AZ to SC April 2008

After wintering (4 months) in Yuma, AZ it was starting to warm up (in the 90s) at the 118' altitude so it was time to move on. We had seen everything in and around Yuma and made side trips to Quartzsite, Tucson, El Centro, CA (winter home of the Navy’s Blue Angles) and even up into the Joshua Tree National Forrest. So on the first of April we and our friends - also hauling a 5th wheel - moved on. Took I8 east to AZ85 and north to I10. From there we went east to I17 and north to Camp Verde, AZ. The trucks got a good workout going up the 6 & 7* climbs on I17. Our destination was the Rancho Verde RV Park ( http://www.ranchoverdervpark.com/ ). We are now at 4700' and it’s much cooler (70-75* avg). The RV park is very nice and family run by a very nice and helpful couple. They also gave us a 15% military discount. Good Verizon cell and internet signals and easy to get a dish signal. ( http://www.everest-owners.com/photos/showfull.php?photo=1149 )

We had a very busy agenda for this area. We took the Verde Canyon Train Ride ( http://www.railsnw.com/tours/verde/verde.htm ) . We upgraded our tickets to 1st class and it was well worth it. My friend and I took some time to play golf at the Beaver Creek Golf Club ( http://www.beavercreekgolf.net/ ) a beautiful old golf course in Montezuma, AZ. The girls went shopping and then met us at the golf course for dinner. We took a day trip to Sedona and another one to visit the state and national parks in the area. Like a lot of other places in AZ Camp Verde has it’s Indian Casino ( http://www.cliffcastlecasino.net/ ) and that’s where we spent our last night. Had dinner, played a few slots and retired early to prepare for moving on.

Back on I17 north to I40 and then we did a little backtracking west to Williams, AZ - a short trip - where we had booked an online package deal for RV parking and another train ride at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park ( http://www.thetrain.com/rvpark/ ) . Now this is an ultra morden RV park that has thought of everything ( http://www.everest-owners.com/photos/showfull.php?photo=1150 ). We are now at 6800' and it’s much cooler. In the past we had driven up to the Canyon and if you like train rides and don’t like the hassle of driving up to the rim than this is the way to go. The train takes you right to the South Rim Village and once there you have lots of time to take the free shuttle busses to wherever you want to go. The RV park even sends a shuttle over to take you to the train and picks you up on your return. Very enjoyable experience. Down town Williams is built right on US66 and loads of old rustic places to visit while walking main street. When we left here we were on our own as our friends we going to CA for the summer and we are heading for SC.

We are now on a sort of high speed run across country run. We have been exploring the foot hills are of SC for the past two years or whenever passing through and have decided to buy a home in a 55+ retirement community in Taylors, SC. After 5 years on the road we have decided to establish a residinance for our real retirement years.

After saying good bye to our friends we went east on I40 to NM exit 108, Laguna, NM where we parked at the Dancing eagle RV Park ( http://www.dancingeaglecasino.com/index.php?a=dining ) The entire RV park is protected by a concrete wall with only one drive-in entrance. There is a well lit sidewalk all the way to the casino with a gate into the RV park. The travel center is right across the street from the RV office and the supermarket is just through the RV park gate to the left. All locations are just a short walk away. You get a very basic hookup that includes elect to 50 amps and water with very high pressure. No Wi-Fi or cable but got good reception of all the major TV stations with the powered bat ant. Very good Verizon reception. The pull thrus are quite level as you can see in the this picture ( http://www.everest-owners.com/photos/showfull.php?photo=1153 ). Very easy access to I40. For $10.00 it’s a very safe place to spend a night or two. We walked over to the Casino for dinner and then retired early.

Underway early so we can make it to Amarillo, TX as there is a huge storm out in front of us and we’re hoping to get to Amarillo before catching up with it. Nice tail winds all the way and not raining in Amarillo. Stayed at the Fort Amarillo RV park ( http://www.fortrvparks.com/about.html ) for 5 days waiting for the storm to move out of the mid-western states and to also make sure all roads were passable. Here again we asked for and got a 15% military discount - if you don’t ask you won’t know. ( http://www.everest-owners.com/photos/showphoto.php/phot...7/cat/500/ppuser/277 ). Our site came with free Wi-Fi, cable TV and instant local phone connection with phone number. The staff here is friendly to all and Lizzie Mae’s Gift Shop is a wonder in itself. No Verizon here but the extended network is strong and we never had a problem with it. Even got on with my computer but at a slower rate so I stuck with the Wi-Fi. The Super Wal-Mart is just a short drive down Amarillo Blvd. and there is a huge Mall just across the interstate. Propane service right to the door and very reasonable ($3.75 a gal). Just about everything here is as described in their web page .

After leaving Amarillo, TX we did very little stopping. We averaged 335 miles a day with stops at Shawnee, OK, Hazen, AR, Lebanon, TN and Taylors, SC , Our final destination.

At Shawnee, OK we stayed at the Firelake Grand Casino on the Shawnee Indian Reservation. All sites there were paved and big long back-ins with 50 amp electrical service and water. They are not numbered and when you get there just take any available site. Then get a shuttle to the casino’s main entrance, go to the gift shop and get a permit. You can stay up to three nights free with the permit. The sites are large enough to get all your slides out and long enough to stay connected to your 5er. When you leave you can get 3 cents discount on fuel at the service station.
http://www.casinocamper.com/OK_Fire_Lake_Grand_Casino.htm
There was lots of flooding in OK and AR along with damage caused by high winds. We were glad we stayed in Amarillo for five days to wait it out. The Mississippi River was very high and causing lots of damage where it was over it’s banks. But I40 was not hampered by it and we went the speed limit all the way. We lost the RH forward trailer tire on that awful OK I40. It was a good tire and the stem was missing so I don’t know if it blew or the stem vibrated loose. In any event the fender got destroyed when it came apart. Took us about 20 minutes to change it and get underway again. Had an unmounted spare in the truck bed and found a place at the very next exit to get it mounted for $7.50, Very nice country folks there.

At Hazen, AR we stayed at T-Ricks RV Park. It’s just an overnighter park and you check-in at T-Ricks Mini-Mart. $18 for 30 AMPs and $20 For 50 AMPs. It’s a safe place to spend the night on a FHU site big enough for any rig and reasonablely level. T-Ricks diesel was right in line with the rest of the state.
http://www.tldirectory.com/search/index.cfm?action=details&fn=200000302

http://www2.snapfish.com/viewsharedphoto/p=811121213322...02DC0AF559919287A4AD


At Lebanon, TN we stayed at Countryside Resorts. Very nice overnight sites with FHU 50 amp sites for $27.00 with a Good Sam discount. The pull thrus were a little short (60') but we maneuvered it in there without having to disconnect.

http://www.tldirectory.com/search/index.cfm?action=details&fn=830001194
http://www2.snapfish.com/viewsharedphoto/p=383121213323...1/otsc=SYE/otsi=SPIC


Now here is the long kept secret. We are no longer full-timers. We have purchased a double wide trailer in a 55+ retirement community in rural Taylors, SC. You can just refer to us as part-timers from now on. We plan on cutting our travels down to two three month ventures per year with one in the summer and the other in the winter. And this was our last cross country trip.

FastEagle