A World Away & A Few Sunsets Later – Benson, AZ
Pre-Post Note/ LOVE the discussion that my last post generated. It’s amazing how many of us feel the same way both about travel and about staying still. Like I said in that post, it’s stuff like this that renews my faith in the world 🙂
We’ve made it another ~300 miles East to the Escapee Park at Benson AZ. All-in-all it was only a few drives, but it seems a world away from our 2-month water spot in San Diego. Instead of palm trees we’ve got cactus, and instead of dips in the bay we’ve got long walks in the desert sand. It’s a landscape that both barren and beautiful (if you like that kind of thing) and I have to admit I’m enjoying the dramatic switch.
Despite our many years on the road, I still find it astonishing that landscape can change so dramatically over such short distances. Another 300 miles from here and we could in the mountains amongst pine trees, or across the border in Mexico, or back by the ocean. Crazy when you think about it, really. This contrast, which never gets old, is part of what keeps my travel bug alive -> the urge to see what’s “over that next hill”, the push to experience what might be just around the corner.
On our way here we stayed for the first time at Picacho Peak State Park (review coming), a lovely AZ park just north of Tuscon where we enjoyed several days of brilliant desert sunsets and scenic hikes around the peak. Not a bad way to spend a romantic Valentine’s Day week-end, despite the fact that temps have been much hotter than is typical for this time of the year (85-degree days in Feb, really?!!).
And now we’re in Benson, hanging out and waiting to start our BIG upgrade project. The SKP (Escapee) park here has seen a huge upsurge in popularity over the last few years so we actually had to wait 4 days in the overflow area before we could get a site, but we’re finally settled in and ready to go. It’s been a long time coming (and a long time for us, saving up for this moment) so now we just need to wait for the parts and the person who’s going to help us make it all happen.
Waiting {twiddle thumbs}, waiting {restless pacing}, waiting {I’m not feeling patient, can you tell?}
In the meantime we’ll just enjoy the desert, our good friends, a few gourmet meals and prep for what’s coming. This project will consume much time & many blog posts over the next few weeks, so I’m leaving today’s one short. Just a few nice desert sunsets from a small world away 🙂
We visit Benson from Utah 2 or 3 times a year. We have friends that Live 7 miles east of Benson. We always stop there on our way to Georgetown Texas to visit our Daughter in Leander Texas, just North of Austin.. There is a lot to see around Benson, Some of the old western movie sets are east south east of there. Wilcox just up the road a ways use to have EMU Burgers at a little cafe on the main drag.
Mel
Yup we really like this area. It’s our 3rd time here and we’ve explored many of the sights in previous stays (Tombstone, Bisbee, Kartchner Caverns, Whitewater Draw etc.). We won’t be doing much sightseeing this time around, but we do love the area.
Nina
I can’t stand the suspense. . . Sometimes I’m not very patient also. Have fun with the changes. Becki
Tee hee…it’ll all be revealed soon 🙂
Nina
Good luck with the upgrades!
I hate filling in time waiting for repairs or even another part of the journey, either an upcoming reservation or a plane flight. It shouldn’t be any different than deciding to veg out for a few days or a week, but it is.
I’m not great at the waiting around stuff either. You prep and prep for whatever you’re going to do, and time flies. Then you come to the waiting part and time slows to a practical standstill. Einstein’s Law of relative time patience?
Nina
Hi Nina…We thought you were going to the Northwest and in to Canada. We see that you are in Benson, AZ. Change of plans?
More like a quick detour. We’ll be back on the coast and our original travel plans as soon as we’re done with our upgrade here.
Nina
I’m always amazed at how radically the landscape can change in just a few hours drive, too. One of the wonderful things about road-tripping through this beautiful country. Love that fiery sunset photo!
Yeah it really never ceases to amaze me. Even 50 miles can sometimes yield completely different landscapes and environments. We could easily RV for the rest of our lives and not see it all.
Nina
I can totally relate to that change of scenery and lands of extreme thing. After a month along the TX Gulf Coast, we’re now back in the desert just in time for her to explode with blooms. This nomadic life is anything but boring. The SKP park in Benson is one we enjoy and have used for catching up on repairs/cleaning. The folks could not be any friendlier there. Can’t wait to hear all about the big project.
Ah yes….blooms. We should be seeing more of those gorgeous Spring Blooms here very soon. In fact the extended (and usual) heat wave that we’ve been having in the SW desert is bringing out the blooms much earlier than usual.
Nina
We’re wintering here this year, just South of you on Hwy 82. If you’ve not been yet, the view from the Coronado National Monument is wonderful, and there is live music to be had on the weekends at the Arizona Folklore Preserve in Ramsey Canyon.
Good tips! We’ve not been to the Folklore Preserve so I’ll look it up.
Nina
Should be a ton of fun watching your upgrades. I had to laugh. My image of the desert includes beautiful landscapes, gorgeous sunsets, amazing stuff, and yes….desert garbage. Go figure. You caught it perfectly.
LOL…the desert really does yield all 3 doesn’t it. Most of the time I find the random garbage kind of interesting, although there is sometimes too much of it. The sunsets are my fav, of course. Nothing quite like a desert sunset.
Nina
Yeah but look at who you get to hang out with while waiting:)
The good company does make the waiting bit worthwhile
Nina
Welcome back to our backyard! You’re a little late if you are here for another mud bath, though. 🙂 We do have Hot Mud Baths available in July and August if you’re up for that. 😉
Down here, the scenery changes from valley to valley. Santa Cruz Valley and Sulphur Springs Valley are totally different from each other as well as San Pedro Valley. Love it! Makes for short drives for short get-aways.
Enjoy!
Pat
I can’t say we’ve ever enjoyed those special AZ summer months, but we’ve definitely been treated to a few of her epic sticky mud baths. I’ve never experienced anything that rivals AZ mud LOL!
Nina
Love that area of Arizona. Stayed at the SKP Park and also at the smaller Encore Park down the road which suited me better.
Wow, very cool that you’re in Benson. Your blog is actually the reason my wife and I started down the path to full timing, and we’ve been on the road FT since November of 2014. And coincidentally, we’re just down the road at Kartchner Caverns state park, with Greg & Cori of RV Solar Solutions and two other friends of ours. If you are available, we would love to have the two of you over some evening in the next few days!
Thinking of San Diego for next winter. What type of site do you recommend?
We always stay in one of 2 places in San Diego..either Mission Bay RV Park if we want to be downtown or Santee Lakes if we want more green. I have reviews of both places as well as a ton of links on stuff to do in the area at the bottom of this post:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2016/02/03/friends-sunsets-san-diego-ca/
Nina
You were at Picacho Peak the same time as us – darn. We would have liked to dropped by to meet you. It’s off to Organ Pipe Cactus NM this weekend.
What a small RV world! Enjoy Cactus Pipe. It’s soooo beautiful.
Nina
Have not commented In awhile but always follow. We are also full timers and your Benson post made me want to comment. In September we suddenly lost one of our beloved pups Duchess at Butterfields there.
We moved on to volunteer at a wonderful guest ranch south of Tucson …we got horrible news right before Thanksgiving that our only child had had a brain hemorrhage in Flagstaff. We let him go on November 28….my prayer is he is with Duchess wherever that is. This is all to say that the desert is very healing, though our sadness will be forever.
And then another minute passed….. LoL
HA! Yeah, and at least one more since I last thought about the upgrade LOL.
Nina
We thought we saw your rig at picacho peak state park. One of our favorite stops on the way out west and back east. Hopefully one day we can thank you guys in person for all the incredible travel advise you provide on your blog that has helped us so much on our travels.
Can’t wait to see what the upgrade is
It’s a small world! We had a very quiet few days at Picacho but we enjoyed them. I was amazed at how full the park was. It’s clearly a popular place. Site separation is great there though so we didn’t feel cramped at all. Lovely park.
Nina
Great photos, love the one titled “morning trail walk”. Curious about your upgrades.
While in Benson, check out The Horseshoe Cafe on 4th Street. They serve a very reasonable breakfast.
We lived in that area for many years, and even volunteered at Kartchner Caverns.
We are on the Oregon Coast right now, and plan on returning to the area in the near-future.
Cheers for the tip. We love the Mexican spot here (Mi Casa), but haven’t tried any of the other dining spots. Oh and you’re making me dream of the Oregon Coast again…I can’t wait to go back.
Nina
Well those upgrades have me very curious. I’ll be watching in earnest to learn of the details.
The changing scenery while traveling is a true traveler’s motivation. I’ve always been drawn by the “what’s next” curiosity bug.
I got my first taste of Arizona this past January so your lovely photos are a wonderful reminder. We were in Tucson one day, but don’t recall being in any of the other locations you mentioned in this post. Arizona truely is an awesome place to visit and explore in the winter months. I really enjoyed it, and now have first hand experience of what the draw is all about.
Best regards on all the Beastly upgrades.
A lovely area to wait a spell, and build up some strength for the big project! We often marvel at the difference of landscape just on either side of the highway – one can be nearly barren while the other is lush. Certainly keeps one from tiring of the view 🙂 Beautiful desert skies.
Nina, we are looking forward to reading about your Benson projects. Good luck!
We will likely stop in Benson again for a short while when we depart Yuma and head east of the Chesapeake Bay this year to see family and old friends.
We will be staying @ Kartchner caverns next wed and Thursday. I would love to meet you in person if your schedule permits. Have been following you for a few yrs
Can’t wait to see who that person is coming to help you make it happen….my money is on “Marvelous Marvin to the Rescue.” 😉
Could well be…could well be…:)
Nina
Tucson. …spelling. enjoy your writings .
HA! Never actually registered that it was spelt that way. Corrected, thanks.
Nina
speaking of songs … this one could be the “The waiting is the hardest part” …and just like that we have a medley going. Hope Monday comes around and everything is charged up just right to get your project under way. Imkelina
Yup that’s a good song for us right now. Got another few days to wait before we get started. Waiting…waiting….
Nina
Waiting….Waiting….Waiting…………………to the tune of “Rawhide.” 🙂
Enjoy your time in the desert. Gorgeous images!
Love your photography!