Surprise, Arizona

We wrapped up our summer in Michigan on September 30, 2009 and started our southward trek on October 1st. We were scheduled to arrive in Surprise, Arizona, our winter destination, on November 15th. In the six weeks between leaving Michigan and arriving in Surprise, we had RV maintenance scheduled, a new truck purchase (unscheduled), and family to visit. After making the rounds and taking care of our business, we arrived at the Sunflower RV Resort, one day ahead of schedule.

Surprise is a suburb not too far west of Phoenix. It is an outgrowth of Sun City, and the population grew by tens of thousands during the 1990's and early 2000's as retirees flocked to the area. Then you add the snowbirds, like us, that come to live here for a few months each winter, and you can imagine the congestion! It was sort of a shock leaving the bucolic and peaceful village of Hillman and landing smack dab in the middle bustling city life again. It is possible to insulate yourself from the mass confusion somewhat if you never leave the resort, but occasionally you do have to go out for supplies. And golf, which is the main reason we ended up here to begin with. Several other golfing couples we've met along the way were congregating here for the winter, so we decided to join them.

Sunflower RV Resort offers a lot of amenities in and of itself: Bingo• Bocce Ball• Cactus Ranch House Grill • Car Wash Area• Computer Center• Dinner Dances• Dinner Theater• Driving Cages• Exercise Classes • Fitness Center• Fitness personal trainer • Grand Ballroom• Heated Pool and Spa• Hiking Club• Horseshoe Pits• Kitchen• Lapidary• Laundry Facilities• Library• Massage Therapy On Site• Meeting Area• On-site Post Office• Outside Patio Area• Pet Area• Pickle Ball• Picnic Area• Ping Pong• Pitch 'n Putt Course• Pottery/Ceramics• Putting Green• Quilting & Sewing Room• RV and Boat Storage• Shuffleboard Court• Silversmithing• Social Hall for Community Gatherings and Parties• Stained Glass• State-of-the-Art Fitness Center • Three spas and a Eucalyptus Steam Room• Two Tennis Courts• Vendor Market Day• Water Volleyball• Weekly Dances• Wood Carving• Wood Shop. Okay, you get the idea…

At first I wasn't quite sure about the "tin city" we were parking in. Row after row of streets lined with mobile homes and RV's. No lawns, but a lot of rock and concrete, cactus, and palm trees. But, I figured, we are in the southwest, the dessert, and I'm sure this is the appropriate landscaping for this kind of climate and terrain. After being here for a few weeks, I have actually come to appreciate the regional approach to landscaping. Especially during Christmas it was fun to see the blending of traditional decorations with the existing flora - twinkling lights wrapped around a prickly cactus, silver bulbs placed on the tips, and palm trees sparkling decorated like a Douglass fir.