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Bruce was still on contract with Orbital Sciences Corp (OSC), but the program he should have transitioned from ran behind schedule and he could not start on his next expected project until the first one finished. After it did, there was no long-term work at OSC in Virginia. 

Bruce found tasks to work on, but not a project. After more than 2 months looking for something else, including outside OSC, the department director, Steve Farrell, offered Bruce some work that would have to be done in the Chandler, Arizona facility where the Launch Systems Group (LSG) was located. We were nearing the time when we'd need a new au pair, and that always required presence of the whole family. But we needed income. So after a long deliberation and barely getting to know the new au pair, Bruce took the gig with terms that included all accommodations, food, and transportation while there and one flight home each month. It was expected to be a 3-month effort. Bruce completed the original task in 3 weeks.

So they kept him around a bit longer, getting him involved more involved in reviewing and testing software others were writing and learning their process. Much of what he learned would transfer back to Virginia. While there, the software department director, Tod Bjerke, approached Bruce to ask why he didn't already work for OSC. Within minutes, Bruce was hired as a direct employee, a transition that did not happen while he was still in Arizona.

But while he was there, it was Fall and Winter, a much better time to be there than in chilly, snowy Virginia. So the whole family went out to visit. They all drove to Sonoma and tried a "Pink Jeep Tour" and also did more touristy things around Phoenix.

Gary Kunkel's brother, Jeff, lived and still lives in Chandler. So at another time, Gary flew out for a visit and we all got together. Gary did his own touring, and I am happy to be sharing his photos here with ours.