Front of Home with Patio
Rear Extended/Covered Patio with Ceilling Fan & Surround Sound
Open House-Sunday, 10/18/09 From 11am-2pm
Beautifully upgraded Palo Verde on Private Cul-De-Sac Lot. Kitchen w/ 4ft extension,bay window,extended cabinets w/crown molding,extended breakfast bar & pantry,skylight. Single French door opens to front courtyard with views of Granite Falls South 11th green. Great room media niche with gas fireplace & surround sound (speaker package). Master bedroom features a bay window,ceiling fans & upgraded lighting. Master bath with dual sinks & linen & walk in closets. 3rd bedroom extended 4ft w/storage closet.Private back yard w/ no back-to-back neighbors.Extended covered patio w/surround sound & ceiling fan.2 Car garage w/cabinets & workbench.Energy efficient insulation. Age restricted Community, Sun City Grand,Surprise Arizona.
MLS#4149353, $285,900
Great Location in Sun City Grand
Great priced Willow in Sun City Grand. Clean & Bright. Cul-De-Sac/Corner Lot with No Back-To-Back Neighbors. Bay Windows in Master Bedroom & Kitchen. Neutral Colors Throughout. Four Ceiling Fans. Front Security Door. Inside Laundry. Eat In Kitchen with Additional Dining Area off Great Room. Extended Private Patio with Gated Ponywall. Walled Rear Lot Adds Extra Privacy. Active Adult Community, Del Webb,Sun City Arizona. MLS#4231706 $180,000-OPEN 9AM-12PM Saturday, 10/17/09
Line up of golf cars at Cimarron
The Thought…
One day early this summer I said to my husband, why don’t we hike the Grand Canyon, again. Let’s go rim to rim and back. We’ve hiked just about every trail in the Grand Canyon, let’s try something different. I had thought about it and felt like we were in really good shape, so I thought I’d see what he thought. Believe it or not, he was thinking the exact same thing himself in recent days. So, it was decided that we would do it.
View of Grand Canyon from South Kaibab Trail
The Plan…
First thing to do was decide which way we wanted to go. Did we want to hike down the South Rim to the North or go the other direction? It didn’t take us long to agree that we’d be best off hiking down the South Kaibab Trail and up the North Kaibab Trail. Then we would hike down the North Kaibab Trail and up the Bright Angel Trail. While the Bright Angel Trail would extend our distance, it would have water and not be as steep as the South Kaibab Trail.
The next step was to plan our time and where we would stay. We decided it would be best to spend a couple of nights at the North Rim to re-coop. Initially we were able to secure a Western Cabin for October 7th, luckily. We still needed to get the second night secured but the North Rim was sold out on the 8th. That’s when we played the wait and see game. Maybe there would be cancellations; we’d just have to keep on checking. As luck would have it, we were able to secure the second night, October 8th. Good deal for us.
The Training…
So now, just go on with life and enjoy the summer. That’s just what we did. We keep ourselves in pretty darn good shape all year round. We just needed to kick it up a notch or so. You see another goal of ours is to complete the Arizona Trail. It runs from Mexico to Utah and is 817 miles in length. You can ride horses, ride bikes, run or hike this trail (some areas of the trail are limited to the method of travel). It takes you through some of the most scenic areas of Arizona, what a great way to see the state. It is 95% complete and one area is closed that I know of at the North Rim due to past fires.
So when you think about how good of shape we were in to do this hike, consider what we accomplished this summer while spending time in Flagstaff, AZ:
• Hiked-121 miles • Ran-235 miles • Mountain Biked-723 miles • Overall Elevation gain-57,500 ft. (including hike to Humphrey’s Peak 12,633 ft. elevation)
The Hike…
• Wednesday, October 7th…We started at 6:14am at the South Kaibab Trail. There was a 10% chance of rain and well it was raining and 30 degrees and the trail had a sleet kind of snow on it at the top portion. Low 70’s at Phantom Ranch, very nice. We saw the sun towards the end of the day which was nice, kept the hike cool. We finished at the North Kaibab Trail at 5:28pm that same day. Total miles: 20.5
Phantom Ranch-Grand Canyon National Park
• Thursday, October 8th…Day off at the North Rim. What a beautiful day it was, 50 degrees, clear and sunny. What a treat! The North Rim will close on October 16th.
Grand Canyon-North Rim Lodge
• Friday, October 9th…We were on the North Kaibab Trail at 5:15am in the dark with head lamps. It was pretty cool, maybe 30 degrees, but clear as a bell. There were several other hikers on the shuttle with us. 82 degrees at Phantom Ranch, not too bad. We finished on the Bright Angel Trail at 4:48pm that same day. Total miles: 23.6
Final Thoughts…
I was so excited about this hike. I knew I was in great shape and I was really looking forward to spending the time on the trails and at the lodges again. What a magical place with so much awesome history. There is no place like the Grand Canyon. We have hiked almost all of the trails on the South and North Rims and we were married at Powell Memorial. We’ve taken a 16 day dory expedition down the Colorado River. The people that come to Grand Canyon are transformed; they’re more relaxed and laid back. It’s a place where you can leave things behind and live in the now.
Once again the Grand Canyon didn’t let me down. It has given me additional inner strength and inspiration as it always has and undoubtedly always will.
18012 N. San Salvador Court
Beautifully upgraded Palo Verde on Private Cul-De-Sac Lot. Kitchen w/ 4ft extension,bay window,extended cabinets w/crown molding,extended breakfast bar & pantry,skylight. Single French door opens to front courtyard with views of Granite Falls South 11th green. Great room media niche with gas fireplace & surround sound (speaker package). Master bedroom features a bay window,ceiling fans & upgraded lighting. Master bath with dual sinks & linen & walk in closets. 3rd bedroom extended 4ft w/storage closet.Private back yard w/ no back-to-back neighbors.Extended covered patio w/surround sound & ceiling fan.2 Car garage w/cabinets & workbench.Energy efficient insulation. Age restricted Community, Sun City Grand,Surprise Arizona. $285,900-MLS #4149353
View from Nankoweap Granaries/Grand Canyon National Park 2008
Call me crazy but could it be October already. Let’s see, what was I doing last October? Well, I just got back from a 16 day Colorado River trip on a dory expedition with Grand Canyon Expeditions. What an experience. I kind of missed it this year and I hope to take another voyage within the next few years.
So back to things going on in Sun City Grand…it’s time to get things rolling again as more and more residents make the trip back for the winter months. Don’t forget about all of the people that rent property in Sun City Grand to either look into purchasing or just to get away from cooler temperatures. Then there are those that make Sun City Grand their full time residence. Whatever reason folks come to our wonderful community, there is plenty to do.
The activities calendar has a wealth of things to choose from. I myself am looking forward to Octoberfest on October 10th, gotta have some of that kettle corn. Oh and of course check out the vendors and meet other residents.
Whatever your interests, be it golf, fitness, learning, volunteering, bocce ball..well, you get the point. You could stay pretty darn busy all year/winter long. I guess that’s where all the time goes.
It’s been a great summer and things are winding down again. It’s that fall shoulder season and temperatures are cooler and it’s time to plan a head for the holidays. Well, if you’re traveling, it’s definitely time to plan ahead.
If you plan on utilizing I-10, I-17 or any of the Loops to come back to Sun City, Sun City West or Sun City Grand, check out the major improvements underway to our freeways etc… It might even be a good idea to avoid some of these areas, if you know your way around them well enough. At least it’s a good idea to know what to expect and how that might affect your travel time and route.
We travel quite frequently in our motor home so we check on what improvements are going on. We were unfortunate about 6 years ago to be going through an area that was being paved or tarred. Let’s just say it took us quite awhile to get the tar off of the motor home and our tow vehicle.
Happy and safe travels as you make your way back south for the holidays and winter months. Oh, try to avoid getting stuck in rush hour traffic on your way back into town. We’ll be here waiting for you.
-Arizona Department of Transportation Main Website
This page gives you so many choices including vehicle and driver services. I like this website because I can access the closures and restrictions or see what projects are up and coming. http://www.azdot.gov/
-AZ Travel Conditions
On this page you can see roadway conditions and live camera images. You may also call the 511 phone based traveler information system from your cell phone. Or call direct to the system by dialing 602.523.0244 or toll-free by dialing 888.411.ROAD (7623). http://www.az511.gov/home.php
-Loop 303 North of I-10
This is going to be such a positive improvement . It will be nice to have a better connection from I-10 in the west valley. For more information on planned improvements and construction click the links below.
-City of Surprise: http://www.surpriseaz.com/index.aspx?NID=99
-Arizona Department of Transportation: http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Valley_Freeways/Loop_303/North/index.asp
-Grand Avenue-US 60
Grand Avenue or US 60 connects several cities in Maricopa County and is a link connecting Phoenix with Las Vegas. Let’s just say, it’s a busy roadway. For more information on planned improvements and construction click the link below.
-Arizona Department of Transportation: http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Valley_Freeways/US60/Grand_Avenue/index.asp
Maybe you’ve been thinking about making some personal changes regarding being more conservative or saving on energy costs. After all, we have more choices today than those before us and last I checked the cost of living hasn’t dropped. Maybe we can save ourselves a little of the green stuff too.
Once you get in the swing of things, it’s pretty rewarding to know that you are making a positive impact towards your bottom line and the environment. One person at a time is all it takes. I know this is pretty basic stuff and just the tip of the iceberg as far what one can do. I’m sure there are individuals out there that still brush their teeth with the water running. So, slow down and don’t forget to floss, oh, I mean turn the lights off behind you….
The following are some things to consider…
Water
-Fill the washing machine to accommodate the amount of clothing you are washing. In other words, if it’s a small load use the small water setting.
-Consider taking a shorter shower or turning off the water when you lather up.
-Turn the water off when you brush your teeth, that’s a simple one.
-Don’t flush stuff down the toilet, throw it in the trash or recycle it.
-Run the dishwasher when it’s full. Consider using a shorter wash cycle or not using the heated drying cycle. -Make sure your toilet isn’t running, the faucets aren’t dripping and your yard watering system isn’t leaking or watering dead plants. Remember to make seasonal adjustments to your automatic programming system. If it rains, turn off the system and enjoy water compliments of Mother Nature.
Lights/Electric
-Turn off the lights when you’re not using them. No need to illuminate the whole house if you’re in the living room.
-Open blinds or drapery instead of using lights. The natural light is so soothing. -Consider installing Solatube skylights for natural light in those darker hallways or laundry rooms. http://www.solatube.com/homeowner/
-Plug your office equipment into a power bar, the ones that you can turn off with a switch that have the multiple outlets. Turn it off when you’re not using your computer equipment.
-Hang your clothing to dry, no need to fire up the dryer if you can hang dry. -Use CFL (compact fluorescent lights). Change them out a little at a time.
-Keep your refrigerator and freeze settings reasonable. No need to max them out. Oh yeah, get in and get out, don’t graze while you’re at the icebox.
-Ceiling fans can help circulate the air and help the heating and cooling systems work more efficiently.
Heating & A/C
-Clean your air/heater filter…she’ll run more efficiently.
-Keep your major appliances running efficiently by servicing them on a regular basis.
-Talk with your utility provider to find out what times are better for energy usage. Maybe they offer time of use programs that can save energy and money.
-Turn the thermostat up or down when you’re gone for the day.
-Close windows, blinds and curtains to keep heat out in the summer. Do the opposite in the winter months.
-Could you add more insulation to the house? Maybe check the window seals?
Waste/Trash
-Use paper bags instead of plastic bags, then recycle or reuse them. Purchase bags that you can use every time you shop. I’ve gotten in the habit of keeping these in my car.
-Sort your trash plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, etc…then dispose of it accordingly. There are several options within your own community or city for recycling.
-Donate household items, don’t throw them away. There are so many people that could benefit from things we don’t want anymore. This includes old cell phones, appliances and electronics.
-Re-use your Starbucks coffee cup or take your own cup to get coffee instead of using paper.
-Stop receiving paper bills, cut back on magazines and call off those junk mail companies. When you get junk mail, call the company and have them take you off of their mailing list.
-Recycle or give your used books and magazines to schools, libraries etc…
Some Facts:
-Reducing your speed to 55 mph from 70 mph could increase your fuel efficiency by as much as 23% (or get you run off the road).
-On average, American consumers drink about 28 gallons of bottled water annually per person. Where are all those bottles going?
-Using an efficient dishwasher can actually save more water than washing by hand.
Some Great Resources:
-National Geographic’s “Green Guide”: http://www.thegreenguide.com/
-Consumer Report’s “Greener Choices”: http://www.greenerchoices.org/
-Energy Star: http://www.energystar.gov/
-Arizona Incentives for renewables & efficiency: http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=AZ
Great priced Willow in Sun City Grand. Clean & Bright. Cul-De-Sac/Corner Lot with No Back-To-Back Neighbors. Bay Windows in Master Bedroom & Kitchen. Neutral Colors Throughout. Four Ceiling Fans. Front Security Door. Inside Laundry. Eat In Kitchen with Additional Dining Area off Great Room. Extended Private Patio with Gated Ponywall. Walled Rear Lot Adds Extra Privacy. Active Adult Community,Del Webb, Near Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center,Arizona Golf Community. $180,000. MLS#4231706
