This picture was taken on our way to the Quartzsite RV show. Very eerie, early morning mountain overcast. The clouds and scattered rain lasted all day with scattered showers at Quartzsite. The rain followed us all winter.
On our first cross country trip we traveled with our friends from our Navy days. We had all sorts of plans and everything was going well until we departed the RV Park at Naval Air Station, Lemoore, CA and headed south.
We had been at the Air Station for a month visiting friends and taking a lot of side-trips. As we were getting ready to go we decided to call the CHP for a weather report on the Grapevine - I-5 south because the winds were high. Sure enough, the Grapevine was closed to all 18 wheelers and RV trailers. We had to reroute our trip to San Diego via Bakersfield and Riverside.
It was just the beginning of things to come. In our Navy years we had lived all over California, off and on for seven years. Rainy, bad weather times, was not in our memory banks, especially in San Diego where we had once lived for three years.
We had reservations at the RV Park at the Navy recreational complex right in downtown San Diego. The day we got there was clear but windy. Two days later it started to rain and didn’t let up much for two weeks. There was flash flooding around the city and lots of mud slides. We decided it was time to depart San Diego for points east.
After departing San Diego we went up over the mountains on I-8 and out into the Imperial Valley. At a rest stop we decided to call the Naval Air Facility at El Centro, CA on a chance they might have a couple of sites available. The RV park was completely full but they did have a couple of sites in what is called the overflow lot because some folks had left for emergency reasons. The overflow lot is an old paved parking lot where we backed up against a ball field. All of the sites had 30 amps, water & sewer hook-ups. And the location was excellent because right across the street was a golf driving range, the bowling alley with snack bar and next to it was the enlisted dining facility and it allowed all authorized RVers and their guests to eat all meals there if they wished to do so.
http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/milcamps/19-california/50-el-centro-naf-campground
The rain followed us. During the month we stayed there it rained so much large tanker trucks with vacuum suction hoses were brought in to get the water out of the parking lots as the drainage system could not handle all the rainfall. We decided to leave El Centro. We took one of the trucks and drove over to Yuma, AZ. We had a hard time finding an RV Park that had two sites available. When we did they were side by side and plenty big enough for our 35’ & 38’ trailers. It was the Arizona Sands RV Park, a 55+ senior community. We spent the rest of the winter there and a few years later we spent another winter there.
The Arizona Sands is a modest park with a great location on old US hwy 80. The parking sites are pretty close but that’s sort of the norm in all the parks we visited in the Yuma area. Yuma is a little city that can do. It’s population will double during the winter months. Actually, nothing is very far away.
There are two very large flea markets in Yuma. One is less than a mile away with lots of parking and nearly 100% covered shopping areas. It was our favorite.
http://www.arizonamkt.com/
The other large one occupies an old dog track facility. It’s large with about 50% covered and 50% open air. The large Hispanic population favor it and there are lots of really good deals from across the border. We visited it once or twice a month.
http://www.yellowpages.com/yuma-az/mip/yuma-greyhound-park-1764895?lid=1764895&show_map=true
About three miles from the Arizona Sands is the Marine Corps Air Station. It's a full facility base with commissary, exchange, medical clinic, service station and recreational equipment rentals. They also operate a smallish RV Park right on Lake Martinez.
http://www.yuma.usmc.mil/
http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/milcamps/15-arizona/38-lake-martinez-recreation-facility
For me and Don golf was our prime mover. We loved to play courses we had not played before and then return to our favorites. We played every course within 35 miles of the Arizona Sands. Our favorites were completely different. The well established downtown course once hosted a PGA seniors event. All of the parking is paved and the facilities were well kept. If we were a walk-on they would work very hard to fit us in, sometimes even if they had to make a five-some.
http://www.cityofyumagolf.com/
The second favorite course was a new facility out in the Yuma foothills section with a nice mountain backdrop. Great views from many of the tee boxes.
http://www.lasbarrancasgolf.com/
There are all sorts of things to do to keep you busy while wintering in Yuma. Once we got some sternwheeler boat ride tickets at the recreation office at the Marine Air Station. It’s an easy drive out to Fisher’s Landing on the lower Colorado River at Lake Martinez. The boat ride is down to the Imperial Dam and back. It’s just a relaxing ride on the river with lunch and a chance to see the wild life along the way. Here are a couple of web sites to help describe the ride and launching area.
http://www.yumarivertours.com/sternwheelercruises.htm
http://www.yumarivertours.com/fishers.htm
Probably the crème da la crème of the RV parks with access to the lower Colorado River is the Hidden Shores RV Resort. We went out there and toured the place. It’s gated but they will let just about anyone in during the day time. There is always something going on there and people come from near and far to attend some of the activities. And, right across the river is a huge federal land area open to boondockers. Here is a web site to browse.
http://www.hiddenshores.com/
Yuma has a few Indian casinos. One of our favorites is the Paradise at Yuma. Nice food, easy access, lots of paved parking, well lit and patrolled frequently as is the unpaved RV parking area. No facilities in the RV parking area. But’ it’s free.
http://www.paradise-casinos.com/casino.aspx
Turn on your GPS and take the country roads to Somerton, AZ. It’s just a short drive. The Cocopah Casino is there. You cant miss it, it’s on a huge complex at the apex of both of the four lane roads intersection. Super good deals on weekend dining either at the buffet or restaurants. Large RV parking area - some paved - well lit with regular patrols for your safety. Also free.
http://www.cocopahresort.com/
When you’re within driving distance of Quartzsite, AZ during it’s annual RV show and exhibition you have to go there. It’s an easy drive up US-95. Here are a couple of pictures of our trip. Yup, it rained.
Out on US-95 north there is a VFW. If you're a member you can park there. They have room for about 25 rigs. It's all dry camping but free.
You cannot park in parking lots within the city limits. That includes Walmart and other like areas.
You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them. All of the links are active. Just click on them to browse around.
The FastEagles
Cal & Linda
