About time...

 

We got out on the scoots today.  Yes, an actual ride.  No destination, no time frame.  We saw a road that looked interesting, north of Buckeye - it took us to Skyline Regional Park.  The park is new since we were here last, with 8,700 acres at the south end of the White Tank Mountains; hiking trails up into the mountains, camping, a parking area for horse trailers.  Quite striking.

I didn't take any photos while we were riding around, but I did pull out my phone for a few photos when we were stopped...

My scooter babe above, a fuzzy desert scene below...

Looking south, you can see mountains in the distance (but you are in them at this park)...

Off the bikes...

Proof that I was along...

Joan took a selfie...

Back to the RV park, we swapped out the scoots for the Equinox and went out for a late lunch.  While we were eating, I got a call from the guy with the CTX: we planned to meet him at his house at 4:30(ish).  Nice looking bike with very low miles (it is his wife's, and she switched to CanAm (3 wheeler)... she didn't put many miles on it; it looks new, with some accessories added.  One of those added items is a Corbin seat with a backrest... I could tell by looking at it that the backrest would prevent me from getting a leg over the bike.  One painful attempt, and the guy offered to put the stock seat on it for me to try (takes just a few seconds to swap the seats on this bike)... what a difference!  I could easily toss a leg over.

He wasn't allowing a test ride unless he had your money in his hand.  I understand.  I'm interested, but not ready to hand him the price of the bike for a test ride.  We visited a bit, took some measurements (to make sure it will fit in our cargo trailer), and told him I am interested, but need to find out if it will fit in our trailer and how we handle getting a license plate on it, since it will be a while before we get back home.  (If the plate stayed with the bike, this would be easy... but, no.)

We have some thinking to do.  This one is cleaner and fewer miles than the one we looked at last week.  Less $$ and better accessories.  Joan did say last week that there is a reason that one we looked at then didn't pan out.  I have only ever seen photos of this color blue - the photos don't do it justice.  Nice bike.

Breakfast with family...

 

Steph and Dan made breakfast for us this morning!  As an added treat, we brought Rufus with us to their house!  Steph said they'd put the cats in their bedroom and Rufus could have the run of the rest of the house.  He could smell other cats there, and there was a small bit of hissing on either side of their bedroom door.  But, it was nice to have Ruf with us and not have to leave him home alone.

And, breakfast: Dan made fresh kringle (it's a Wisconsin thing)...

 He was up early to roll out the dough and do the rest of the prep.  For those not familiar with kringle, it is a flaky pastry ring; this one had apple filling.  A nice, sweet treat!

Steph worked at their outside grill/griddle (not like what I think of as a grill)...

Thick sliced bacon, eggs, hash brown potatoes, and cheese - all put together in a freshly grilled tortilla.  Delicious!

And, as always when we get together: lively conversation.  It is a delight to get to spend time with them.  Rufus got to experience a bigger house, but seemed relieved to get back to his home on wheels.

Joan thought it would be good timing to get some laundry done.  I helped carry things and load machines, and while Joan stayed with the laundry, I went home to spend some time looking around online for a motorcycle (CTX).  Long story short: the only one that turned up in Arizona was the one at the dealership we visited a few days ago.  I tried a different, less specific search, and one popped up from a private party in the Sun City area.  I confirmed that this person still has it and I'm waiting to hear back from them again for a time (and place) to go check it out.

Joan always says: "Things happen for a reason.  Something else will turn up."

Family time...

 

It's the reason we are here in Arizona: getting to spend time with Steph, Dan, and their kitties.  There is no lack of attention for the cats... 4 humans, 3 felines.

Of course, when we are at their house, it means Rufus spends time alone in the motorhome.  On Saturday, I drove back to the motorhome to get Rufus some supper, take him for a walk, and spend some time with our furry boy.  Today, we have a new plan: Rufus is going to come with us to Steph and Dan's house this morning; they are making a grill/griddle breakfast for us.  The plan is: they will put their cats in their bedroom and Rufus can sniff around on his own.  Last time we tried that, Rufus was new to the family and he didn't get a warm welcome from Steph's cats (who weren't locked in another room).

We'll see how this plays out.

 

Let it go already...

 

The owner of the dealership I spoke about in yesterday's post, sent me an e-mail, asking for me to call him: "We should talk."  I have no desire to talk with someone who operates a business in that manner.  I sent him and e-mail stating just that.  And that resulted in an e-mail conversation that went on much of the evening.  Must have been a slow day for him; I'm retired, I can entertain myself with this.

His main point was: he takes great pride in his dealerships (3 or 4 in Arizona), and wants to "work things out" when there is any kind of a problem.  My main point was: they have already shown their intent to do the "high ball the price," then see if the potential customer is stupid enough to accept it... and if they aren't, see what they will offer.

Their business is built on selling to young guys who are fixated on a particular bike or SxS, and after sticking it to them with the high price, they inflate the financing, to get the buyer to a desired monthly payment.

That's not how I care to do business.  I am not fixate, young, nor stupid.  I also asked to see the Arizona statute regarding their $399 "doc fee."  He did not respond to that, but was proud to say that his fees are lower than what most of his competition charges.  I said, "If you are comparing yourself to RideNow for business practices and fees, you have set your standards far too low."

I wasn't planning on talking about this on the blog, but the guy wouldn't let it rest.  I finally wrote that I was done with the discussion... and he, of course, sent me one more e-mail to give me his "best wishes."

I would have made a fair (both ways) offer on the bike had they not started the negotiations off with this sleazy way of doing business.  It is too bad that young buyers get sucked into it because they "have to have that bike."  It means that dealers like this can keep doing these business practices, because there are always more young people coming up.  Or, as P.T. Barnum said: "There's a sucker born every minute."

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We got together with Mark and Cindy today.  Mark is my music partner, Cindy is Joan's quilting buddy, but above all that, we're long time friends.  We visited for a while, then went out to lunch (and more visiting), then back to their house, where Mark and I got in some music time.  No song list, no agenda, just making some music.  It has been two years since Mark and I have been able to play together in person.  And just like over the 5 decades before, we can get together after a time apart, and are able to start right back up again like no time has passed.  Having played together in our younger years, we know each other's styles.

I think we all had a good time - I know I did.  Towards the end of our playing time, Mark showed me a new song he has written.  Like other stuff we've written, he put both of our names on it, but this is all Mark... and a really good song.  We need to rehearse it some more (we did play it for Joan and Cindy), then work on recording it.  It is fun to play: a good punchy rhythm and clever lyrics.  He mentioned that it would be a good one for another video and I agree.  Look for it, but it will be a while.

Once back home, we gave Rufus some attention, then headed to Steph and Dan's house.  Steph had some good news to share with us regarding her contract with the school district for next year - some definite changes and new challenges.

Then, back home by 9:00.  It was a full day.  Rufus is getting snuggle time with his Momma - this is as long as he's been alone in a very long time.

A swing and a miss...

 

No, not a spring training baseball game... the "lock out" is still happening, which means the owners and the players are more about the money than the game... so, no spring training games happening.  A lot of people come to the Phoenix area this time of year with the idea of taking in some baseball games.

This "swing and a miss" is in regards to motorcycles.  Don't you mean "scooters," Jim.  Well, I have been eyeballing a particular model of motorcycle that is no longer being made, so I have been shopping the internet.  A dealer just south of downtown Phoenix has one - I haven't seen one of this model in person, so I called to make sure they still had it, and we made a quick trip that direction.

I sat on the bike, and it felt comfortable.  They don't allow a test ride until you pay for the bike and then you can take what they call "an acceptance ride."  If it isn't what you thought, I was told they cancel the sale.  It never got to that point.

Here's the note I sent to the guy I spoke with on the phone this morning, who we also met at the dealership.  He seemed OK - told us he is the "internet sales guy" for the 3 dealerships and turned us over to Philip, who also seemed nice.  Philip answered a few questions, and then offered to get me an "out the door price"... and then things went south...

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Hi Chris.  I spoke with you this morning in regards to the CTX700 DCT that you have in your Phoenix store.  We drove there to check it out.  You have it listed on your site for $7199 with a line drawn through that.  Philip that we spoke with about the bike was friendly and decent.  He went to check on an "out the door" price and out came who I assume is your sales manager or finance guy... his name may have been Mike, but I'll just call him: Douchebag.  He shot us a ridiculously inflated price of $8700.  A waste of my time.  We are from out of state, so I would be paying the sales tax in Texas.  He had a $399 Prep Fee (???) on a used bike that still had bug splats on it.  Then, tried to play the "Well, what would you give for it."  I spoke frankly with him and said the $7199 is already over retail for that bike (and probably why you have the line through that price on your website)... "Regardless of what I offer you, if you come down to that, I will be pissed that you tried to gouge me right off the bat."

It is tactics like this that give a dealership a bad reputation.  Of course, we walked, with no further discussion.  In all likelihood, you will ignore this, as well.   Last bike I bought (new) was a year ago - none of this kind of bullshit; second bike I bought from that dealer in two years.  There are dealers who don't play games, and they will get my business and respect.  And then, there are the others.  I could have saved myself a trip had I known that Nash is one of the others.

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No big deal.  I am interested, not "hot to buy."  If the price was right and the bike looks good, I would be willing to take a chance on it.  Dealerships like this make their money by gouging someone who doesn't know any better, then stick it to them with inflated financing... catering to the young buyer who only wants to know what the monthly payment will be.  I am not that buyer.  

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A difference in the riding position between two "candidates"...

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On a totally unrelated subject: I was taking Rufus for a walk late this afternoon.  As often happens, a couple stopped to visit, making a fuss over Rufus.  While talking with those folks, a woman in a nearby motorhome came out and said, "I have only seen someone walking a cat once before... and that was in South Dakota."

"At Hart Ranch?" I asked.

"Yes!  Oh, goodness, was that you?"

"Might have been - we are members there," I said.

"Oh, us, too!" she exclaimed.

Small world.  :-)

All the conveyances...

 

Dirty.  Two days of driving through rain in Texas left all the conveyances a dirty mess.  I did wash the coach and cargo trailer yesterday, mostly because any surface you touched on them left a grimy layer on your hands.  And, there are a lot of cargo doors on the motorhome that you need to get into.

I washed the coach and trailer yesterday.  After the office here closed (they close at 3:00 - really early for an RV resort; more on that in a bit).  This morning, after getting in a bicycle ride (first in over a week), I washed the car.  No need to be clandestine about that - there is a car wash area at the end of our block, complete with a hose and a sprayer.  The car was every bit as filthy as the coach had been.

You have to work fast at car washing here in the desert; the humidity is around 10%, so if you don't get it wiped down immediately after rinsing off the soap, it will be a spotted mess.  I couldn't do my usual Texas style: wet down the whole vehicle, soap up the side in the shade, rinse, soap up the side in the sun, rinse, wipe down the side in the sun, then wipe down the side in the shade.  Here: wet down, soap up, rinse off, wipe down - a section at a time.  And work fast.

I have enough of the road grime off the car that we can take it to an automated car wash as necessary.  Yes, it was that grubby.

Now, about this being a "Golf and RV Resort"... that's how it is advertised.  The golf is 4 holes, mostly dirt; grass on the tee and greens, dirt everywhere else.  It doesn't matter to me, 'cause I don't play golf.  The other real RV resorts we've stayed at in this area have actual 18 or 36 hole courses, where everything is grassy and kept green.  Even though I don't play golf, it is nice to see grass once in a while.

As far as the RV part of it: you can tell by the layout of the sites that this was designed to be a modular home park in the front, RV park in the back.  When the modular home part didn't take off, they put monthly (or more) RVers in sites designed for a modular home... meaning: spacious sites, especially for an RV.  The last 5 years or so, different management here is once again pushing modular homes and it has been popular.  Sites that were previously occupied by RVs now have a modular home on them.  Meaning: fewer available RV sites.  I get that - the modular homes are year 'round site rentals, no daily/monthly check-in/check-out.

This place started an expansion about 5 years ago, and then stopped before any of the sites were finished.  In the two years since we've been here, they went back to work on that expansion, and it is about 80% occupied, with both modulars and RVs.  The place is bustling.  They can afford to make up stupid rules, like "no cargo trailers," because they aren't hurting for business.

To compare the differences in site size, we have about half the space in these RV sites as a site set up for a modular home.

I think they are calling them "resort homes" rather than modular homes.  These are not the same as a typical mobile home.  They are factory built, usually arrive in two mostly completed sections, then those are joined together (on a metal frame, but the wheels are a temporary thing just to get them here), siding put on the joint sections, utilities connected, cement and landscaping work done, then the new owners can move in.

I toured through one a couple years ago, and was impressed by how they were put together.  The down side of this type of "resort living": you don't own the land your house sits on... so you will be paying some kind of site rental fee (which also covers the common areas) for as long as you live here.  While some buy these as a winter residence, I think a lot of them are occupied year 'round.

 

This is the place...

 

If you said, "What Brigham Young said when he first saw the Salt Lake Valley," you get 20 bonus points.  If you said, "Are you finally in the Phoenix area?" you are right on.  We are back to our easy traveling days the last couple - only 140 miles today.

Other than a giant hunk of metal debris that fell out of the back of something on the freeway in Tucson (we managed to hard brake and swerve - caution: contents in the overhead compartments may have shifted enroute) that we just missed, the drive was uneventful.

We did stop for an early lunch along the way, at an In & Out Burger... it was time for Rufus's lunch and better for us to go into the RV park with full bellies, rather than empty.  We pulled in just before 1:00, Joan went into the office (better, because I tend to tell them... well, nevermind) and got us checked in, we pulled into our site (in the "north 40"), and started setting up.  It will be nice to have all the utilities going, as we ran off our tanks most of the way here.  The new powered TV antenna works better than the old one, and we can get all the over-the-air Phoenix channels.  We are living large.

Well, not too large.  The sites in what I call "the north 40" are long, skinny pull-throughs.  The are supposed to be for short term stays, but it is the only place they'd allow us to have our cargo trailer on the site.  Why?  Thanks for asking.  Because the management in this park has its collective heads up their asses.  We much prefer a site in the front of the park, where it is fine gravel rather than the rock we are parked on.  The sites are much larger (designed for a double-wide mobile home) and we can (in the past) unhook the cargo trailer and have the door facing our coach.  But here - no way.  These skinny sites are plenty long, but if the RV on either side of us has large slide outs, we can reach out our window and shake hands with them while they are in their RV.  OK, it may be a slight exaggeration (and I almost never do that), but if a big coach is next to our left side and they have large slide outs, we may not be able to get our awning fully extended.

Right now, the guy in the site next to us also has an Aspect; a few years older and slightly shorter than ours, but he was excited to see another Aspect.  He also has a tiny dog (a Yorkipoo) that Rufus will probably like... if he doesn't scare the dog too much.

I mentioned I was going to wash our coach later today; he said, "Do they allow washing here?"

"I don't ask.  They have a designated car washing area, so I don't see the problem.  Plus, we have always washed our RV when we get in here.  Just don't ask, because they will tell you 'NO' for everything."

Here we are in our site...

When I mentioned the sites are close together...

I think there will be a regular switching of neighbors, since this is considered their "overnight" area.  My sewer connection is about 6 feet from the Aspect next to us.

I texted Steph to let her know we are in and getting settled.  I told her, "The place is hopping.  Well, some people are moving around on their utility scooters."  But it seems to be very full.  More so than we've seen it in the past.  Lots of people out RVing these days.

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It' gettin' serious...

The cargo trailer has been rearranged to be the portable garage for the scoots.  Looks like they both made the trip just fine.  The afternoon temp is up to 82º... I will need another shower before bed tonight.  In the meantime, it is starting to feel like home away from home for now.

Looking forward to seeing our kid.