Travels with Twinkles: Goodyear, Arizona

Monday, October 22, 2012

Goodyear, Arizona

October 22, 2012:

We are enjoying our month long stay in Goodyear, Arizona. It's a nice change of pace and kind of relaxing to sit still for a while, but we won't let the wheels get too rusty.

We started our stay here with a day at the Arizona State Fair with the family and celebrated my Mom's 94th birthday on October 15th.

There is lots to do here, no way we will get bored. We are also deciding where to go next from here. The Tucson area is the plan, exactly where is still unknown.

I did a search for Phoenix blues music and discovered the Phoenix Blues Society. I then went to their final competition to determine the blues band that would represent them at the 2013 International Blues Chalenge in Memphis, TN. It was a very good event, at a great venue, (The Rhythm Room), great crowd turnout and great bands.

I learned that one of my favorite New Jersey shore musicians, the legendary, Pat Guardagno, was playing nearby at Harvey's American Road House in Gilbert, Arizona. I went to see him and it was a fun night, he was pretty surprised to see me there.

Twinkles and I also did a half day hike on the Coldwater Trail at nearby Estrella Mountain Park. It has some great terrain, with a fantastic view of the Phoenix valley from a higher elevation, showing all the smog over the city. Unfortunitely, I am now on injured reserve with a bum foot that is tender to walk on, but I am toughing it out. The RV park has a beautiful pool and hot tub that is seem to be helping. Hopefully I will be back on the trails in a few days.

This campground allows you to wash your RV and truck, most places do not. As our rig is now pretty dusty and dirty and has never been thoroughly washed, I decided this was the time to do it. I'm even applying paste wax and it is looking better that new.

Congratulations to my son Jeremy, now a true "Tough Mudder" for successfully completing the brutal 12 mile obstacle course last Saturday held at Raceway Park in Old Bridge, NJ.

We met an ex NJ Transit co-worker of mine, Mark Hooley, his wife Patty and friends of Patty from upstate New York, now living in Phoenix, for dinner last Saturday night. Mark originally put the RV bug in my ear which resulted in us going to a RV Dreams seminar where we were hooked. Mark and Patty are now also full time RV'ers and it was great to get together and compare travel experiences.

On Sunday at my sisters house, we watched with great amusement the classic movie "RV" with Robin Williams. It should be required viewing for any RV'er.