Day 50, Friday February 26

Our Orange Tree

I’m really bummed.  Today was the day we were going to the Fountain Hills Arts Fair.  It’s an annual 3-day juried art fair that hosts over 500 artists from around the world.  Sounds a lot like the Bellevue fair.  I’ve had a sore throat for 2 days now, but last night it kept me awake.  Decided the best way to get rid of it was to lay low.  Dave went to the driving range and I just hung out at the coach.  Put some soup in the crockpot and took a nap.  Nothing too exciting.  Hopefully I feel better on Sunday and we can catch the last day of the fair.

Resident Bunny

Favorite Morning Sunny Spot

 Day 51, Saturday February 27

We were both supposed to golf with the Rodewald group today, but I had to cancel.  Had another rough night of sore throat, so not getting much sleep.  Hope this is just a cold.  Drinking lots of hot tea and that feels good on my throat.  Dave left for golf at Falcon!

Day 52, Sunday February 28


Still not feeling 100%, but really wanted to see the Art Fair at Fountain Hills and this was the last day.  My sore throat was gone and my nose wasn't running (yet).  Sunday traffic was light and it only took us about 45 minutes to get to Fountain Hills.  We expected to see signs for designated parking areas, but not so.  It was all street parking, so we searched.  Once parked, we followed the crowds to the white tents lining the lake.  Much like the Bellevue fair, there were vendors on either end of the show that were not juried.  I must say, the juried show was excellent.  It's a different style of art here.  Lots of Southwest and Indian influence.  Saw lots of beautiful painting, photographs, metalwork, pottery and jewelry.  Loved the photographs of the deserts, red rock formations and sunsets.  It was really a very hot day, and after walking on the asphalt for a couple hours I was beginning to wilt.  We found shade where we could and stopped for a cold drink and some rest.  I think we made it through most all of the show, but the hurried past the last few vendors as the heat and my cold were really wearing me down....besides, my nose was starting to run.

Trilogy is building a new community just north of Fountain Hills and east of Scottsdale called Trilogy at Verde River.  We decided to go home this route so we could check it out.  The development will consist of 1000 homes and a golf course.  The golf course is open and they've sold 50 homes so far, expecting their first residents in June or July.  It's a pretty setting on a ridge above the Verde River with the Tonto National Forest in the background.  We decided at the last minute to stop and walk through the models.  They offer floorplans from 1371 sq ft. to 3287 sq ft.  Even the smallest model seemed spacious with the full wall of sliding doors that open onto a patio.  That really expands your living space (at least in Arizona you can use the space more than 3 months out of the year).  A couple of the models offered optional rooftop patios.  One floor plan was very much like one of the newest models they built at home with the patio sitting area in front of an outdoor fireplace.  It's a nice area, but right now there's no shopping and the closest store is in Fountain Hills.  There are other 55+ developments out that way, but probably not enough residents to support shopping (yet). 

http://www.trilogylife.com/communities/arizona/verde-river/







Exhausted, we made a beeline for home, after an emergency stop for more Kleenex.


Day 53, Monday February 29

Think I overdid it yesterday.  Feeling poorly today and didn't sleep.  Dave is feeling fine, but has been sleeping on the couch as my snoring and wheezing keeps him awake.  Cassey doesn't seem to have a problem with the noise as she has been sleeping as close to me as she can.  

Dave has been exploring the different driving ranges in the area, so went to Sun City South for the morning (how someone can spend over 3 hours at the driving range amazes me).  I took it easy, trying to recoup.  Dave called me before he came home to see if I needed anything.  I told him the only thing I could think of was a new nose and a chocolate shake.


Day 54, Tuesday March 1

Told Dave to go golfing.  I wasn't leaving the coach today.  Feeling better, but not well enough to go out adventuring.  I had plenty to keep me busy while he was gone.  Did I tell you that I brought my sewing machine and whatever supplies I could cram in a plastic tub?  It all fits neatly under the bed.  Thought I'd have had a chance to do some sewing by now, but we've been too darned busy!  Cut out 3 birds, and decided as long as I had the time, I'd sew them by hand rather than drag out my heavy sewing machine.  Once that was done, the temp got warmer and I got sleepier.  Thought I'd lay down for a nap, but about the time I got to sleep, Dave called to tell me he was on his way home.

My birds I brought from home for my bathroom

Dave golfed at Grand Canyon University Golf Course.  It's a city course that is managed by the University and has recently reopened after a $10 million renovation.  The renovation changed the look with new tee boxes, elevated greens surrounded by multiple bunkers, undulations in the fairways and lots of grass.  This is not a traditional Arizona desert course.  No sand off the fairways and no cactus...just grass and mature trees.  The Grand Canyon University Course serves as a hands-on learning environment for students studying in the hospitality and golf management programs.  It's also home to the Universities men's and women's golf teams.  Dave really liked it, but said I probably wouldn't have due to all the bunkers in front of the greens.



Think I'm finally on the downhill side of this cold.  Feeling well enough to go over to the El Mirage grill at the golf course for dinner.  They really cater to the retirement community that surrounds the course.  Dinner was reasonable, good wine was $4 and Dave splurged on a peach cobbler with ice cream and it was only $2.99!  

Day 55, Wednesday March 2

Today was a drive out to Apache Junction to visit our friends and ex-neighbors at Trilogy, Larry and Ruth Magnan.  They too are travelling in a motorhome and are staying in an RV park in Apache Junction.  It took us about an hour to drive there and we had time to visit with them in their coach before heading out to lunch.  Our lunch excursion today was to an old west building called The Mining Camp Restaurant.  It's a good thing Larry and Ruth had been here before, because this place is on an obscure side road we wouldn't have found on our own.  The restaurant sits at the base of the beautiful Superstition Mountains and Larry said they found this restaurant while they were heading out to explore the mountains.  We had a wonderful lunch.  Most everything in the restaurant was home made including their sandwich buns and desserts.  We had plenty of time to compare motorhoming stories, destination recommendations, travel routes and places to stay (or not).  Hope we can catch up with Larry and Ruth somewhere on the road or plan a future trip together.  Had a really nice visit.

Part of our travel adventure includes checking out RV parks that we might want to frequent in the future.  In the Apache Junction area, we had 2, 55+ to explore:  Cal Am's Superstition Views and Roberts Resorts Gold Canyon.  We headed south of Apache Junction to Gold Canyon.  Both RV Resorts are back-to-back.  Superstition Views was by far our favorite.  It has a unique RV experience with customized casitas paired with a full garage or carport for your RV.  They offer 10 different floor plans from 618-800 sq ft.......and you have a whole other apartment in your carport/garage.  The carports are large enough, and the support posts positioned strategically so you can open the slides on your RV while it's parked.  Included is full RV hookups for water, electric and sewer.  Quite a cute village.  Of course, they also had a regular park for RVs and park models that was also very nice.

The other resort, Gold Canyon, we didn't like.  It was 95% park models and we were hard pressed to locate many RVs.  There was a nine hole Par-3 executive golf course throughout the center of the park, but so close to the homes that we agreed we'd be afraid to play there.

A little out of the way, but on our list, was a visit to Eagle View RV Resort at Fort McDowell, east of Scottsdale.  It's located on the Yavapai Indian reservation, just across the highway from Fort McDowell Casino and We-Ko-Pa Resort/Golf.  It's a very peaceful, quiet setting above the river and the RV resort was nice.  We decided it would be a good place to stay if wanting to spend time at the casino....'cause there's nothing else out there.

Home for BBQ.


Day 56, Thursday March 3


Baseball day!  Our first Cactus League Spring Training game.  Because we don't follow any particular team (sorry, Mariners), we decided our ball game strategy would be to explore some of the many ball parks.  We've been to Salt River Fields and Peoria, so decided to go Glendale...home of the Dodgers and WhiteSox.  Dodgers were playing the WhiteSox in their opening game at 1:00.  It was hot!  A record 90.  We got good seats on 3rd base and lasted about 6 innings before we went looking for shade.  Stood up on the back of the stadium and had frozen yogurt.  Got cooled off and for the last couple innings, sat on the outfield lawn.  Dodgers won 6-1.

Experimented on a new place for dinner on the way home.  The Cabin Whiskey and Grill.  Cute cabin theme with stacks of wood as section dividers and barn wood on the walls.   It's located on Northern just west of 101W.  They had a huge patio with a bar, but we elected to sit just inside the open patio doors.  Discovered that the patio is were the smokers congregate.  The smoke just blew right in the doors at us (I read a review of this restaurant afterward that said the nonsmoking section in this restaurant is like the non-peeing section in a pool).  We moved.  We had good service, good food and great happy hour prices:  Apps $5 (or less), Wine $3, Beer $2.

Today we made the second change to our reservation here at Pueblo El Mirage.  A week ago, we extended 2 extra days so we could take advantage of the weekly rate rather than the daily rate:  $6.30 for 2 extra days.  At that time, they told us that our space was not due to be occupied again until 3/13.  We kept looking at the weather enroute home and decided the longer we can stay south, the better.  Today we extended our stay until Sunday, 3/13.  Then we have to leave.  Right now it looks like we're going to head northeast toward Monument Valley and Moab.  It's not warm and toasty there, but not freezing either.  No matter which way we go, we're going to be out of this warm, shorts and tee shirts weather.  It's raining like crazy going west toward the coast.  Oh well, back to reality.

Day 57, Friday March 4

Today is catch up on chores and computer stuff.....that's why you're getting this long overdue blog!