A cruise ship in the desert

We're finally in our temporary new home, Gold Canyon RV & Golf Resort just south of Apache Junction, darn near under the Superstition Mountains. We're surrounded by permanently placed park model trailers, most with sun porch and carport. Makes our rig look embarrassingly temporary. Well, we are. Actually, there are many motor homes and 5th wheels spread out throughout the resort and the permanent residents seem delighted to welcome new faces.

At the Friday Morning Buzz, a regularly scheduled coffee clatch, the hostess (!) assured us that the staff was committed to make this park a cruise ship in the desert. It is a darn nice place, though it really doesn't get going 'til the first of November. Now I'm going to pull a dirty trick: instead of downloading a bunch of pictures, I'm just going to send you here........ http://www.robertsresorts.com/
.......... They do it so much better. If the website looks awfully glossy and professional, well so does the resort, at a very reasonable price, at least for our situation. Did I mention that they seem to want to make sure there is always an available activity going on, from pool (billiards, usually a bizarre variation of 8-ball on 8 beautifully maintained 9 foot tables), pool (swimming, mornings devoted to water aerobics), golf (A ring-shaped par 3 around the clubhouse. What it lacks in yardage, it more than makes up for in devilishness), pickle ball (apparently a cross between ping-pong and tennis) and fairly frequent pot-lucks and holiday parties.

We received a call from the lady who sold us our 5th wheel, Sheila Bima. Months later, and the lady wants to know how the trailer is treating us! Sheila, General RV of Wixom has done very well by us. From a very reasonable price for a beautiful used Cougar in excellent condition to a very informative and necessary 5-hour class in trailer essentials. 12,000 miles later we still appreciate that information.

October 21, 2012 on Site 441 in Gold Canyon RV and Golf Resort near Apache Junction and Pheonix, Az.

I've clean forgotten to fill in on the leadup to Gold Canyon. On the way south from the Grand Canyon we spent a few days near Sedona at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. One grows up with the impression that it never rains in the desert. Not precisely true. Liz surprised me with a four wheel ATV guided trip in the National Forest (well, that's what they call it) . So of course it rained. Our cute-as-a-button guide, Audrey, kept referring to the summer monsoons. It's just so hard for a Michigan boy to take seriously the concept of a monsoon in an area that  has 10-12 inches of rainfall a year.

ATV in Sedona

Double Rainbows over the Desert

 

Can you see how cold Liz feels? Many tourist couples under-estimate cold in higher elevated Sedona.  

We also paid a visit to the little copper mining town of Jerome. There's a huge pit mine and then a little town built into the mountain, pretty much right to the top. Jerome's heyday was from the late 1880's to a peak in the 1920's and a total collapse when the mine closed in 1953.  Now, it depends almost entirely on tourists, though several artists and photographers also make it their home. Every now and then you've just got to visit a tourist trap.

Jail in Jerome

For some reason, I didn't get many good pictures of Jerome. Not to worry, the internet once again to the rescue.   http://www.jeromechamber.com/index.htm

Liz here.
We met my friend, Erin O'Connell, a relocated realtor from Hell, Mi. for Thai food after our ATV tour. Erin was a fashion model and as such she was the Frigidaire Lady and the Delco Lady. She has a master in English from Wayne State. Her daughter Jody Fodor authored "SAT Word Slam" for all of you prepping for the SAT to get into college. Check it out here............. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMDuYcGY__s