Frost in the Desert!!

Wow, we woke up this morning to the car windshields being frozen with ice!! It may be cold back in BC but do you guys need to send the cold our way also?? They are saying we are going to have a -1 night Thursday night. That is crazy  I don't like it.
Doug has been busy building building us some permanent steps into the motor home that are larger than the ones attached to the motor home. Of course any of you who know Doug, he went to the wood pile and got scrap wood. He just can't go out and buy wood! He also built a step to step into the ATV trailer that he has set up as his workshop. All of you that know me.......I had to go out and buy a can of paint and paint the steps to make them look a bit better!

Sharon painting the "new" steps

Newly painted, completed steps

Steps into the ATV Trailer

We finally got to pick up the ATV from the repair shop this morning. We brought it back to the RV park and I got to back it off the trailer and drive it back to our RV spot. What a difference a new muffler makes. I like the doors on the side also. Doug will be able to sneak up on me now! I used to hear him coming in the ATV from miles away.

Sharon backing the ATV off the trailer

Back to our RV site I go

One of the local stores had my favourite chocolates on sale so I bought 3 boxes. Doug just laughs as I separate the chocolates into ziploc bags and put them in the freezer so I can treat myself with a couple every once in awhile. My attempt at controlling the amount I eat each time!

Freezing my chocolates

A day in the desert

Another gorgeous sunny day. After a morning of water aerobics and Doug running errands, we decided to spend some time in the desert. Out we went in the ATV after lunch. It is so beautiful, we saw rabbits, lots of Quail and small birds.

Sonoran Desert looking towards Apache Junction

Superstition Mountains in the background

Doug taking a break while I take pictures

Occotilla, Saguaro, Paolo Verde and the  mountains in the distance

Gold Canyon in the left upper corner

After a few hours driving out in the dusty desert, Doug is ready for a cold beer. My brother Brian brought him a special beer he picked up in Utah: as the case says "you can't just have one"

No comment needed the case says it all!!

The Dixon's weekly adventures

The time is just flying we are having such a great time. The weather remains fabulous even though it has cooled off to the high 70's. Certainly makes it more bearable in the day compared to 2 weeks ago when we were hitting the high 90's! The park is starting to fill as the snow birds arrive. A good friend from Saskatchewan and her husband arrived yesterday.
We were in to Mesa on Friday to visit with our BC friends Malcolm and Grace Coupland. They were celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary with a little get together. Lots of fun

Malcolm & Grace Coupland celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary

Malcolm cutting the cake

On Saturday, my brother Brian and his wife Cathy from Calgary, were in Phoenix and came out to Gold Canyon and spent the day with us. We went to the Mesa Market, did a bit of driving around to show them the fabulous golf courses, went for a little walk in the desert and had a fabulous dinner. The day went way too quickly

Walking down a desert wash looking for rocks

Brian, Cathy & Sharon

The sun was so bright I couldn't keep my eyes open for the pictures. I was wishing I had my sun glasses on!

A variety of cacti just outside our RV park

Brian and Cathy amongst the cacti!

Doug educating the guests at the dinner table

The end of a wonderful day

The time is flying. I am now attending water aerobics 3x's a week, and starting this Tuesday, we have a personal trainer coming to the park twice a week and doing a weights and stretch bands class for us. Keeps me busy. Doug doesn't need activities to keep himself busy, he can putter! He blew a hole in the muffler of his ATV so we are waiting for a call this week from the dealer saying the parts are in and then he will have to take it in for repairs, so no riding in the desert for a few days....oh well

Spectacular Arizona Sunsets

I've been lazy this past week and just soaking up the sun and enjoying the swimming pool. We are finally feeling rested after the long drive down. We have only been out in the desert with the ATV once as it is just too darn hot yet and the rattlesnakes are still out and about. We have seen one so far and the tracks in the sand of another larger one so we have to be careful. It is supposed to start cooling off next week so we'll be able to do more ATVing then. The nightly sunsets have been spectacular so thought I would post a few pictures to prove it.


Sunset on Superstition Mountains

Sunset over the Sonora Dessert

Sunset over the Resort

An everyday Sunset 

What is remarkable is we get these sunsets every night. The locals are so used to them, they don't even notice any more! We went garage sailing this Friday and Saturday. What fun!! A high end community just a couple of miles from our park had a community wide sale this weekend so we didn't have to go far. Got some good deals and spent very little. If you know Doug - you'd be impressed! He got some great heavy duty plastic shelving units free!! (he has put them up in our ATV trailer to store items over the winter) and he got 2 six foot long pieces of angle iron for 25 cents. He used them to make a holder for the solar panel on the roof of the utility trailer. I got some great Christmas outdoor ornaments for a grand total of $5.00.

I like to spend a few hours a day with a good book and it is so easy to do when the temperature is 90 degrees F.

Sharon with a good book!

We are looking forward to my brother Brian and his wife Cathy visiting us next Saturday. More pictures after their visit