Yet another night at La Mesa RV

Well we finally got custody of the new RV. Our walk through went well and because we are familiar with most of the systems already it only took an hour and a half instead of the two that were scheduled. So at 2:30 we started moving everything from the old rig to the new one. Our goal was not to spend another night on their parking lot. As long as we could get everything transferred from the old to the new by 6:00 pm we were free to leave, however, after 6:00 the gate is locked and you are there until morning. We didn’t make it by 6:00 pm so we spent another night at La Mesa RV.

This morning we took our time getting ready to leave and spend time visiting with some of the other people that had spent the night there as well. One couple has been there for eight days now; they are waiting for a part on their coach. I say coach instead of rig or RV because we are talking about some very expensive motor homes.

We want to stay in the Tucson area for a couple of days until we are comfortable with the RV and know that everything is working as it is supposed to. So we moved a short distance to Ricon East RV Resort. Last week we were staying at their sister resort , Ricon West. We spent the remainder of the day rearranging things from yesterday and then hit the hot tub and pool before supper. 

If the weather doesn’t change soon in Minnesota we may never make it home. We keep expecting to hear that spring has sprung but it sounds like it may be a spring less year and jump right into summer.   

                                                                          The new ride

 

                                                    Left side showing front room slide out

                                                Right side showing the bedroom slide out

                                                                  Inside looking to the rear

                                                                  Inside looking forward

                                                   So much more comfort then what we had

                                                               Sofa sleeper and dinette

                                                                   View from bedroom

                                                      Actually a large bathroom for a RV

                                                                      Bathroom sink

                                                                          Large shower

                                                             Nice bedroom, bad picture

                                                        Bedroom TV and vanity area

                                                                 Ricon East RV Resort
                                                                                                                                                                      

Parking Lot Camping

Our second night camping (?) parked is more correct, at La Mesa RV in Tucson. The RV we are trying to trade for will not be ready until 1:00 tomorrow afternoon. This place is so busy this time of the year that it’s hard to keep track of what they are doing. Motor homes and trailers are being moved in and out of the service bays, washing bays, detailing bays all day long. People from out of town like us waiting on their new units, or service on their old ones, are allowed to park overnight in an area of their lot that has water and electric hookups. The best thing about it is that there is no charge and as a bonus they have a free lunch everyday served in their cafeteria.  Tomorrow’s appointment will take two hours. This time is spent going through everything on the unit, after this they will put the new unit up next to ours and we will transfer all our things to the new one. We will be allowed to spend tomorrow night here as well if we like, however, we are thinking of going back out to the desert, much nicer than sitting in the parking lot here.

It’s been pretty boring watching all the activity around here the last couple of days so today we went and got haircuts, walked around the Mall, then came back here for our free lunch, then we drove to Desert Diamond Casino. Chris went in with $24 and game out with $35, I went in with $20 and came out with a cup of coffee (it was free).

Tucson Day 5

Today will be our last full day at Ricon West Resort. We hate to leave; one could really be spoiled by this lifestyle. We now know what the snowbirds KNOW. We have enjoyed Tucson and even though we are leaving the resort here we are staying in Tucson for a couple more days. We plan to move out to the desert and camp at Gilbert Ray Campground; it’s a beautiful park in the desert on the west side of town. It has great views of the Tucson Mountains on the east and vast desert to the south, west and north.

One of our goals for this trip, besides getting away from the Minnesota winter was to look at RV’s. While we have been very happy with what we have we have always wanted something with a little more room. Since used RV’s are numerous in this area we have been spending time looking around. We found a nice used RV that has everything we have been looking for. It is two years newer and 15,000 fewer miles. We should find out Monday or Tuesday if everything is a go or not on the swap.

Normally I have really good birthdays. Every once in a while I get a not so good one and it looks like today may go down in the not so good category. Chris has been down all day with either stomach flu or something she ate did not agree with her. I started the day at the store buying Popsicles, crackers, and chicken noodle soup. By late morning she was feeling a little better but was awful tired so we turned the air conditioner on and closed everything up and she went down for a long nap. I decided I would head over to the pool but I thought I would sit in the hot tube first. After sitting there for two or three minutes wondering why the hot tub wasn’t responding  to the on switch I got up and out of the tub to try the switch again and it was then I felt something in the pocket of my swim trunks, my cell phone. I really don’t consider myself stupid so I’m calling this one an age thing, after all I did become a year older today. I did open it up immediately and dried what I could; I removed the battery, Sim card and memory card and laid everything out in the sun. When I got back to the RV I went online and found that the chances are not real good for a recovery.  Perhaps a new phone for a birthday present, funny how things work sometimes. 

Chris checked out the Library yesterday

Anyone for a puzzle

Tucson Day 3

We decided that today was the day we would wash the RV, it was covered in sand and dust from all of the wind in New Mexico and our drive down the dirt road to Hidden Valley Ranch last week.  It was a lot of work but it sure makes a big difference.

I can’t believe that at the age of 64 I am stupid enough to get a sunburn, I religiously use sunscreen on my face and neck but today I totally spaced out the rest of me, so no more pool time for me for a while. On the other hand Richard is banned from the sun for a while as he is suffering with his own sunburn

This afternoon we took a trip to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. This is a world famous living museum containing animals and plants native to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Gulf of California region. After the Museum we took a ride through the beautiful Saguaro National Park West.  The desert is just beginning to bloom here because of a very unseasonably cold winter and everywhere you look is a picture opportunity.  

After a good cleaning

Mountain lion

Black bears aren't always black

Blue Heron

Snakes of the desert

Huge spider

Desert rocks

Desert views