Cocopah RV & Golf Resort in Yuma, AZ

This morning was our last day at the Gypsy Journal rally at the Yuma, AZ fairgrounds. For the fourth day in a row Sandy got up early to go over and help serve coffee and donuts. Actually her job description was “donut monitor”. Her role (no pun intended) was to make sure some of the RVers didn’t get piggy and take too many donuts at a time. Of course, they could come back for more – and some of them did and often. Oink!
Ever since we started learning about RVs and motorhomes we became aware of the issue of weight. Too much weight and not only are you illegal, but you are at risk for blowouts and loss of control. Because Foretravel builds their coaches for full-time living, they build in a large cargo carrying capacity. But just being aware that we can carry a lot of stuff is not good enough. We really wanted to know our weight.

The RV Safety Education Foundation was at the Yuma rally, holding seminars and setting up appointments for motorhome weighing on Friday. We took the 10:00 a.m. slot. It’s a pretty neat system. The scales are not unlike very large and long cookie sheets an inch thick with a digital readout at one end. They had us roll into position. They slid a scale in front of each wheel and then had me pull forward one foot to rest on the scales. With almost 200 gallons of diesel fuel and 110 gallons of water, plus all the stuff we need to live in the motor home we came in just over 1,000 pounds underweight. Most times when we travel we will be an additional 500 to 800 pounds lighter than that because we don’t usually travel with full tanks of water.



We are in Yuma for 3 more days but decided to stay at an upscale resort after “roughing it” at the fair grounds with 20 amps, no water supply and no sewer hook-up. From Sunday afternoon until Friday morning we got by with 110 gallons of water, yet were able to shower as needed and do dishes.

Cocopah RV & Golf Resort is picuresque with lots of green, palm trees, flowers and  clean, well-maintained grounds. 

                                                                                   

We are about 8 miles outside of town in the middle of an agricultural area. Driving here we passed fields of cauliflower, spinach and other leafy plants we could not readily identify.

The resort is big… and fussy. They won’t admit an RV more than 10 years old. Some upscale parks have that requirement – so next year when at a snooty park and the age of our motorhome, we will say our coach is a 2001 model. With our paint job, they will never know the difference.

The resort has a mix of RVs and what are called “Park Models.” Park Models do not have wheels and are generally trucked in and become permanent. Think of a mini house. Some people choose to use them as a second home; others as their only home.

 

There are lots of open grassy areas, some trees and flowering shrubs and the grounds are clean and well maintained. Being located on a golf course also adds a certain amount of attractiveness. For those of you who live in the Midwest, you will probably enjoy seeing green grass and flowers.

When we walk through campgroaunds and RV parks we get to see a variety of dogs.  This Great Dane is named Hoover.  His owner said he thinks he is a lap dog.  When I petted him he leaned against me and then sat on my foot.

In front of the resort office is a fairly large pond which contains fish and captures the interest of the resident Egrets, always on the hunt for a meal. As I neared the pond a beautiful Great White Egret was looking for his last snack of the day, but he or she was also very wary of me. I managed to get a good photo and then noticed a Great Blue Heron lurking near a palm tree and staring intently into the pond.

Near the end of my early evening walk I came across this bit of advice. 

Stay tuned.