why Yuma?

We’ve had several people ask us this question. Here’s why we decided to winter in Yuma, Arizona, after we retired.

It’s easy to get to from Colorado in the winter. You can get there crossing over just one pass in Utah, and it’s been warm enough to de-winterize the motorhome when we stop for the night.

It’s warm and sunny. According to the Guiness Book of World Records, it’s the sunniest city in the world averaging 4,000 hours of sunshine a year. Colorado is very sunny, but it doesn’t routinely hit 80° in January.

La Bodega in Yuma — Bacon-wrapped shrimp taco at Bodega 23

The restaurants! Our kids gave us gift certificates for several local eateries. We’ve tried a couple, Bodega 23 and The Broken Yolk, and still have some to go.

There’s a lot to do, and not just at our 55+ RV resort. My Yuma bucket list is long. Even though we’ve checked off several activities and destinations, I won’t run out of ideas this winter. On the top of my bucket list are the Yuma Territorial Prison and High Tanks Brewing, a family brewery in the middle of a date palm farm. Glad we still have lots of time to keep exploring.

It’s affordable compared to so many other snowbird destinations, which means we can stay longer and play more.

We took a day trip to Los Algodones, Mexico, this week. It’s just a 20-minute drive to the parking lot in Winterhaven, California. Then you walk across the border. They didn’t check my passport on the way in, but they did when we returned to the U.S. The markets are so fun, and we had a nice lunch before heading back. Just so you know, you can each bring one liter of alcohol back, duty free, every 30 days. It’s not super cheap, but cheaper than at home.

There is so much desert to explore. We’ve gone Jeeping with new friends several times. Some highlights include Picacho and American Girl mines, Valley of Names, Mittry Lake Wildlife Area, a couple of wild burros and watching an Osprey practice taking off and landing in the desert. So cool! We are near the Marine Air Station, so we see all kinds of aircraft going over.

The history of Valley of the Names, located in Winterhaven, California, is really interesting. According to Atlas Obscura, “During World War II, soldiers training in the desert north of Yuma, Arizona, began decorating a site they called “Graffiti Mesa,” using rocks to write out their names in the clay. The tradition continued on after the war, and the graffitied area grew and grew. Today over 1,200 acres of land are decorated with signatures, messages, dates, initials, and designs.”

One of my must-do experience is going to The Lemon Grove, a family-operated farm, orchard and market. It’s just a few minutes from our resort, so we go once a week or so. You can get a bag of fresh lemons, oranges or grapefruit for $5! You can also buy fresh produce and eggs, choose from a great sandwich selection and…holy moly, Dole Whips. My new favorite treat. There’s a second location now, Grove 95, which is, not surprisingly, on highway 95.

The beautiful grounds at The Lemon Grove.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more Tales From the Empty Nest.

Sep 24

mostly retired mandy

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Well, if you’ve been keeping track, it’s been 18 months since I posted a blog. Life got a little crazy for a while, so I have some catching up to do.

Jan 10

travel tuesday: wine + winter = winner

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Barrel Cave at Colterris Winery in Palisade, Colorado

The first getaway of 2023 is a wrap! Just like in 2022, it was to Palisade, Colorado. This up-and-coming wine region is less than an hour from our house and it’s quickly becoming a favorite destination. It’s a straight shot on I70, no passes to worry about. I’m ready to go back now!

Our original plan included multiple stops to sample the local food and drink, but we had to whittle that down when they moved the KC Chiefs game to Saturday. It ended up being very relaxing, which was nice after the busy holiday season at our store.

Oct 09

fall in love with bryce canyon

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Fall is a wonderful time to visit Bryce Canyon. This was my first visit, so I can’t judge the other seasons too harshly, but it was perfect autumn weather when we were there in late September. Highs in the low 70s, lows in the 40s. My kind of weather!

We planned this trip way back in July 2021, so we’d been anticipating it for months. We joined our camping friends from Las Vegas, who we try to camp with every year. They had been there before, so we took advantage of their knowledge and love of the place.

Sep 08

all the feels on this road trip

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Sometimes everything goes right on a road trip, and it’s magical. But it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, and our recent Montana vacation set a new standard for luck. Let’s start with the best and work our way down to the worst. You can start at the bottom if you’d like. Then everything will get better as you read on.

May 17

travel tuesday: drink local beer!

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We stopped by Boulevard Brewing Co. while we were in Kansas City, Missouri, visiting family last week. Though we’ve been drinking Boulevard Beer for years, and even carry it in our store, we’d never actually been there. Start in the Tours and Recreation Center, but be sure to schedule a tour beforehand if that’s on your agenda. It’s located on Southwest Boulevard, hence the name.

May 12

travel thursday: the tattered cover

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I missed Travel Tuesday and have decided that Travel Thursday is just as catchy. It’s the new big thing. Tell your friends.

I was in Denver this week for a media reception at the new Rally Hotel, which is spectacular. If you’re planning to catch a Rockies game, you should stay there and save some time to explore McGregor Square.

May 05

desert vibes for march camping

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Spring fever and camping fever arrive at the same time at our house each year. This year was no exception. In fact, it might have been heightened by the fact that I redecorated our camper with a beach theme after our trip to Anna Maria Island in March!

We always spend one night in the camper in our back yard before heading anywhere, just to make sure everything is working properly. Always good advice. More good advice: Unplug the camper if you’ve had it plugged in all winter. We learned that the hard way this year.

May 03

travel tuesday: hummingbird wars

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The hummingbirds are back! I am lucky enough to see them from my office for a few months every year, but remote camping in the high country brings even more of the hungry little hummers to the feeder. One year, I relaxed in a chair nearby with my good camera and captured some great shots of these flying jewels.

Apr 26

travel tuesday: lobster on my mind

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Lobster Roll at Thurston's Lobster Pound

I brought home a great New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc last night, Lobster Reef, and have been craving lobster ever since. Or should I say “lobstah”? That brought to mind the best lobster roll I’ve ever had. We were spending a week at Bar Harbor in October 2014 during our big RV road trip, and a friend recommended Thurston’s Lobster Pound. Even though I ate lobster every day that week, this is the one I still dream about.