Life at the RV resort continues to be busy and full for us. At the end of January, we participated in a 5K walk to raise money for Amberly's Place in Yuma, a women's shelter. Over one hundred people did the walk, some even running. At the end, the resort treated us to snacks and beverages. We also received a long sleeved participation t-shirt. As luck would have it, temps were in the 80s that day, but we powered through. We're in this group somewhere.
In February, the resort hosted its first ever Murder Mystery dinner. Attendance was limited to 100 people, so I was in line at 9 am the first day tickets were available. I was able to get us two tickets, but they sold out within an hour. Each table was given clues and six cast members came to our table for us to ask questions. At the end, each table of ten gave their idea of who was the murderer. Our table didn't get it right, but we were close. It was a lot of fun. I'm sure they'll be doing it again in the future.
Here's the cast of characters, a combination of staff and residents. Our friend Myra is the blond in the back row. And Elvis in the front row is actually Krista from the home sales office who handled the sale and purchase of our new home.
Here's our table of "detectives".
Last Sunday was the fourth annual Fortuna de Oro golf scramble. There are two person coed teams assigned at random. My partner was Bruce, the taller guy in the picture. I had never met him before, but by the time we were done playing, we were friends. The other team in our foursome were Jan and Doug, both of whom I have played with before. In fact, Jan is our next door neighbor at our new home.
It started out rather cold in the morning with temps around 40. But, as is usually the case in Yuma, the sun was shining and it warmed up quickly. It was a nine hole round. At five of the holes, you picked a card out of a bag to make a poker hand. Our teams weren't very lucky in the poker run. There was also a longest drive for men and women prize. On hole seven, the men had to use an 18 inch driver. The women had a driver twice the normal length. That was certainly a challenge. It was fun to watch how people handled those clubs.
After the golf, we went to the saloon for a tasty lunch and prizes. It was a lot of fun. Kevin also had a partner he had not met before. Over two hundred people participated in this event. There were morning and afternoon groups. We both played in the morning.
We also participated in a group bike ride hosted by the resort. About 50 people drove their bikes to the Old Town Yuma area where we parked and unloaded the bikes. There are very nice paved bike paths that go for miles. We rode for almost two hours and ended at a park where lunch was supposed to be served. Unfortunately, the winds that day were 20 to 30 miles per hour, with gusts up to 40. Somehow, the wind was in our faces in both directions. It was quite a challenge, but we made it without getting blown over. At the park, it was decided everyone would load up their bikes, and we'd meet at the hall at the resort for the lunch. That was a great idea. We enjoyed another tasty lunch. This event was free. I didn't get any pictures.
Last Monday was the last hike of the season for the hiking group. They don't go any later into the year because it starts to get warmer, and there is concern about snakes being out in the desert. We did a relatively easy hike from the resort to the base of the foothills and back. Here's the group for our last hike. The small white dots in the very back are the RVs at the resort.
The ocotillo bushes are starting to bloom. They get long red flowers at the end of the branches. The common nickname for them is the lipstick plant.
After the hike, the resort provided a free lunch for our group. One of the many things we like about the resort is the many activities available, and the many ways they give back to the customers with things like these lunches.
Today we will be attending the farewell dinner for the quilting group. The resort is providing the fried chicken, and everyone else is bringing a dish to pass. Many of the going away activities begin at the end of February or early March, as many snowbirds leave by the end of March.
We'll be off the grid for the next few weeks. I'm not sure how good internet will be in Costa Rica, so I'll see you when we get back.
Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!
