THE POWER OF WORDS: MAKING COMPARISONS
Last year we spent 6 months in San Diego, California. This year we are wintering in Mesa, Arizona. They are two very different places, but both provide opportunity to escape winter on Vancouver Island. Unrelenting rain, occasional snow, and clouds obscuring the sun can be depressing. We had rather be where we can see the sun and feel its warmth.
WEATHER
The coldest month in San Diego is December, averaging a high of 65°F (18C) and a low of 51°F (11C). The coldest month in Mesa is also December, averaging a high of 55°F (12 C). At that time of year it gets quite cold here in the desert at night, but continues to be warm and sunny most of the day.
San Diego’s rainy season is December through March, averaging 3 inches in February. Mesa gets very little rain, with an average of 1.3 inches in February, the wettest month. There is no rain here from the first week of April to early July.
San Diego has moderate temperatures year-round, with the hottest month being August when the average high is 77°F (25C) and the average low is 68°F (20C). In Mesa the average high in August is 104°F (40C) and the average low is 81°F (27C).
Desert winds in April blow at an average of 16 mph in Mesa.
THINGS TO DO
California is beautiful, and we love San Diego. Getting there is a bit of an ordeal because roads in the state are in terrible shape, there is a lot of traffic, and costs are high. On the way home this year we may avoid the California section of I-5, and travel through Nevada to Oregon so we can see how that route compares.
Arizona doesn’t offer any ocean views, but the roads are easy to navigate and the desert has a charm of its own. Without sandy beaches and beautiful scenery to attract visitors, the RV Resorts focus on creating a thriving community with myriad things to do. San Diego RV parks, on the other hand, offer few facilities and organized activities.
Mesa Regal is the largest RV resort in Arizona, with over 2,100 sites, filled primarily by new and used park model homes. There is also room for a substantial number of Class A, B, and C Motorhomes, Travel Trailers, and 5th Wheels. Recreational facilities and activities are shown below. If you can’t get enough of what you love to do at Mesa Regal, you can use the facilities and join the groups at any of its neighboring sister RV resorts.
SECURITY:
San Diego CA
Since the RV resorts are situated on ocean beaches, they are open to the public and are not gated. There are park rangers, but they can’t be everywhere, and theft is common. Many occupants are there for only a day or two, on their way to somewhere else, and there is little opportunity to interact with neighbors. It is pretty much an “every man for himself” environment.
Mesa AZ
The RV resorts are gated communities with park rangers. They are made up of seniors who look out for one another. Before retiring for the night there is no need to pack up belongings used outside during the day. There is a 24-hour patrol in most parks.
ACCOMODATIONS:
San Diego, CA
In San Diego we were required to remove our motorhome from the RV Park for 24 hours every 90 days. It is a city by-law. Although we were able to return to our site the following day, we learned that the longest anyone can stay in any RV park is a total of 9 months in a calendar year, even if the stays are non-consecutive.
Mesa AZ
Most of the trailers, 5th wheels, and even motorhomes in the RV parks remain there for the full year, although few of them are occupied for all 12 months. We were told there is a mass exodus of people by mid-April, with only 5% of the residents at Mesa Regal living there year-round. The remaining 95% are snowbirds.
CHOOSING A SITE:
This year we spent some time in San Diego and went on a cruise first, so did not begin our stay in Mesa until late November. We have learned the temperature here from mid-October through November goes from 88°F (31C) to 75°F (23C). In San Diego high temperatures were not a concern, but in Mesa this year the heat became a factor by mid-February. We were initially facing west, which meant the sun was shining on the driver’s side of the motorhome in the heat of the day. Since the awnings are on the passenger’s side of the vehicle, there was nothing to provide shade, and the air conditioning could not keep up with the demand for cooler air. This is also true of any trailer, 5th wheel, or park model home unless something is done to provide shade to the side that receives the most sunlight when facing west. Fortunately, we were able to move to a site where the front of the motorhome is facing east. Our home is now cooled efficiently and effectively.
Proximity to recreation and laundry facilities is another consideration. Walking more than a short distance in the heat of the day may be unwise, and mobility issues may someday arise. Purchasing a golf cart is an option but is an added expense and there may not be ample room on your site to park both it and your vehicle.
While having fruit trees near your home sounds appealing, they attract “roof rats.” In addition to other annoying habits these small rodents with pointed ears gnaw on wires, wood, or plastic to maintain their teeth. They are not native to Arizona, but each female rat produces up to 40 new rats each year, all of which reach sexual maturity at 3–5 months. Do the math. Since a walk around the resort in February can yield a large harvest of sweet and juicy oranges, grapefruit and lemons free for the taking, it seems foolish to invite potential problems by having them grow near your home.
CHOOSING A HOME:
We decided we would like Mesa to be our winter home from now on and want to be able to invite friends and family to visit us here. Although we love our motorhome and it is large enough for the two of us to live comfortably and peacefully, it does not have room for visitors even though it technically sleeps 6. This is true of most RVs, as well as for park model homes, as they have only one bedroom, one bathroom, and the dining table is small. Providing accommodations to overnight adult guests requires what is known as an Arizona room, attached to a park model home. It typically contains a wide-screen tv and seating that includes a sofa-bed. It usually also has a laundry room with perhaps a half or full bathroom. That is what we wanted.
We spoke to many people and learned what it takes to purchase and care for a home in an RV resort, especially during the summer months. There is usually a permanent resident of the park who can be employed for a nominal fee to provide you peace of mind by checking on your home on a regular basis and ensure all is well.
We looked at many park model homes with Arizona rooms in a variety of RV resorts and found three that met with our approval. One even had a dishwasher. Another had made the Arizona room into a large master bedroom and used the park model bedroom as the guestroom/office. A couple of the homes had the Arizona room raised off the cement pad, with large slide-out drawers on wheels for storage underneath. This made it possible to create a deck between the main entrance to the park model home and the doors to the Arizona room. It also eliminated the need for stairs from the Arizona room to the back entrance of the park model. The sale prices included all furnishings. All we would need to move in and live comfortably is our clothes and toothbrushes!
COMPARING THE COST
We listed our motorhome for sale. It is worth more than any of the homes we were interested in, so there would be enough left over to cover associated costs. However, the more we learned the less we liked the idea of purchasing something we could not take back to Canada with us.
The site for a park model home is the same as for an RV, as they are built on a chassis with wheels. However, moving one out of the park would be impractical, because an industrial trailer designed for that purpose must be used, requiring permits and oversized load escorts. In addition, cranes or heavy-duty jacks may be needed to lift the home onto the trailer. As a result, when an owner wants to sell their park model home it almost always remains in the RV park, especially if it has an Arizona room attached. The annual park fees must be paid until the unit is sold, whether the owner lives there or not. Some homes are for either sale or rent, in an effort to recover some of the cost.
Many of the numerous park model homes for sale in Mesa are owned by Canadians who are fearful of the falling value of our currency and/or have failing health. The cost of travel health insurance as we age can become prohibitive, particularly if you have preexisting conditions. While such Canadians are choosing to abandon the enviable life of a snowbird, some plan to come back and rent a unit in the RV resort for a few months each year, without the burden of ownership. It is clearly difficult for them to divest themselves of the winter home they have enjoyed for many years. Gary and I recognize that someday we will face similar challenges, perhaps sooner than later.
So, we looked into the cost of making our motorhome an annual resident of Mesa Regal RV Resort, even though we are only able to be there for half that time. To our surprise, when expenses such as insurance, gas, ferries, oil changes, and Automobile Association membership are taken into account the cost is less than driving it back and forth! When decreased mileage and wear and tear on the motorhome are factored in, it makes no sense to take it home with us and park in alongside the house for 6 months, blocking our garage. (Our neighbors will no doubt be relieved!) When we want or need to sell the motorhome we will have more options and a much larger market than there is for homes that cannot be moved.
I manage to stay busy and satisfied all the time no matter where I am. Gary, however, can’t wait to start engaging in some of the activities available at Mesa Regal, including poker, ping pong, pool, and pickle ball. We will move there on March 4th. The site we chose faces east, has no fruit trees on it and is close to the activity center. I can easily avail myself of a chaise lounge in the pool area and listen to live music while reading a book and tanning my legs. I will also find the best route around the park for my daily 5 km walk.
What about family and friends we want to spend time with here? I have applied to join a Facebook group that will enable us to know about accommodations they can rent at Mesa Regal, and at what cost. Perhaps those who already have the use of an RV can drive it here and enjoy the resort while visiting with us. It would be better if they could be our guests, and perhaps that day will come. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see how the future unfolds.
