Imagine Our RV Dreams: 2022 Tucson Grand Design Rally, Yuma, Arizona, and Lake Mead, Nevada

We left Sunshine Acres Children's Home after spending almost five months there and headed two hours southeast to the 2022 Tucson Grand Design Rally. Grand Design is the manufacturer of our RV. Our friends, Linda and Randy, attended too since they also have a Grand Design 5th wheel.

At these rallies Grand Design sends techs to do repair or warranty work on people's RV's for free. They sent three trailers of parts and tools for the event. They will even loan out tools if you are willing to do a repair on your own. The tech are very busy at these rallies but I love they way they take care of our rigs.

The rally was held at the Lazy Daze KOA RV park in Tucson, Arizona.

We had a great site next to the row with the cover. The cover blocked the sun for us in the late afternoons.

There are many seminars and games such as pickleball to attend at the rally.

This guy did a seminar on solar and then showed how his solar setup unfolds on top of his trailer.

During the rally we had a visit from our friends, Dorothy and Jerry and their dog, Sadie. We met them at Cochiti campground when we were in New Mexico in our 2nd month on the road and have kept in touch every since. Whenever our paths cross, we get together. They have since sold their motorhome and now live in Tucson.

Al, Nancy, Dorothy, and Jerry

We were lucky to get a visit from Sadie too!

One of the most fun events was a camp crawl where we walked from rig to rig sampling their alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Here we are getting our instructions for the crawl.

It was impossible to try a drink at every rig or we would have been very drunk! This was our first camp crawl and it was fun to see the different drinks and snacks.

This was our favorite drink of the night. Dark Chocolate Moonshine shots.

At one site we donated a bottle of strawberry moonshine that we purchased in Tennessee.

This event was a big hit. People were so generous with providing drinks and snacks. One guy even had ice cream sandwiches! We're not much for drinking a lot of alcohol but it was hard not to sample at each site. If we did we wouldn't be able to walk back to our RV!

Another night there was an Eclectic Celtic music concert. All we had to do was bring our chairs.

Mark and Pam Hill, The Loughheed Band

Nancy, Linda, and Randy

It wasn't our type of music so we didn't stay long but it was nice to hang out a bit.

They also took a group photo of the attendees. I'm in there somewhere!

We had a fun time at the rally but now it was time for us and Linda and Randy to go our separate ways for the summer. We'll next see them in August in Washington state.

From Tucson, we drove over to Yuma, Arizona to visit friends we made on the road and cross the border to visit the dentist for cleanings.

Joie & Mike and Wes & Kelley joined us for the trip across the border. The guys got hair cuts and Al and I got our teeth cleaned. Then it was time for lunch and margaritas.

Al, Joie, Mike, Wes, and Kelley

In Yuma we stayed at the Sundance RV Resort thanks to a coupon for free nights from our friends, Joie and Mike. This is the park where they bought a park model which is an RV type structure but more permanent.

We parked across the street from Joie & Mike's park model.

Joie & Mike's park model home.

Kelley and Wes and Kelley's parents are very talented and sell their art in the Simply Shappy Mini Mall.

It was very hot in Yuma in early May so Joie, Mike, Al, and I went to their park's game room and played some games.

The most fun was the giant Jenga.

We could not believe how long this game went on! Each turn felt like it would be the last.

It finally came crashing down on Mike!

We really enjoyed our time with Joie & Mike and Wes & Kelley sharing meals and hanging in the pool. It's always great to catch up with them.

We had some more tasks to complete before we head off for the summer so our next stop was to visit our friend, Bill, in Prescott Valley. He did some work on his boat and so he wanted to put it in the water and see how it was running. The three of us drove down from Prescott Valley and were met by Kathy (who we know from our time at Sunshine Acres) at Lake Pleasant which is northwest of Phoenix.

We spotted some donkeys on shore.

I didn't take many photos of our time on the lake. We did get in a little bit of skiing and wakeboarding but the water was cold!

We did some chores at Bill's house and also hiked with his neighborhood hiking club again. From Bill's, we drove to Boulder City, Nevada. We had more chores to do there.

We stayed at the Elks Lodge in Boulder City, Nevada again.

I've been documenting the price of gas and diesel as we travel (when I remember).

One of our projects in Boulder City was to put our boat in the water and exercise the engine after it's been sitting all winter and do a little water-skiing. For this trip we had to use the Hemingway launch ramp since it was the only one open on the lake due to the dropping water level.

Lake Mead Water Line in 2021!

There were only two lanes open for launching and retrieving boats.

Here are some photos showing the low water level.

Can you spot the dock laying down at the top of the white bath tub ring?

Exposed sunken boat

Exposed pipes

Remnants of a boat uncovered by the dropping lake level.

We made the best of the circumstances with the water level and did some skiing and floating.

Bill chill'in out

Al getting ready

Nancy getting ready

Nancy skiing

Dave's Ski


Lunch time


After lunch floating time.

Heading back to the launch ramp.

Me waiting my turn at the launch ramp to retrieve our boat and the guys.

One day the Park Service was doing some work on the Hemingway launch ramp so it was closed in the morning. We took that opportunity to drive about an hour to Temple Bar. The Temple Bar launch ramp on Lake Mead where we usually launch the boat from is no longer open since the water level dropped so far. It is so depressing.

This is the dock we have used for years, including last year, in launching our boat.