What it's like at Gold Canyon Golf and RV Resort: Nice.
If you didn't read last year's story, here's what it's like at Gold Canyon. This is not a fancy place: people rent pads and either put an RV or a modular home called a "park model" on them. That's a euphemism for "short single wide." Some of them have additions called "Arizona rooms." When they're attached, they make the home feel larger. When they're not attached, they're called a shed. Many people outfit these sheds with washer/dryer, bathroom, and guest accommodations. Others use them for storage, workshops, or a little bit of everything. Overall, people's homes are between 400 and 800 square feet. I have always scoffed at this lifestyle. That's because I'd not tried it.
The majority of owners here are snowbirds, coming down from all over the country in winter months. All are 55 or older. There's a healthy sprinkling of people at the lower end of the range, so the place has a vibrant if vaguely arthritic feel. The mood is cheerful and you hear greetings and laughter throughout the day. There are tons of things to do catering to a variety of interests. I'm working in the wood shop. Fred likes the card game groups. He's pushing me to go to Bingo. I love swimming, he likes the exercise room. The views are amazing, and, of course, it's warm. At 4:30 on the afternoon of November 17, it is 85 degrees inside (we'd rather be warm than turn on the LOUD RV A/C). Anyway, it's probably the mid 70's outside.
We're on the outskirts of Phoenix so it's much less hectic (that place is CRAZY). But being close to a large city and surrounded by such beautiful country, there is always somewhere to go and something to do. We've been here a week and this is the first day where we didn't go somewhere.
In short, we like it here. We'll be back. May even buy a place someday. Although I don't love the lack of space and privacy, it's an extremely affordable way to enjoy the desert without committing to a full blown house. After all, we like it in Washington too.
The majority of owners here are snowbirds, coming down from all over the country in winter months. All are 55 or older. There's a healthy sprinkling of people at the lower end of the range, so the place has a vibrant if vaguely arthritic feel. The mood is cheerful and you hear greetings and laughter throughout the day. There are tons of things to do catering to a variety of interests. I'm working in the wood shop. Fred likes the card game groups. He's pushing me to go to Bingo. I love swimming, he likes the exercise room. The views are amazing, and, of course, it's warm. At 4:30 on the afternoon of November 17, it is 85 degrees inside (we'd rather be warm than turn on the LOUD RV A/C). Anyway, it's probably the mid 70's outside.
We're on the outskirts of Phoenix so it's much less hectic (that place is CRAZY). But being close to a large city and surrounded by such beautiful country, there is always somewhere to go and something to do. We've been here a week and this is the first day where we didn't go somewhere.
In short, we like it here. We'll be back. May even buy a place someday. Although I don't love the lack of space and privacy, it's an extremely affordable way to enjoy the desert without committing to a full blown house. After all, we like it in Washington too.