Week 807-808 - Bobby the Fruit Flyer - 02-06-2022

Bobby the Fruit Flier

During our travels there are many folks we see over and over. One of them is our cousin Bobby. So it was no surprise when Bobby said he was flying to Casa Grande for a visit. He has been a pilot since his teenage years, so flying in was a given.

His flight from the Phoenix area is about 30 minutes. We headed to the Casa Grande Municipal Airport. Ellen goes in the lobby to see if Bobby is here. Nope, not inside.

Exiting to the back, we continue looking. No one in that plane, and the copter belongs to the military men we saw in the lobby.

Ooh, maybe that's him. No, it never landed. How about the twin engine craft; not it either.

Wait a minute. Here's a 1978 Grumman Cheetah AA-5A, this looks promising.
Ellen checks it out. It's Bobby!

And what's this? 20 pounds of freshly picked backyard grapefruit, oranges and lemons. Everyone enjoys a Farmer's Market. We enjoy the Flier's Market.

Bobby has been "our pilot" since 1974 on our Honeymoon. He was 19 and had flown thousands of hours. His aircraft was the Beechcraft B23 Sun Downer. We lifted off on a beautiful Arizona sunny day. Quickly the weather turned and we were blown around by stiff winds. We landed at a different airport to wait out the wind. Prior to cell phones, Bobby's dad, our Uncle Chuck, had to anxiously wait for news. Finally we took off and again fought raging winds. On final approach our plane was cattywampus. The plane was pointing quite to the left. Pete, looking out the right side window, had a straight view of the runway. Pete was thinking, "I just married the most beautiful girl in the world and now I'm going to die!" Bobby, calm and under full control, landed us safely, as he knew he would. That's a great and true story.

Bobby became a commercial airline pilot for 33 years. As anyone who knows Bobby, knows he can also tell a good story, like these.

"Remember when you visited us in Feb 2007 with my brother Dennis, Kerry and Mom? And we went to lunch". Or in Mar 2007, when we visited Uncle Bob and Aunt Glenda at their home in Glendora, California?

How about in 2007 when we all had BBQ'd chicken at Donny's house?
Or when you had a meal with my brothers in Arizona, while I did a fly over?

This was fun. You went to the Maui Marriott in Oct 2009 and there I was, with Barb!
Then in Feb 2010, here we are at the restaurant. Do you see an eating theme here?

Jan 2013 at Macayo's Mexican restaurant in Goodyear, Arizona.
Do you recall the Guinevere and Urundi wedding in Calabasas, California in Aug 2013?

And what a wonderful Oct 2013 trip to Kauai with Pete and his wife Ellen Horn!

In Sep 2016 we loved our family reunion at Art's house in Jolon, California. Anytime we can get over 100 family members together, "I'll be there".
Thanksgiving Nov 2017 at Bob and Barb's house is always fun.

Back to California in Aug 2020, we enjoyed celebrating Uncle Ron's 90th birthday. As a pilot, Ron did, and we do ask that "God Bless America"

We discovered all these visits with Bob and Barb as we searched our BigRigBible.com website for a few photos. Bobby, like his dad, our Uncle Chuck, is always ready to visit family. We are blessed to be able to meet up so often.

After a great visit and a meal, it is time for Bobby to go. He slides back the cockpit cover and climbs in.

Alone and fruitless, the Fruit Flier Express heads home. Thank you, Captain Bob.

Meanwhile, we enjoy the fruits of his labor and the gorgeous Arizona sunset.

With love, Pete, Ellen and Mandy

Photos from Feb 2022