Time to Go

Bob and I have spent the last few weeks readying ourselves for closing up the park model and getting back on the road. We left earlier last year so we missed the change in the park. On April 1st hundreds of people left for their homes up north. All activities stop (a very few continue until as late as April 15,) and only the pool and fitness center remain open. Canadians can only stay out of country for six months a year before losing their health insurance, and many in our park hail from Canada.  But even most of the Americans left as well. It was ironic to us that these people had experienced an unusually cool winter here in Arizona only to leave the now-warm weather and return to areas that were still snowy. Here in Mesa the temperatures had turned warm and the blue skies beckoned, with soft breezes and air perfumed with the scent of blossoming plants. It is a beautiful time of year.

Bob had his final post surgical eye appointment as well as his follow-up with the vascular doctor, and was deemed fully recovered in both areas. So we were cleared to travel. This year we brought the motorhome, out of storage and back to the park for loading, six days before leaving. I figure it took us 26 person-hours to ready the rig and to move everything from the park model to the motorhome. It was so nice after 3 or 4 hours to listen to our aching backs and say that’s enough for the day.

Monday morning we got up and gathered up all out bits and bobs for the final push. Everything went smoothly except I was unable to locate our Verizon Hotspot to give us internet access. Now where did I put that last fall?? A search of the house and the rig turned up empty. Rats! It looks like we’ll be getting a new one.

 I took a picture of the kitchen (as promised) with the newly shortened kitchen cart, just before leaving.

By 11:30 we were on our way to Tucson and enjoyed the sight of blooming plants along the way.

We arrived safe and sound by 2:00, with a brief pause along the way for lunch. We have decided to make stops regularly so as to avoid blood clots in the future. A good thing.

We have settle into our site and are enjoying a lovely visit with our friends Chuck and Linda. On Wednesday we head to Deming, NM, and our first of three time changes in our journey East.