Friends and Tucson

Tucson/Lazydays KOA
Tucson, AZ
February 12-March12, 2018

Tucson is a yearly stop for us...usually sometime in February.  We are always busy with appointments which include doctors for us and a list of things for Belle (our bus).  

The pool area at Lazydays

This year was no exception.  We arrived on Feb. 12 and on the 13th, it all started with the dreaded dermatologist visit.  We both had spots frozen and a couple of biopsies taken.  So happy to report this is the first year that Joe did not need any MOHs surgery.  Also, very excited and thankful to say Joe is cancer free...starting his fourth year.  

Seeing friends here is the best part of coming to Tucson !  Carol and Ronnie, and of course Cooper, were here for a couple of days when we pulled in.  We were invited to their home for dinner.  What a nice treat for us after a long and tedious 4 day trip from the Texas Gulf coast.  Right down the street from us were Sue, Dave and Lewis,  two rows over were Pam and John and MonaLiza and Steve were around the corner.  Sue and Dave had all of us over for a fun get together...awesome folks these people are and so much fun to hang out with.  MonaLiza and Steve left and in rolled Jodee, Bill and Tessa.  Jodee made yummy tacos and we enjoyed a chilly evening at their home...thanks for the blanket Jodee !  Jodee and Bill left after a couple of nights.  

The day before the Banks and the Wrights left, we had a get together here.








I even made a lemon chess pie with lemons from the tree in "our yard".  It was messy, but tasty !

L to R: John, Pam, Sue, Dave and Joe

Steve and Joe

MonaLiza and Steve returned to Lazydays so we had one last visit with them.  Joe, with Steve's help, grilled veggies and steak for fajitas.  Joe and I were disappointed in the fajita steak we bought at Dickman's . MonaLiza brought over a tray of delicious mango, pineapple, strawberries and blueberries...the best part of dinner !

In between doctor visits, and fun get togethers, Belle had some much needed work done.  First on the agenda was a new windshield.  Andy Rothman with Superglass was great to work with.  

Andy(on the far right) and his crew...

He handled all the insurance stuff, returned to fix a leak after a heavy nights rain and then returned to make sure we were good to go after we had Belle washed.  The best part about the replacement is it is done on sight ! 

We also met Kenneth and Rachel the owners of Cameron's Reliable Maintenance and Mobile Service.  They make a very good team...reliable, honest, great quality and hard workers. 

We are very pleased with our new slide toppers and look forward to having a few more things done next year when we return.    



Every year Jason does a fantastic job washing and waxing Belle.  This year I forgot to get a picture.  Thanks again Jason ! 

We did enjoyed a few quiet, lazy days...

 ...and when Jack is no where to be found, I know just where to look.  Sometimes he is completely hidden behind the pillow !

There are a few places we enjoy shopping here with REI being at the top of the list.  Definitely our go to place when we need outdoor shoes.  

A couple of years ago we discovered Tucson Premium Outlet Mall.  

A clean, comfortable and eye pleasing  place to go if we need other stuff.  And a big plus...it has never been crowded when we have been there.

I mentioned Dickman's Meat and Deli.  
Another dear friend who we met the very first time we visited Tucson is Randy.  Randy is usually in Tucson this time of year as he has a son, daughter, and several grandchildren who live here.  Well, Randy suggested we might want to try Dickman's.  Joe and I were disappointed in the fajita meat we bought which is the end pieces of their patented Ugly Steak.  We won't buy that anymore.  Several days after dinner with the Lowes, Joe grilled the Ugly Steaks we had also bought.  Yummy...tender like in cut with a fork tender and very tasty.  

So returned to buy more steaks and black angus ground beef for the freezer.  All their beef comes from Iowa.  Dickman's is a family run business that has served the Tucson area for more than 30 years.  According to the family, Ugly Steak is trademarked and a well kept secret.  On Mondays the deli serves Ugly Steak sandwiches...might just have to try one next year !  FYI, some two-dozen types of brats are created in house and draw a crowd also.  

That wraps up our month in Tucson.  Tomorrow we head north and arrive in Moab on Wednesday.  We are so excited to be healthy and heading north.  

Wile E has had lots of attention thanks to Jeff, owner of Dirt Squirrel Motors and our neighbor and good friend in Moab. Stay tuned !


Until next time...enjoy your day and

HAPPY TRAILS !     

Blogging Buddies!

Tucson/Lazydays KOA
Tucson, AZ
February 4 and 6, 2016

A move to Tucson means doctor appointments, bus maintenance, big box stores to replenish the pantry, and any DIY projects on the list. Also, I was excited to read that not one, but TWO, fellow bloggers would be in Tucson and both of them at Lazydays KOA.  Pam and I have been blogging friends for about 3 years. In fact, it was Pam and John's (ohtheplacestheygo.wordpress.com) blog that inspired Joe and I to hit the trails on foot. Thanks you two !  MonaLisa (lowestravels.com) and I have also been friends for about 3 years.  I really enjoy her beautiful photography...especially the bird photos. 

What a treat and great time we have had visiting.  Our first meeting was on Thursday at Dragoon Brewing Co. (dragoonbrewing.com) for a beer in the taproom.  Fun food was provided by a food truck.  We had pulled chicken + beef sliders on pretzel buns from the truck accompanied by craft beers selected from the breweries wide offering.




Pam brought the birthday cake as a little birthday surprise  for ML.

L to R: Pam, MonaLisa and me

Joe, ML and Steve 

We met again on Saturday at Casa Vincente
(casavicente.com) a "lively Spanish go-to for sangria & tapas" . 

How nice to finally experience voices and laughter to go with faces I have seen on a daily basis for years. What a hoot ! Steve and ML pulled out on Sunday morning.  (Safe travels and looking forward to seeing your adventures).  John and Pam will be here for a few more weeks. Joe and I are looking forward to some hiking with them and maybe even some bike rides before they leave. We all have reservations to be in Moab, UT at the same time this spring....wahoo!

Last Post for Tucson This Year...Heading to Moab!

Tucson/Lazydays KOA
Tucson, AZ
August 3, 2015

Whoopee...was my reaction just now as I typed the date for this post. I can't believe it is August already! I love making plans! And I LOVE it when the wheels are rollin'! We should be heading north on Wednesday as Joe's stitches will be removed in the morning...

These dark clouds moved in about 4:30 pm last Tuesday.

Our biggest news in the past few days have been the storms. Lightening and winds have made for interesting late afternoons. In fact, last Tuesday, the wind was so bad it blew over a power pole behind the KOA and we did not have electricity for 2 days. Thank goodness for the generator! 

The puppies x-pen has blown over several times this past week along with chairs, bikes and plants. The huge pot of geraniums that were sitting on the table were face down behind the bus :(.

I found my watering can (weighted down with rocks) about 5 sites up and have yet to find a big black pot we keep by the door.

The puppies and I enjoyed the trimming of the palm trees a day or so before the storm. These palms are King Palms that grow to about 50 to 80 feet tall depending on which variety. The leaves (fronds) grow 6 to 10 feet long.  There were also clusters of berry like produce cut from the trees.

Another tree that seems to grow well here is the olive tree, however, they haven't fared very well with the winds we have experienced lately. Lots of broken limbs and even a couple uprooted in the park here. It seems strange to me that olive trees even grow here...when I think of olives, I think of the Mediterranean. 

I did read up on the health benefits of olives. They are good for you and you only need to eat 6 to 10 a day to reap their benefits. Guess what we bought at the store? We now have green and Kalamata (which is really a black olive even though it is dark purple) olives in the fridge. The nutritional value of black and green is mostly the same. And I did read that canned black (ripe) olives may contain chemicals that artificially turn them black. That's a bummer, because I really do like them!  

If you have been to the Lazydays KOA and return, you will notice a big change. Two separate rows in the middle of the park will be covered in solar panels. It should be finished in October.

The rendering below came from www.rvbusiness.com. This is a first of it's kind Power Parasol allowing some light in, and safe to park and grill under.

Yep, that first MH in the picture is Belle! Ahh, the magic of photoshop.  The picture of Belle was used in a survey the KOA sent out last winter to allow RVers to comment on whether or not this was a good idea. We were quite honored!

With the snow birders gone, this is what our back-in row has looked like the entire time we have been here. Most of the folks pulling in for a day or two prefer the pull-thrus. That is fine by us!


The rest of the pictures were taken along the highways and byways somewhere between Montrose and Tucson...

Until next time, let the good times roll!