Tuesday, October 30, 2018

A Week @ Araby Acres RV Resort in Yuma, Arizona





Eric & I drove to Araby Acres






We will be staying here for one week, with no fees, because of our Trails Collection, which is an additional option for our Thousand Trails Campground Membership.  





The Rec Room, Office &
Laundromat are in this
building.










The Gym











One of the two pools &
hot tubs here at Araby
Acres










The Curling Courts







I was told that about 60% of the seasonal residents are Canadian.




The Mail Room

Individual Mail Boxes
are on the right side
of the building.




This Building houses the
Billiard Room, Card Room
& Lounge/Library.










The second pool &
hot tub





Most of the 430 sites at
Araby Acres are leased
with permanently placed
trailers.








They are neatly kept.

A few are For Sale.











Decorated for Halloween











This small section has 
transient RVers.










Eric & I are settled in
 for the week.



This campsite has 50 amp electric service, water, and sewer hookups.   We access TV channels with our DirecTV Dish.

Monday, October 29, 2018

Lunch @ IN-N-OUT Burger in Yuma, Arizona


Eric and I decide to stop for lunch just after 12:00 pm.   I expect we will be waiting in a long line for fast food.




IN-N-OUT Burger is number 42
on the 2015 QSR List of Top 50 
Fast Food Restaurants by Sales.





I am impressed.  This is a regional Fast Food Chain's 301 restaurants generated $584 million in sales in 2014.




Outdoor seating is popular
in sunny Yuma.






The young man standing
beneath the tree is wired
to take orders from people
waiting in the takeout lane.




This additional person helps speed drive through orders during the busy lunch hour.




Eric waits in line while
I grab an empty booth.






The open kitchen is very clean, as is the rest of the restaurant.  




IN-N-OUT Burger's menu is 
quite small.  







Quality you can taste.

IN-N-OUT Burger uses
only fresh, locally
sourced food.




Nationwide growth is not central to IN-N-OUT's business strategy.  Starting in 1948 in Irvine, California, this privately owned company decided to keep it simple.  The menu remains simple.  It hasn't grown in an effort to compete with other Fast Food Chains.

Keep it fresh.  All the restaurants are located within 200 miles of the company's distribution centers.  There are no freezers at the restaurants to hold frozen hamburger patties and frozen French Fries.  All the food is fresh and prepared in front of the customers.  There's no salvaging dropped ingredients from the floor while the public looks on.  

Keep it clean... the entire restaurant looks new.  There's no discoloration from grease on any of the walls.  The furniture is in good condition.  A staff member walks the dining room helping diners clear their tables and wipe down tables and seating for the next customers.  




Eric told the person who
took our order that this
is our first visit.

He received a paper hat
& was asked to return
to tell the staff about
our dining experience.
The trays are deep to accommodate the partially wrapped hamburgers and trays of French Fries.




Diners start out eating
burgers with wrapping
around its base.



Dillon stopped by with
IN-N-OUT Burger
stickers for us.





He is very proud of the company he works for and shared the company's strategy of serving only fresh foods, keeping the menu simple and creating hamburgers for individual tastes.
IN-N-OUT Burger is loyal to its employees.  Their pay rates are higher than industry standards.  The staff work flexible schedules, are promoted from within the company, have access to 401K retirement plans...




I was surprised to find
information about hand
cut French Fries at the
 bottom of the Fries tray.




Eric returned to the counter to tell the staff that we enjoyed our lunch and expect to return for more Good Eats.

It's obvious to me that IN-N-OUT Burger developed its brand and is very loyal to it through changing times.  Diners return regularly and get exactly what they expect, fresh hamburgers and French Fries prepared in immaculately clean kitchens and dine at clean, comfortable restaurants.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Yuma Lakes RV Resort in Yuma, Arizona





To maximize the use of our
Campground Memberships,
Eric & I moved our motorhome
to Yuma Lakes RV Resort.






The cost for a week of camping with our RPI Membership is $70.00.





This Resort is an oasis in
 the desert with farm fields
 in the distance.









RVers register at the
Security Booth.















The Peach Activities Building
has a dining room, card room
& Library.















Tables & benches sit beneath
the awning at the back of
the Activities Building.









The Pool & Hot Tub are
available from 9:00 am
to 9:00 pm daily.







Shuffleboard Courts











Horseshoe Pits




Some RVs sit beneath
trees.





The majority of the campsites in this 430 site Resort have 30 amp electric service.




Yuma Lakes Estates has
leased lots.









These lots have 50 amp
electric service.









This lot is waiting for
RVers.






October is a slow time
here at Yuma Lakes
RV Resort.






This section will open on December 1st.





Eric & & are camped in a full
hook up campsite, next to a
small Palm Tree.






The voltage is very good here.  With 30 amp electric service, we need to pay close attention to our electric usage to keep our motorhome cool while using our refrigerator, hot water heater, and electric appliances.  

Eric and I are able to watch our favorite TV shows with our DirecTV Dish.

The Wifi service here has been challenging.  Eric did eventually connect to one of the Resort's open Wifis.

I was happy to see that the Laundry has coin-operated washers and dryers.  The prices are reasonable: $1.50 per wash load and $1.25 per dryer load.

Sunday, October 21, 2018

East Yuma Laundromat in Yuma, Arizona




I bagged up the laundry & drove
to East Yuma Laundromat, about
2.5 miles from Desert Paradise






Why not use the Resort's Laundry Room?  I must buy a Vend-A-Card for $2.00 and load it with $5.00 or $10.00 increments.  Eric and I are at this campground for just two weeks and the payment system for laundry is too costly for a few loads of laundry.





East Yuma Laundromat has
different size washers &
dryers.






The smallest, top load washers are $2.00 per load.  Front loading washers cost $2.50 per load.  The triple load washers cost $3.75 per load.  The large dryers cost I used are $.25 per six minutes.





Not well shown is the counter
that runs along the entire
length of the laundromat.











I read a book as I keep tabs on my laundry.  East Yuma Laundromat is a clean, well-kept facility with helpful staff. 

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

A Late Lunch at Texas Roadhouse in Yuma, Arizona

Eric and I are in the mood for steak and want to try a new steakhouse.




Texas Roadhouse is
just "up the road"
from Desert RV
Resort.










Texas Roadhouse accepts
Timber, Cattle, Horses
& Camels... Tee-hee...



















Diners can select 
specific steaks
from this fresh
meat counter.








Booths ring the
dining areas.

Tables fill in
the rest of
the space.




The bar has
multiple
TVs.





Tables adjacent
to the bar








This mural mixes
Star Wars scenes
on Tatooine & off 
roading on the
Dunes in nearby






Beau, our server,
& Eric






He "walks" these first time diners through meal choices.  There are so many!





Elena, a Manager, comes
to our table to greet us.



















She brings us a Complimentary
 Appetizer Card & a bag of
 peanuts to welcome us to
 Texas Roadhouse.



















Wait staff Line Dance
near out booth.







Eric's Mojito & my
Margarita




Eric's appetizer:
There's Chili beneath
the Cheese & Onions.










My House Salad has
generous amounts of
Chopped Egg &
 Cheese.









Eric's selection:
& Ribs with a Sweet 
Potato & Marinated
Green Peppers

I chose a 10 ounce
with Steak Fries.









Eric and I are very happy with our choices.  Texas Roadhouse has taken care of our steak cravings. The tasty sides are welcome additions.





A server took this photo
to help us remember our
first visit to Texas
Roadhouse.


Thank you, everyone, for a friendly, fun, flavorful lunch, and the invitation to return for a free Appetizer.