YUMA, A QUICK INTRO TO MESA, AND VALLE DEL ORO

February – March, 2019

Pulling out of San Diego and sticking with our 250 miles or so travel day limit we reserved a campsite in Yuma, Arizona on our way to Mesa.  Driving on US Highway 8 should have made this an easy trip even with the two 4000+ foot peaks to cross before finding flatness in far southeastern California and far southwestern Arizona.  But, it rained off and on in San Diego for the 24 hours prior to our scheduled departure, and that converted to enough SNOW in the San Jacinto Mountain Range to actually close parts of US Highway 8.  We were not to be deterred though.

Looking at the map for alternative routes we found California Highway 94.  It looked like the roadway should skirt south of the mountains and stay in the foothills until connecting with US Highway 8 on the eastern side of the highest peaks.  So good so far.  Brian figured that being a State Highway meant that California 94 would be a 4-lane joy on which to travel.  NOT SO!  California Highway 94 is a 2-lane up and down elevations with turn outs for slow vehicles to let others pass mountain roadway that has enough switchbacks to make a Le Man’s driver happy…beautiful for a motorcycle not; so much for a motorhome.  The road reminded us of the mountain roads in Colorado between Denver and Aspen.

About 1/3 of the way there’s a big sign stating that vehicles over 40 feet in length are prohibited (wish we would have taken a picture).  A quick calculation…hmmm, let’s see…the motorhome is 34 1/2 feet long, the jeep is almost 16 feet in length and the hitch is about 6 foot…yeah, we’re well over 40 feet.  But there was no place to turn around, and no place to drop the jeep and to even try to turn around.  Barbara said go for it, and with ice and snow on the roadway the last 5 miles or so, and white knuckling it all the way, we avoided slamming into the mountainside and successfully made the journey. Lesson Learned?

Yuma is an interesting place.  We guessed that it got its start as a stagecoach way station, became famous for having the territory’s toughest prison (“3:10 To Yuma”), and our military has had installations there for 150 years.  The city today is a way station for the trucking industry and a good stopping point for RVers midway from here to there.  It is home to one of the country’s Marine Proving Grounds and is a Marine Corps Air Station providing pilot training.  Curiously the Jeep’s GPS just wouldn’t work in Yuma – it couldn’t figure our where we were.  Perhaps the frequency used by Jeep is way too close to the frequencies used by the Marine Corps and our signal was scrambled.

On July 1, 1876, the first seven inmates entered the Territorial Prison at Yuma and were locked into the new cells they had built themselves. Operating for only 33 years, from 1876 until 1909, the prison incarcerated 3,069 prisoners, including 29 women who had been convicted of crimes ranging from polygamy to murder.  The rock and adobe cells were barely 8 feet by 6 feet and housed 4 prisoners.  Punishment would result in doing hard time in one of the dark cells – a cage which would hold up to 8 inmates who only experienced any light for minutes a day, and only when food and water were delivered.

We enjoyed spending an afternoon walking Main Street during Yuma’s BBQ and Brew festival.

There were 10 or so pit masters vying for a grand championship.  There weren’t categories as you might find at other competitions; ribs, brisket, pulled pork or chicken were all being compared to each other.  We were more than glad to participate in voting for our favorite – hands down the ribs were top quality.

We were fortunate that it was Sunday as we drove through Scottsdale, Phoenix, Chandler, Tempe, and Gilbert before turning into our campground in Mesa.  The Phoenix metro area, referred to as the Valley of the Sun, is home to over 4.5million people.  Being Sunday there was lots of traffic, but no rush hour!

Mesa is the 3rd most populous city in Arizona, and is in the foothills of the Superstition Mountains.

Valle del Oro is not like any RV “resort” we have experienced.  The property identifies itself as an active 55+ community, and consists of park models and RVs.  Park models are individually owned stationary double-wide trailers (some with an additional “Arizona” room) of approximately 250-400 square feet with storage underneath and a portico cover for the driveway.  They are placed on a lot owned by the resort; the park model owner pays rent on the property.  Some of the owners rent out their park models for snowbirds.  January through March is prime time and we estimated that there were nearly 4000 people living in this self-contained community the month we were in residence.

Valle del Oro is a resort – period.  The community offers lighted pickleball (more on that later) and tennis courts; a well-groomed softball field with banks of lights, electric scoreboard, announcer, dug outs and warm up areas, snack bar (great burgers!) scheduled practices and games for 3 (yup 3!) leagues as well as games against other “active 55+ communities”; lapidary, woodworking, metal shop, ping pong, 9 bocce courts, 9 shuffleboard courts, ladder golf with a putting green; a club dedicated to radio controlled cars, a wonderful model railroad track (more on that later), a “float” pool, a lap pool, 2 hot tubs, concert/entertainment center that operates as a concierge for events at this resort as well as at other owned properties; US Post Office,  hiking club, biking club, sewing and quilting  room, canasta, euchre and bridge clubs, billiards and pool room, dance classes, leather-smith shop, pottery, stained glass and ceramics studios, dog parks, workout room, aerobics and yoga, and a superb computer center.  On Tuesday nights the community is opened up for bingo games that draw more than 500 people weekly.  There are 2 bars open around the pool area, which serve adult beverages 7 days a week and prepare short order sandwiches and wraps.  Half priced drinks are served from 4pm until either 6pm or 8pm daily.   There’s a full service kitchen; Mondays are steak or rib nights, there’s the Friday taco salad lunch and evening fish fry, and special meals prepared for events like St Patrick’s Day (with 25 cent green beers), etc., etc., etc.  Pretty much any time you’d like there’s something to do, and if you’re bored it’s your own fault!  We’re guessing too that if you’d like to introduce a new “something” you’d get a “go ahead and try” from the Activities Director (yeah-there’s a whole department to coordinate all the stuff going on).  It isn’t the most expensive place we’ve stayed, but it’s a close second.  With all of the amenities there’s nothing to complain about regarding the cost.

Trying to figure out something to do with a mostly unused badminton court 2 friends “invented” the game of pickleball in 1965 as a game for their children to play.  By 1984 the game had gained popularity with all ages, and tournaments were occurring often.  Seeking a need for oversight and uniformity a governing body became necessary, and the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed.  By 1990 the game was being played in all 50 states, and has become an international passion.  Barbara found out that one couple we met only stay at campgrounds with pickleball courts!

Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis.  Typically, four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball, similar to a Wiffle Ball, over a net. The sport shares features of other racquet sports, the dimensions and layout of a badminton court, and a net and rules somewhat similar to tennis, with several modifications.

The court size makes it manageable for those of us who have lost some speed and reaction time, as does playing with a partner rather than as a single.  The ball is a great equalizer too as it is subject to wind and spin, and even hit as hard as you can just doesn’t develop that high a velocity.  Serves are from below the waist, and you must stand at least 3 feet behind the net, which minimizes a power game.  And winners stay on to play, but are broken up so that during a 2-hour session you could possibly play with 8-10 different people.  Long story short – we fell in love with the game, and played 4-5 times weekly.

We also made some incredible friends while on the court, and with whom we went hiking, shared stories together, played bocce, had a drink or 3 with during happy hour, and enjoyed Funday Sunday together.  Funday Sunday is, of course, 2 hours of pickleball followed by potluck dinner.  We were the first to leave the campground, but with promises to stay in touch, and within the week, the gang had broken up and were heading back to their homes in Calgary, Minnesota, Missouri, Idaho, Nebraska, and Michigan.

Don’t get us wrong.  We played bingo, used the computer center and workout room, watched some ping pong and softball games.  Barbara took a lapidary class, and we ate a couple of meals on property.  Every Tuesday morning there was a coffee and donuts general information meeting to attend (did we mention coffee and donuts?).  And, the garden railroad club ran trains after dark.

Our time at Valle del Oro went far too quickly, and we’re more tan than we ever thought possible!

Brian and Barbara