Oct 2023
The Valley of the Sun
Central Arizona

The Phoenix metropolitan area is often called the "Valley of the Sun" because of its location in the Salt River Valley and its abundant sunshine. Phoenix is the capital and largest city in Arizona while Mesa is the third largest city in the state. The area is known for its hot desert climate with scorching summers and mild winters. As discussed in Blog 22, I met many people in Show Low who were there expressly to escape the summer heat in the Phoenix metro. The Valley is also famous for its beautiful desert landscapes, outdoor activities, MLB Spring Training facilities, professional sports teams, and countless golf courses. The Phoenix Motor Raceway in Avondale hosts both spring and fall NASCAR events with the latter in November being the championship race. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the National League Championship Series with the Phillies during my stay in The Valley. Cities in The Valley of the Sun include Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Glendale, Chandler, Gilbert, Peoria, Avondale, Surprise, Goodyear, and Buckeye.

Oct 2023
Mesa Spirit Encore RV Resort
Mesa, Arizona

I booked 13 nights at Mesa Spirit Encore RV Resort in Mesa, AZ. This Encore resort is massive and at 1,667 sites it is by far the largest I've ever seen. You will have no trouble getting your steps in around this flat, well lit complex. As far as amenities, I can't think of a single activity or perk that is missing here. There are 8 dog parks, 3 swimming pools, a number of hot tubs, and at least 3 laundry rooms using the CSCPay Mobile app. There are park models here but also an incredible number of dedicated RV sites. There are a few pull through sites but most are back-in like mine. There are Pickleball courts, Tennis courts, Mini-Golf, Shuffleboard, shaded Picnic Areas, Bocce Ball, and so much more. With a population nearing 5 million in the Phoenix metro, local TV channels are abundant. I was able to load 101 channels on my antenna TV search. Verizon reception was 4 bars and each site seemed to have a clear northward view for the Starlink. Being in the heart of Mesa with exits onto both Main Street and University Drive, every imaginable restaurant, fast food and grocery store is close by. Mesa Spirit is a great RV Resort in a region filled with great places to stay.
Mesa Spirit Site Map

Oct 2023
Scottsdale AZ

Scottsdale, like the rest of the Valley of the Sun, is hot most of the year with mild winters. There are over 200 golf courses in the Scottsdale area including TPC Scottsdale which hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open. With a population of over 250,000 Scottsdale is a major tourist destination known for its elaborate upscale resorts as a popular winter destination for those looking to escape the cold, much like Palm Springs. With a western themed vibe, Old Town Scottsdale is a collection of art galleries, boutique shops, restaurants, and night clubs making it the perfect spot to spend the day or a lively night. Like much of the valley, Scottsdale is the perfect place for major league spring training with Scottsdale Stadium being the spring home for the San Francisco Giants. With Money, Sun, and Fun, it's natural that The Scottsdale Airport is one of the busiest single-runway airports in the country. Again, Scottsdale reminds me a lot of Palm Springs CA.

Oct 2023
Mesa AZ

Mesa was home base for my 2 weeks in the valley. Although Mesa is part of the greater Phoenix metro, it's actually the third largest city in the state with a population of over 500,000. Many major league teams have their spring training facilities in the valley and Mesa hosts two; the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park and the Oakland Athletics at Hohokam Stadium. Valley Metro Rail runs down the middle of main street in Mesa through Tempe to northwest Phoenix. The most picturesque place to me in all of Mesa is the LDS Mesa Arizona Temple. The 20 acre complex was completed in 1921 and is a stunning property. Just across the street is pioneer Park which Barron and I walked several times as the tree cover really helped with the triple digit afternoon temperatures. I thought Mesa would be nice in the second half of October but it will be later in the winter when I return next time.

Oct 2023
Phoenix AZ

For the second time in 15 months we made our way to South Mountain Park and Preserve, owned by the city of Phoenix, with more than 16,000 acres and one of the largest municipally managed parks in the nation. This park is a must see in the Phoenix area and has over 70 hiking trails. We drove to the summit to Dobbins Lookout and the views of The Valley are still Stunning! Also worth a quick visit is Papago Park with its iconic feature called Hole In The Rock. This park is just a couple miles from the ASU campus. Downtown Phoenix is home to the Phoenix Suns in the NBA playing at The Footprint Center and The Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team playing at Chase Field.

Oct 2023
Tempe AZ

With a population of over 195,000 Tempe is the home of Arizona State University, one of the largest public research universities in the country. The university is a significant part of the city's economy. On the Salt River in the heart of the city just north of Tempe Butte is the man-made reservoir known as Tempe Town Lake. This area offers boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, and other outdoor activities. The north side of Tempe Town Lake has a sandy patch that passes as a beach. The NHL is represented in Tempe where The Arizona Coyotes call Mullett Arena home. The Los Angeles Angels use Tempe Diablo Stadium as their spring training facility. Mill Avenue has an historic strip in Tempe known for its boutique shops and restaurants popular with student, locals, and tourists. The Valley Metro light rail runs through the center of Tempe east to Mesa and northwest to Phoenix. There are defiantly things to see in Tempe and I'm happy with the several hours I spent there looking around.