RVs on the move

Main entrance VDO - Snowbirds on the move

The last weekend of October, and it really is one after the other. Today alone (Oct. 31), 39 RVs that look like what you see here will arrive at VDO - most of them will spend the winter.

Valle del Oro in East Mesa is a small city on its own with close to 1,800 sites, most of which are permanent park models, which don't come and go with the seasons. Exact figures are a little hard to know, but in most RV parks in this area, the ratio is close to 80 percent park models, 20 percent RVs. The days of RVs in these parks are numbered as park operators continue to aggressively market their park models, which keep the rent coming in 12 months of the year.

Baby Boomers are the new retirees, and there are plenty of them looking for winter relief from weary winters, and park models are proving popular with them. A new park model with an added Arizona Room and carport runs about $80,000 U.S., and you get three years free rent (worth about $18,000). You see the attraction.

VDO have NO spring vacancies, and the waiting list for RV sites is a long one (over 80 as of Friday). Truth is, most people won't ask to join a list of this length, what's the point! The park is full.

Short lesson: if you haven't already figured this out, think hard before you invest big bucks in an RV, unless you know for certain where you're heading will have space for you. Especially true if your travel takes you South for the winter.

From about $62,000 with Arizona Room

Welcome Home AZ 2015

My friend, Joe Szegeti and his wife Julie Bach, have just returned from a motorcycle ride that took him and about 70 other Kingston riders from Calgary, AB, to Tombstone, AZ in September 2015. I gave Joe some postcards to mail back over their trip, which he did, and I so enjoyed the adventure that I've decided to share my Arizona adventures with him, and all those who follow this blog.

It's raining tonight in Mesa, and I'm watching one of my favorite TV channels, PBS (there are no commercials). I'm tired from a day in the sun, and PBS is just fine. I am not at the Halloween dance, which is what happens when Judy is not here. Dances are out. My choice.

Watching a restaurant review show on PBS, I have tuned in on a restaurant, Aloha Kitchen here in Mesa, which I want to visit with my friends, Lee and Colleen Loveridge.

Lee and Coleen live here in Valle del Oro (during the winter months), and we've been friends forever. They are from White Rock, B.C.

They owned a place in Hawaii, which we visited, and Aloha Kitchen sounds like a step back to those good old days in Hawaii. If it wasn't for PBS, how would I know about this place?

This is day three on return to Mesa. It was all about scrubbing down the 5th Wheel, and setting up for the winter. Washing a 5th Wheel is like bathing an elephant. You can hire out the work, or do it yourself. I enjoy the experience, so I start at the top, and work myself down. It was partly overcast earlier, and there was no wind, perfect day for this job. $200 saved. And, I've got a good idea how the skin on this rig is faring, and what if anything needs to be done.

The 5th Wheel lives here in AZ, and spends about six months each year under covered storage. Aside from dust, it is protected from the most damaging elements of heat and sun over the extremely hot summer months. Since we don't own a truck, we depend on Harvey to get it back and forth from storage. Easy enough, and Harvey knows how to back a trailer.

This is day three, and yesterday was about setting up, and watching the World Series. It was also about stocking up on cheap California wine, and a visit to AJ's for lunch. Since I'm mostly into health foods, I settled on a brat with sauerkraut, chips (the bag type) and another side, which I can't remember. I also secured Mexican meatballs soup and sourdough bread for later. Since Judy will follow later in the month, this is my opportunity to lose some weight and gain some control over what I eat.

The days of driving to Arizona are behind us, so Air Canada got me here on Tuesday. It was a great trip: Kingston - Toronto - Phoenix. Got up at 4 am (Kingston time), and arrived here in Phoenix around 10 am (in October there is a three hour time difference). Lee picked me up from the airport, and I took him to Paradise for lunch. The weather was wonderful and warm, approaching 90 F, time for shorts and a T-shirt.

New Years Eve Valle del Oro

Thanks to our friend David Park, we have some images of the NYs party at VDO to share. Given the evening, things go upscale for this event. Tickets were $38, which included the dinner and dancing. It was a BYOB event. The theme for the evening was Shanghai Moon. Over 500 people attended.

Town Hall Meeting

If Valle del Oro wasn't an RV Resort, it would be a small town. There are more than 1,800 sites, probably 3,000 people.

How to keep the communications lines open? VDO management solves it in many ways, including a Tuesday morning sit-down or Pow Wow.

Coffee and doughnuts is provided. Information is shared, management is on-hand, and available to answer questions.  The meeting starts at 8:30 and is over by 9 - 9:15, so it doesn't take long, but it helps folks stay connected. Take a look at the attendance, people get up early for this.

Interesting Link: Top Five Spots for Your RV in North America

Welcome Back to VDO

Reminder to Cam: next time bring your camera.

VDO's Welcome Back Party was yesterday, and it was totally over the top. Attendance was just short of 1,700 people.

Valle del Oro is a sizable community. There are more than 1,800 sites, the outside perimeter is over two miles. With probably 3,000 residents, it is a small town on its own.

The Welcome Back Party involves dinner, dancing, drinking, and meeting old friends. There was a Western Theme, complete with props that amaze. Some people dress the part. There were three live bands. Activities started at 4 pm, we were home tired and danced-out by 8:30. The difference between young and old - seniors start earlier and end earlier.

The Welcome Back Party is a management sponsored event - NO CHARGE for anything, food drink, dancing, you name it. Imagine inviting 1,500 people to your place for dinner and dancing!

Two things I learned yesterday: learning to line dance is no longer an option; and, the crowd at VDO is definitely looking younger. As anticipated, The Boomers are arriving in earnest. The park is full each winter, and this is not likely to change anytime soon. If you're coming, reserve early.