Palm Springs - A Mid Century Modern experience

 Who knew that Palm Springs is an RV mecca?

Growing up in Arizona, I have traveled THROUGH Palm Springs dozens of times but never stopped. All I can recall from those particular experiences is that Palm Springs is a Desert  Oasis, stuck out in the middle of nowhere, in-between Phoenix and Los Angeles.  The area was developed in the 1950s as a haven for burned-out movie stars that needed to get away from Hollywood.  The look and feel of downtown Palm Springs is still mid-century modern architecture which makes one feel like they stepped back through time.  The entire area is surrounded by dozens of golf courses and RV parks. This is truly a destination for retirees.  

This trip was an excellent opportunity to add new experiences to our RV adventures. Not only did we bring the Ranger with us, but we also worked remotely for the entire week (utilizing our internet gadgets & home office setup).  I worked in the main part of the RV, and Jeff utilized his home office in the "garage."  We had a sound barrier door that separated us so we didn't impede each other on our various conference calls. I mostly worked off of a purchased (highspeed upgraded) Wifi package that came with the RV park, and Jeff used the Verizon Jet Pack. I would say HIS internet was better than mine, although I didn't experience anything that prevented me from working successfully. My issues mostly arose if I tried to use Video Conferencing. 

   

We stayed at the Catalina RV Resort & SPA. This RV park had a combination of long-term folks mixed with passers thru or short-term visitors such as us.  The amenities were very good, including the laundry, which was a first-time experience for us. We had full hook-up, 50 amp power, and daily trash pick-up. I rate this RV park a 4 out of 5. There are excellent BBQ spaces in a shared area, plus BINGO two nights a week.

The area we stayed in is known for hot mineral "healing" waters, which the park featured (hence SPA in the name.)  We went to the warm pool and spa on multiple occasions. The weather ranged from very cool to warm towards the end of the trip.  There was still snow on the surrounding mountain ranges.

  

This was our longest and furthest trip to date. Normally a trip to Palm Spring takes about 4.5 hours, but with the added weight in the RV this time, it took us roughly 7 hours. This was also due to windy conditions coming through the desert. 

A few things we learned on this particular trip;  Although we were here for 8 days, we now know that our gray water tank must be dumped at 4.5 days. That is with daily showers, and general use of the kitchen. It is SERIOUSLY windy ALL THE TIME in Palm Springs. Given the area is mostly geared toward retirees, everything closes early. This includes the local breweries!! HighSpeed internet packages sold by RV resorts do not live up to their claims (fortunately, we were comped the package.) 

Highlights of Palm Springs include the downtown area, which as I said earlier is all mid-century modern architecture.  It's truly a blast from the past. There is a new part of town where we went to celebrate my birthday that feels like a cross between Beverly Hills and Scottsdale Az. Very swanky. We celebrated my birthday at Pacifica Seafood Restaurant which was upscale and worth the money for fresh seafood and decadent desserts. Touristy things to do include going up to San Jacinto Peak and doing the Palm Springs Ariel Tram. This gives you glorious views of the Coachella Valley. 

 

  

We sufficiently proved that working from the road is not an issue.  Next comes the really REALLY big trip (Texas.) Can't wait to see where the next adventure leads....

Exploring Arizona - Lake Powell

 My oh my how things change....

The last time I was at Lake Powell was 2002.  I had the opportunity to join 8 other friends on a 5 day House Boat trip around the lake.  Even back then we noticed how low the lake looked, however, at the time, it did not impede us from getting back into some of the beautiful canyons. 

Fast forward 20 years, and sadly, the houseboat experience would be greatly diminished.  However, the Lake Powell area has excellent land opportunities and is definitely a camping highlight. The February weather is still quite cool at this time of year because Lake Powell is in the high desert. The highs were in the 50s and the overnight lows were still right at freezing. This made for excellent fireside relaxation!

For this trip we stayed at a State Camp Ground (Wahweap RV & Campground) We had a glorious view of the lake, and the campground was not crowded at the least.  This is a side by side of our lake view and what a difference the Sunset makes on the canyon colors!

 

A family from Tawain were our only close neighbors and their 3 adorable children came over to visit us around the campfire.  They were first-time campers, visiting the "western US" from Florida.  Apparently, they rented an RV out of Las Vegas and stopped in Lake Powell on their way to California.  The father was having issues with his electrical, and Jeff went over to help them out.  Afterwards, the kids brought us over s'mores. 

We had to stick to land activities on this trip as most of the Marinas are closed for the season.  However, we did end up checking out #GlenCanyonDam, the lake itself, and of course #HorseShoeBend (where neither Jeff nor I have ever seen). Hiking opportunities in the area as plentiful.

 

 

I can't say enough about how beautiful the sunset is at Lake Powell. 

 

From a new experience and logistics perspective, this has been the longest road trip for both pets (we didn't take Chewey to Mexico).  I think he did exceptionally well, and each time we take him out, he gets more comfortable with traveling and settling in.  

The best part of our campsite was that it backed up to a small hill, so with the porch out, it was a quick walk-off for Dakota to jump out to potty.  The DOWNSIDE of the trip was the wind that hit us on the last day as we packed up to go home.  Close to zero visibility at times, but the worse part was the gas mileage.  I think we averaged about 7 miles to the gallon at different points during the trip back down the mountain. 

The next trip will be the longest yet, and will also be the first time we work "remote."  It will also be our first time loading up the Ranger (UTV), so it should be interesting.  We have about 3/4 of the year planned out for adventures and exploring, and for each trip, we are adding a new RV feature or activity. 

Viva la Mexico!

Mexico and Rocky Point in particular were not at the top of the list for RV trips this early in our investment.  This was mostly due to us wanting to learn the ropes of the RV before traveling too far, or out of the country.  However, it’s Winter in Arizona, and RV reservations are hard to come by, so we said what the heck and headed down.

We knew exactly where we wanted to reserve space:  Wrecked at the Reef (on Sandy Beach.)  We have been going to Rocky Point for 18 years now and have always gone to Wrecked (Restaurant & Bar) but kept an eye on the RV Campground as well.  Out of three possible locations to go to, Wrecked is by far the best campground for Ocean View, physical space, and maneuverability!  While Playa Bonita is the most well-known RV Resort in Rocky Point, we found that we would not have even been able to get our RV into any of the sites they had to offer.  Most of the RVer’s in Playa were very long-term renters, and their RVs were all very close together and cramped.

When we put our garage ramp down (this in effect becomes a back deck), we were literally on the beach, and overlooking the Ocean.  A spectacular view.  We were also within walking distance to the restaurant, and the small store they had onsite.

  

 

Anyone who knows US (me in particular), also knows that I am a die-hard Roger Clyne (and the Peacemakers) fan.  January Jam has become one of my favorite weekends that he performs in Rocky Point, and this weekend was no exception.  We met up with our long-time best friends and enjoyed three days of great music, great food, and great camping. 

Although this doesn’t quite fall into the category of “lessons learned”, one thing we have still not figured out is RV protocol.  Especially when it comes to neighbors.  On this trip, we were sandwiched between 2 families camping together. Originally, we were going to switch spots with one of the families, but as it turns out, both neighbors were VERY EARLY to bed people (followed by super early risers.)  Our timing was never such that we could coordinate the move. The mornings were slightly awkward as the people would have to walk under our back deck (which we were sitting on) to visit with each other. Is the protocol to keep waving?  Join in their conversation (as their campfire on the beach was right there by us?) I’m sure we will learn how to be proper neighbors over time….

Our Maiden Voyage

We picked up the RV on the day after Christmas.  Happy Holidays to us!!  We proceeded to spend the next 4 days deep cleaning the RV and getting it all set up.  In the meantime, I had booked an RV spot for our maiden voyage at Karchner Caverns which is about 3 hours from our home in Queen Creek.

Although we had the week of New Years off work, we, unfortunately, were not able to FIND much availability for campgrounds.  This is the drawback of living in Arizona in the Wintertime.  All the snowbirds are here. We went with what we could get and booked a weekend starting on New Year’s Day.

Karchner Caverns is a state park, which means it has a full-time Camp Host and is kept super nice.  The campground had all the hook-ups, plus free wifi, nice bathroom facilities, and even showers if we wanted.

Since Karchner is in the low desert, the daytime highs were in the 50s.  The overnight lows were below freezing.  The RV handled the weather like a pro.  In fact, we learned that we did not necessarily need the heater on overnight as it got a little too warm.

Given this was our inaugural trip, I am surprised that we didn’t have too many lessons learned.  Most notably was “timing.”  It did take us longer to get on the road than we anticipated.  It also took us longer ON the road due to wind gusts on the I-10.  We pre-made most of our food from home, so we have not yet mastered everything in the kitchen.  The Wifi at the campground was ok, but it in no way supports streaming.  We didn’t test our computers. The bed in the RV is an absolute dream, better than home as a matter of fact. 

The pets did great, and even Chewey crawled out of hiding after day one.  He also did amazing on the road, and preferred to stay in the backseat of the truck with both dogs!

For daytime adventures, we went to Bisbee Arizona for most of the day.  We did a mining tour that took us 1500 feet underground, followed by lunch at a local brewery. The old downtown was quaint and fun to walk around.

On our way home, we went to Tombstone Arizona. We walked around town and had a drink in the local Saloon. I grew up in Arizona and have never really visited these places in full.  Only passed through, but never stayed. 

We didn’t tour Karchner Caverns because we had just done the tour a few months previously in October. We hung by the campfire at night and chatted up the Camp hosts when they came by. 

All in all, the maiden voyage was a great break-in for RVing, and the trailer was perfect!

 

 

You Purchased an RV, now what??

Well before you ever hit the road, and shortly after you drop a whole lot of money on your RV, the expenses start to add up. I am not trying to put a dash to anyone's hopes, but only to provide a taste of reality.  Of course, you have likely planned for additional setup costs as you are setting up a mini second household.  However,  if there is one piece of advice I can pass on, prepare to add an additional $3-5000 to your overall budget in addition to your RV purchase price. 

Here is a modest example of how those costs can add up for the items you will need straight out of the gate (and this doesn't include the actual vehicle to tow the RV!)

• RV Hitch Kit (we are pulling a 5th wheel) - $1734

• Air Suspension Kit (must have to preserve your vehicle) - $423

• 50 Amp RV Power Cord - $177

• Voltage Protector - $161

• Wheel Chocks - $55

• Rear/Side Camera system - $933

• Tire Monitoring System - $212

• Battery Isolator - $82

That's almost $3800 before household goods such as sheets, towels, pots, pans, knives, etc.  You get it.  

I left the details of operational must-haves to Jeff, and trust that he knew what was needed (including a new stinky slinky, hitch guard, black tank deodorizer, gray tank tablets etc.)  The start-up list is long, but fortunately almost all a one-time buy. 

We also had the additional cost for outfitting our RV with 2 virtual workspaces to be able to work.  This meant investing in a Verizon Wifi box for the best connectivity.  Most RV campsites provide free WiFi but are notorious for lacking bandwidth and speed. 

Last piece of useful advice.  Consider investing in an RV App (or 2) to assist with finding campgrounds & services.  Most of the Apps out there are reasonable, and many include a discount to partnered campgrounds.  We went with RV Life & The Dyrt and also purchased an Arizona State Park past.  The latter is because even though you may be paying for an RV camping spot, the State Parks will still charge you THEIR entry fee as well. 

Getting Started

It has long been a dream of my husband (Jeff) to buy an RV and experience the country via fun road trips and adventures. I grew up camping in Arizona, and he in North Dakota.  Early in our relationship, we continued the camping tradition as a family as well as in Boy Scouts (he was a leader.) 

We shifted from regular tent camping to owning a small cabin in Heber Arizona, which we decided to sell in 2018 as we were not using it as much as we could be, and let’s be honest, a cabin is stationary.

There has been a lot of thought going into the decision to purchase an RV.  Everything from the fact that we are getting closer to retirement (still a way off, but time marches forward.)  We both love to travel and enjoy a good road trip. There are so many places around the US (and even Arizona) that we would love to see, but it gets expensive when you factor in hotel, Air BnB, and pet sitting.

The pandemic helped advance the plan to get our RV.  We couldn’t travel for the majority of 2020, and in 2021, much of our travel was not by air.  We also had loads of extra time to ponder what we wanted to do, and how.  Unfortunately, most people felt the same way as finding an RV with a reasonable price tag became a challenge.  EVERYONE was hitting the road it seemed.  The newly established virtual work environment also added to this challenge.

We finally found the right RV, for the right price, and landed the right deal.  The Momentum M388 we purchased had only 2 previous owners, with the second one barely using it for more than a bunkhouse to go with his other jumbo Class A palace on wheels.  We had found our home away from home!

 

We named the RV Crazy Days and Knotty Nights, adapting our previous Cabin name to the new Adventure wagon. As we set out for this new experience, I am going to capture the moment via blog, pictures, and videos.

Travel along with us, and let us know what you think!