Arizona for the Winter - Thru March 27

We arrived here at Voyager RV Resort in Tucson on October 27th where we will reside through March, 2015.  We will fly to Indiana for Thanksgiving week to visit sons and grandchildren and share Thanksgiving. 

Voyager RV Resort is a large, (1600 sites) 55 & over community with over 500 RV sites, plus Park model homes, and Bay homes. We have lots of amenities and things to do. I am already involved with the shuffleboard club and current affairs discussion group. June has begun rehearsal with the Chapel choir, a show choir, and a barbershop chorus. She is also line dancing a couple days/week.  Voyager also has plenty other clubs/opportunities. A wood shop, rock shop, craft rooms, sewing, quilting, glass shops, ceramics, dance clubs, and more.  We have tennis courts, pickle ball, shuffleboard, three swimming pools(one indoors), a large hot tub, sauna, nine-hole par three golf course.  Additionally, we have a really good restaurant, bar, clinic, beauty-barbershop.  All in all, we really like it here - not to mention that it's Arizona with mountains, plenty of trails, National Parks, and great weather. 

Upon arrival we were greeted by this sign. Check in was just as friendly

This is a great exercise room.... Haven't seen any activity here yet.

Can't wait to get in the tub

Shuffleboard has begun. I've signed up for the Nov 17-20 tournament

The restaurant/bar has really good food.

Home

Saguaro National Park is 8 miles from Voyager.  Plenty of other exploring to do.

Having a great time and look forward to the months ahead. Terry & June

October 23

We are now in Huachuca City, AZ and will be here until October 27 when we head to Tucson (60 miles) Voyager RV Resort, where we will be thru March.  The first thing here in Huachuca City was the Arizona Chapter,  Heartland Owners Club Rally thru Sunday.  We had 16 Rigs attending, mostly from Arizona but we did have a couple Colorado members and a California member.  Rallies are fun times gathering with other Heartland owners, socializing, eating, and seeing the local sites.  This is a great chapter and we've made new friends every time we attend a Rally.

Some of the rally attendees swapping stories.

Beautiful sunset here in Arizona


 

Garry Gilbert, Arizona Chapter Leader preparing us for the door prize drawings

One of the area highlights is Tombstone, Arizona - about 12 miles from the RV park.  During our stay Tombstone was celebrating their annual Helldorado Days.  Locals dress in period costumes and stroll around town just like it was in the day.

 

The Erps strolling town to kleep the peace



Wyatt shooting down at the OK Corral



And entertainment in the street all day.

We had a good time in Tombstone. Lunch at the Longhorn Saloon where we ordered the special of the day, which for me was a steak sandwich and June ordered the shrimp basket.  After or order was placed, the waitress informed us along with the meal we got a pink T-shirt promoting breast cancer awareness. A nice gesture.


One day after the Rally, June and I visited the Coronado National Memorial located South of the RV park about 20 miles on the Mexico border.  During the 1500's Coronado and his band of nearly 1500 marched thru the area during the exploration of the time. 

 

Being on the border signs like this remind all to be aware of your surroundings

 

The eye in the sky - Border Patrol Blimp could be seen frequently. Basically a communications antenna so agents radio signals are not blocked by the mountains.

 

 

We talked with this young man on the Coronado peak. Turns out he was raised in the area and is a local Firefighter.  He patrolled the terrain on this bike looking for hot spots left by illegal immigrants.  Seems they cross the border at night and don't put out their camp fires.

 

This is the road we took to get to the top of Coronado Peak.

 

The black line is an Arizona/Mexico border fence

 

Another interesting site was the town of Bisbee, Arizona. A town just a few miles form the border and known as the oldest, authentic western town. Their claim to fame is the open pit copper mine that was once a huge operation here. Called the Lavender Pit in honor of Harrison Lavender, an executive with the Phelps Dodge Mining operation.

 

Part of Old Town Bisbee

 

 

We'll be off to The Voyager RV Resort on Monday, October 27 where we'll spend the winter. Voyager is a large resort with over 1500 sites, about 550 RV sites and the rest Park models and manufactured homes. Voyager has lots to do and we look forward to getting involved.  I'm already on a shuffleboard team and signed up for a tournament in mid November.  Stay tuned.

 

October 14 - Arizona

After Vegas we stopped for a few days at Prescott Valley, AZ. Arizona, like so many other Western States, has its' own character. It's pretty here.  18 miles from our campground is the old Copper Mining town of Jerome. Population today is about 450, but at its peak, about 15,000 miners lived here mining and raising hell. Seems that the town of Jerome was a pretty lawless place, but when the copper mining stopped, most left.  The town today is listed on the Historic Town register.

Jerome, AZ streets are very narrow.  Several turns can only handle one vehicle at a time.

The view from Jerome looking down to the Valley below. The town of Cottonwood at the bottom.

Remains of one of the Copper Mine sites

Steps from one street to the next, as the town is built on the mountainside.

This double rainbow from our site in Prescott Valley.

As I write this, we are in Lost Dutchman State Park, near Apache Junction, AZ.  We're about 40 miles from the Phoenix airport - we know because yesterday we drove to the Arizona State Fair, which was advertised starting October 10th thru November 2nd.  So, we're here and decided to pay a visit.  40 miles later we arrive and all the gates are closed.  No fair Monday or Tuesday - Closed - Doh! ..... Back to Apache Junction for dinner at The Hitchin Post Restaurant.

We rely on the GPS to get us where we want to go.  Today, we were directed to turn onto Mountainview Road.  About a mile down the road, pavement disappeared and we're on a dirt road, going down hill where ruts are in the road due to the recent rains.  This lasted about 2 miles and we were back on pavement. 

The Saguaro cactus are everywhere around this part of the State.

Our camp site looking at Superstition Mountains

Saguaro Cactus - These things get really big

Temperature today about 90, with 5% humidity

Today, Oct. 14, we took a drive on Rt. 88 which goes from Apache Junction to Roosevelt Lake.  It's a gorgeous drive - narrow, winding mountain road. Bumpy in most places, 10 mph curves.  We stopped  to visit a place I've heard of in movies, Tortilla Flat.  Restaurant, Museum, and a gift shop.  A couple miles beyond, the road became gravel, then one lane. It was there we turned back to the State Park.  Beautiful ride...

Tortilla Flat

 

Rt 88 - Tortilla Flats; This is the whole town.

Road Views - Rt 88 to Tortilla Flat

 

 

From here we head South to Huachuca City, AZ where we are attending another Heartland Owners Club Rally. This is the Arizona Chapter first Rally and we have about 20 rigs signed up. After the Arizona Rally, we head to Elephant Butte, NM for a New Mexico Chapter Campout - Looking forward to that one as well.   Check back for updates......