Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Snowbird RV Adventure: Lazydays, Picacho Peak State Park and Home

Days 25-36

Ironwood Picnic Area Tucson Mountain Park.
Part I of our 2020-21 Snowbird RV Adventure included several stays at Tucson's Lazydays KOA RV Resort, more than expected. First there was my dental emergency. Then it was our RV heater emergency. The good thing, we really like Lazydays.


December 9-12: After we checked out of Gilbert Ray Campground we drove to the Ironwood picnic area to wait for our afternoon check-in at Lazydays. This time we were in a patio grass site, our favourite choice when they are available.

An Arizona rainbow at the end of the storm.

While we were there, we had the first and only rain storm during our trip. It didn't last long, but the dry desert really appreciated the moisture.


Site #A17 at Picacho Peak State Park.

December 13-15: Arizona has amazing State Parks. A favourite is Picacho Peak. It's a good stop between Phoenix and Tucson. Because we made our reservation six months in advance, we got a prime outer loop spot with an unobstructed view of the hills.

We walked the campground and selected a new site for an additional stay in January. All of the prime ones were gone, but we found a private center spot in C Loop that will do just fine. 

We relaxed, read and worked on suntans. That's what a Snowbird Adventure is all about.


Outdoor dining at Seis Kitchen in Tucson.
December 16-20: Our time in Arizona is winding down. We spent the last five days at Lazydays.

We rented a car at Enterprise to drive to Mesa to catch an Allegiant Airlines flight direct to Bellingham. We got it a few days early to explore more of the Tucson area.

The last day we prepared the RV for storage. In addition to being a great place to stay, Lazydays is a handy spot to leave our rig. I remove perishables and Wayne checks systems to be ready for our next trip.

We hate to leave, but know we will be returning, hopefully in January 2021. If not, we know it will be as soon as we can travel safely. -- Margy



A rental car lets us get to and from the airport.

Because our RV is stored in Tucson and the flight we prefer lands in Mesa, we need a rental car in each direction. We learned renting a car at one airport (Mesa) and dropping it at another (Tucson) cost almost double than renting one at a local Tucson Enterprise office and dropping it at the Mesa Airport. 

Check to see if this can work for you. As a bonus, we keep the car for a few days to explore and shop to re-stock our RV. -- Margy

18 comments :

  1. Good tips. Best wishes for a good year!

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    1. I try to learn something new all the time. RVing is new for us, so there are lots of opportunities to discover new ways of doing things. - Margy

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  2. I always wanted to explore Arizona but have never had the opportunity. I always enjoy taking a "ride" with you.

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    1. There'll be more places to explore in January and February we hope. A few will be new, but some favourites will also be in the mix. - Margy

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  3. ...let's hope that you keep emergencies to a minimum in 2021, stay healthy.

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    1. My dental emergency is now has a long term resolution path, but it shouldn't interfere with our travel plans. - Margy

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  4. Enjoyed the cyber camping trip and ride in the rental car. AZ is a fun state to explore. Happy New Year!

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    1. We've always visited Arizona, especially in our colder months. Even when we lived in Southern California is was warmer at the height of winter. - Margy

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  5. We purchased a small travel trailer last year and are looking forward to using it this year. We won't be crossing the border, though, for the foreseeable future. Happy New Year!

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  6. We hope to travel like you in a few years! Thanks for keeping us informed on your lovely adventures!

    A fantastic addition to 'My Corner of the World' this week! May the new year bring you great things to photograph!

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  7. I’m going to experience your trip backwards as I catch up. We really enjoyed the Tucson area when we were full timers. We stayed once at LazyDays and one whole season at Voyager. Several short stays as we traveled through as well. That’s neat that you can store the RV there ... nice not to have to repeat the same trip south every season (with the rig). A good idea!

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  8. Thanks for the shout out! Hope your 2021 is off to a good start. I love AZ.

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  9. Margy - gray days here in Montana ... I wouldn't mind a few warm, sunny days in Arizona! Happy New Year to you!

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  10. A Happy New year, full of many beautiful trips.
    Thank you for sharing these images with unknown places for me!
    Happy WW, Margy!

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  11. What fun for you. Unfortunately for me when my beloved passed on I sold my fishing boat and our camper. Otherwise I would be camping in Arizona doing birding photography and visiting my grandchildren in the Phoenix area. Oh well I'll think of something next summer :-)

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  12. Hi Margy, was thinking about you and hoping you guys are OK.

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Thanks for stopping by. Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome. - Margy