Tucson, AZ

We arrived at Voyager RV Resort in Tucson, elevation 2800+ ft., and the first thing we saw was the sign proclaiming that it was voted the best in America.  We checked in and were led to our site which was a back-in spot (have I ever mentioned how much I love pull through sites? 'Cuz I really do!)  and it became clear immediately that this was going to be a very, very tight fit. 

(We've been in tighter spots)

The people on the next site were sitting outside and had to move their truck so we could get in.  The man who led us in was giving Jim directions so I finally sat down with the couple next door and got acquainted and tried not to watch the proceedings until the backing was done.  Then we set up housekeeping for a month in Tucson.

The park really is great. It is exclusively for people over 55.  During "season", there are 300 different activities in which to participate.  We got here on October 8 - a bit early for most things to be going on but we found things to do.  I have been taking a water exercise class.  We went to a baked potato/salad lunch.  We attended a church service followed by a covered dish lunch.  AND here is the biggee!  Jim left one day telling me he was going to watch some pickleball and see what it was all about.  I thought "right, he's going to watch".....when was the last time Jim watched any sporting activity without participating?  Well, he played that Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday, etc.  The next Monday, he bought his own paddle and he is totally hooked.  Now he is wondering how he will cope with leaving here and not being able to play. 

So the couple next to us - the wife is from Scotland- and the couple across from us -the wife is from Germany- have been great.  We have become friends and we all met( on the new deck the couple across the street just had built) for coffee/tea yesterday afternoon.  The German lady, whose name is Angie, by the way, made incredible pastries to go with the tea.  It was great to sit and visit with people who have done so many different things and been so many different places. 

Jim says he could imagine retiring here someday.  Many people have said they get bored in retirement......well.......as someone told me soon after we got here, "If you get bored here, it is because you are boring".   I would love to try out the ceramics class, the ballroom dancing class and the stained glass making class and Jim would play pickleball till he drops.  So we will keep that in mind for the future. 

One of our trips from here was to Tombstone. Tombstone is still a functioning city.  People live and work there.  We visited the site of the Gunfight at the OK Corral.  A small area and the shootout itself lasted about 30 seconds.  Not exactly as depicted in the movies.  Then we went to the Boot Hill cemetery where some of the victims were buried, along with quite a few others.  Sometimes the markers are poetic and some tell a story.  There are many that just say "Unknown".

We visited Old Tucson one Saturday.  It was where MANY old westerns were filmed as well as "newer" films like The Three Amigos and several years of Little House on the Prairie.  In fact, it was built specifically for the purpose of luring film companies to the desert to make movies.  Then we went to the Desert Museum.  Sounds a little weird, but it was great.  Animals, plants, acres of desert life on display.  Speaking of the desert...in its own way, it is really beautiful.  And the mountains, well I never knew I liked mountains so much.  Now I wonder how I went so long without them being around.  They're gorgeous and fascinating.  We also went to the Saguaro National Park in the foothills of the Rincon Mountains.  The park is named for the saguaro cactus.  OK, we didn't do any real hiking there since the brochure mentioned the three kinds of rattlesnakes, mountain lions, bears, and killer bees in residence.  We stopped a few times and walked a short way into the cactus, but didn't go far from the truck. 

Here comes the noon stage.

Hop on the 3:10 to Yuma

The 3 Amigos was filmed here








We met a man here who full-timed in an RV for awhile and, once again, we were able to get helpful advice about living this lifestyle.  I don't remember if I have ever mentioned the type of RV we have.  It is a fifth wheel, Redwood, model 38GK.    We tow it behind a Ford F-350 super duty pickup.
The trailer is 41 feet 5 inches long and looks even bigger when we are hauling it down the road.  It is a residential model----made to be lived in.  We have a full sized fridge rather that one of those RV refrigerators.  I have two large pantries with pull-out shelves and a dishwasher.  We have two TVs inside and one outside.  We have central heat and air as well as a heat pump and a fake fireplace that puts out heat.  The microwave oven is also a convection oven and I am learning to cook with the convection.  We got a Dish Tailgater so we have satellite TV everywhere we go.  So we are not exactly roughing it. Right now we are sitting in our recliners watching a movie after having dinner at the park's restaurant. 
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Jane is the one wearing the yellow shirt (doing her cactus imitation) at the national park.

They call this the cactus forest.







We leave Thursday for the long trip back to Texas (briefly) and then on to Arkansas for Thanksgiving.  Brian is taking a vacation with friends for Thanksgiving then coming to Florida to spend Christmas with us.  It can get cold here in the desert and we are looking forward to the warmth of the gulf shore of Florida.