2/16/15 Mid February is on us, our 2nd week in Phoenix and we are enjoying every second. Other than a couple of days of wind (really just a heavy breeze) the weather has been super. Lots of sun, upper 70s and lower 80s with mid 50s at night. I would actually say paradise so far. With the weather news consisting of winter storm after winter storm in the northeast (now cold and ice more south), it really makes us appreciate the sun and 80 as we take our daily walks through the park.

Sunset

High Life......
Met with my nephew Max and his girl friend Rose for breakfast. They moved here from Nebraska a couple of months ago. They are both very busy as they are successfully carving out their piece of Phoenix. They were able to find jobs and an apartment in a very short amount of time. In fact Rose is working double duty. We have plans to get together and hike Camel Back which is a local peak that is a must do for locals and visitors. Waiting for the go ahead from the youngsters as their free time is much harder to come by.
Used this trip to run by Talking Stick Resort. This is the facility that was constructed a few years ago to accommodate the Rockies spring training. In addition to the practice and game fields there is a casino (seems to be a casino around every corner now days) that we did a quick checkout of. Was there long enough to get our playing cards and loose $20.............maybe 10 minutes. Plan on more casino time (can I afford it??) and a few of the spring training games.
In the mean time Sue and I have had no issues in keeping busy. It is very easy to be content with a chair, book and sunshine, but we do have goals of things more active. We found a peak (Pioneer Peak) that is easily hiked from our RV location.

Views from Pioneer Peak

A view of the RV park from Pioneer Peak

My Sue enjoying the views from Pioneer Peak

 

Have been doing bike rides and found a local tennis court.

Did a day trip to Prescott Arizona. Was a nice drive through some of the back country but was a little dis-appointed in Prescott. Spent a couple of hours in the historic district, but nothing special in our opinions, but hey....that is what we are all about. Checking these things out for ourselves so we know.

Have plans this week to head east and do Cave Creek and Apache Junction. Again....lots of history and hiking to be found.

Also planning trips to Pleasant Lake, Sadona and will take a few days to go hike the Grand Canyon.

 

In addition to our physical activities have been partaking in some of the weekly activities that are coordinated by the parks activity group. Bingo, ceramics, wood carving...(yea, yea...remember that this is a 55+ plus park and these activities gives us a chance to meet our senior neighbors). Our latest event was what they call "Zingo". A version of bingo that is played with a deck of cards. There are teams of 4 that gets 13 cards as the deck is divided up. Then the caller pulls from the deck so that you can play your cards as they appear. The first one to play all cards yells "Zingo" and wins the pot (as determined by the quarters and dollars contributed by each player for each game). I actually won twice and came away with a $10 profit. Better than I did at bingo.

Again, this allows us more group time and the chance to meet folks from around the park.

 

Road Rash........

This is easy this week. Almost incited a riot at bingo this last week. The older crowd did not appreciate the moment that I took in the middle of one of the blackouts and yelled...."stop the game....my dobbers dry"!!!!! For those non bingo folks, you use what they call a dobber that is filled with ink to mark the numbers as they are called. Probably should not show up at bingo night any more. No sense of humor.

Note.....this story is fictitious.