross roads we found the cleanest service station and combined restaurant and convenience store I have ever seen. We only had coffee and pre packaged snacks, but the coffee "Texas coffee" was absolutely great .

now for my walk

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Spent some time exploring the area today. Miles and miles of used car lots. This morning we each wanted our hair cut and got a recommendation from the park maintenance person where we are staying. The shop is about three blocks from from the park. Staff and clientele predominately Hispanic. Both of us where pleased with the results.

We couldn't find a local place for lunch where we could get a good idea of what to expect from the signage. Drove a few miles north and found only American chains. About the time we had decided to come back to the Coach and fix our own lunch Trudy spotted a Grandy's. Although it is a chain, it was once one of our favorites we had not seen one for a few years , even when visiting places where we had previously experienced them. I had thought they were out of business, turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

We saw about 5 Catholic churches and One Hispanic Baptist Church. Have seen many small older homes and many newer large apartment buildings and several large homes behind walls. Many flowering trees that neither of us can identify.. The most impressive home sat alone on a large lot decorated with varied colors of gravel and no fence. Nor was there any commercial signage despite the fact that it was located in an otherwise totally commercial area.turned off a busy street into a residential area

At one point as I turned off a busy street into a residential area a Police Car turned in behind me, Trudy giot all worried,. and I pulled to the curb to let him around but he pulled in behind me. When I got out and went back to his car he asked if he could help and I said " No thank you I am just looking for a place to turn around and Go back to the RV Park to get my camera." He asked what part of Florida we are from and when I said Claremont, he said most people would have said Orlando. I guess I looked surprised and he said "I use to live in Orlando". He then said "have a good day and enjoy El Paso." I thanked him and we went our separate ways.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Lots of beautiful scenery, amazed at the variations El Passo be the used car capital of the world. We have finally had meals at two places one in Texas and one in New Mexico and I went vegiterian at one and had just a hamburger in the other The Veggies where great but the Hamburger was cremated. Trudy had a Rib Eye in Texas and Baby Back Ribs in New Mexico , Neither where up to eastern standar. Grandy's in El Paso was fine

This morning we are at a Walmart in a very friendly place Deming New Mexico . This seems to be a truck drivers favorite. but there are a few other RVs.

Heading for Tucson today..

[Sandy]

[JE Pettibone]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Again today the wind was problematic. 25 MPH sustained with gust up t0 38, twice it felt as if we had been hit by another vehicle, yet there was no other vehicle closer than 50 yards. We really didn't get very far as both times I pulled in at the next stop to check the vehicles. No marks on either the coach or car.

To night we are in a Home Depot Parking Lot in Casa Grande, Az. We tried the Wal Mart but it is ine of the rare ones that dosent permit over night parking, Customer service at HD said NO Problem but please park well out so as to be out of the way of auto traffic. As soon as the sun started going down it cooled off and we shut down the generator, and turned off the Air conditioning.

Very few RV's on the road today. There seemed to be more Highway Patrol out to day but only saw two that had stopped motorist.

I am not sure what is Happening but about 30 minutes ago there where all sort of vehicles , 6 or 8 with sirens blaring.

One thing I missed Sat. was that at one point just before Tucson we where passed by 15 or 20 Border Patrol trucks that resembled small paddy wagons. they where not in a convoy but in groups of 2 to 4.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: To follow up on yesterdays note about the number of Border patrol trucks we saw heading into Tucson on Saturday, to day just after leaving Phoenix, we where passed by an auto carrier with seven more of the same type vehicles.

Tonight we are finally into California. We woke up this morning to only a pleasant breeze rater than the strong winds I dealt with yesterday. but about 60 miles in two different sections while driving through Indian Reservations where terrible in the slower - right hand lane. Trump needs to have something done about this. and California:roll: We are in a county owned RV park that is quite nice even with a group of local graduating seniors partying near the boat launch across the way from us. The park is on the Colorado river which at this point is the border between Arizona. This evening we ate at a local eatery call Steak and Cakes. Did we like it, well, we plan on going back for breakfast

This evening I called my Aunt who we are on our way to see in Laseurn Vally, and it turns out a cousin and his wife who are from Indiana are at my aunt and uncles house visiting. Aunt Isabelle was relived to know that we have our own bedroom, bathroom and kitchen with us. But the do have plenty of room for us to park in their yard. Trudy and I will be out numbered aunt issey and my uncle Ray, like my cousin Jim and and his wife Sally are Methodist.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: We have been at my aunt and uncles since Thursday. A black Olds followed through the the last three turns and I pulled over to let them buy, it turned out to be my cousin who had been visiting for a few days. They led us to Ray and Issey's gate and jim stopped to guide me through the gate and around the house to the place where ray had talked about having me Park the rig. One side of the circle drive has some low hanging wires. They do have plenty of land but not all of it is firm enough to support our coach.

The six of us sat up discussing family gossip and then due to having hotel reservations in New Mexico on their way back to Indiana Jim and Sally left Friday around noon for their return to Indiana.. My Aunt and Uncle , spent the day regaling Trudy and I with stories of their 72 years of married life, a large part of it was spent in Europe and the U.S. Living in MANY places during Ray's 30 year Military career, be fore moving here to the California dessert 47 years ago. They have 5.5 acres of sand cacti, Joshua trees . Ray has a great garage and work shop, in addition he built a mall cabin that Issey has used as a hobby room.

Neither of them drive any more but they still have an older car and truck that they encourage visitors to use. Yesterday I drove Ray into town to pick up their mail. They have people from the "Community Church" who transport them to Dr. appointments and such. In the Morning, I will go to Church with Ray. My Aunt has developed a serious dislike for any amount of travel, so she and Trudy are going to stay home and watch Ed Young, this surprises me because my Aunt has long displayed a degree of animosity toward the SBC, and has generally preferred "non Denominational churches. This may have to do with Many years of Military Chapels

I will pick up after visiting the Local church where the current preacher has been for 30 Years.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Went to Lucenne Vally Community Churchmwith my Uncle this morning. Not my cup uf tea but interesting. Dress for most was informal. The pastor was the only man in a suit / white linen, most men and some women in blue jeans some other women in skirts and blouses. A couple other men, like Ray and I had on dress slacks with a dress shirt. several cowboy shirts. One woman, probably late 30's with a girl 6 or 7 wore the only dress, a flowered chiffon over an orange bathing suit. The Service started with 45 min of , praise courses with 8 in the choir The Pastor on a String Base, two guitars and two ukulele.

Most appeared to be Caucasian, one Black couple, Several including Ray are part Indian and I am guessing maybe four full-blooded males and maybe 5 women.
there where several children from 3 months to 6 years, most appeared to be mixed races. All in all they where quite welcoming.

The service was an hour and fourty five min including the 45 min sermon which uncle Ray said, was a bit short from this pastor. THE SERMON outline was projected on a large screen. I would visit againbut if I lived in the arerea I would willingly drive 45 min each way to Bartow

[Haruo]

[JE Pettibone]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Glad to see Haruo is checking in on this string of post at least occasionally . Arrived in Las Vegas yesterday set up the rig, went out and picked up a map and other tourist info came back and went to bed.

Yesterday was up and down mountains all day. Thankfully both California and Nevada and have many truck and slow vehicle lane on the steepest and longest upgrades and some long downgrades. We saw both 2200 & 5740 ft elevations. LOTS of up and downs in between. One for lunch at a place with all sorts of per-packaged foods and possibility greatest variety of soft drinks and juices that I have ever seen. No place to sit down so we went back to the coach and watched the parade of trucks RV 4 wheelers coming and going. We joined truck drivers and others feeding scraps of our food to the flock of ravens that shared the dirt Parking lot Speaking of dirt he first thing I have to do today is find a car wash.

We are going to take a buss to the Strip. $5.00 each for an on and off one day (24 hour) pass

[JE Pettibone]

D: Turned out the bus was only $5.00 for the two of us for 24 Hours. The two level buses where clean and offered a comfortable ride. Circus Circus wasn't as exciting as it was 52 years ago,only one 15 minute act each hour.
Food was good and inexpensive. A full meal for each totaled 18.89 for the two of us. Tomorrow we will take a tour to Hover Dam.