Winter 2017 in Arizona

January activity highlights included our annual Gathering of the Escapee RV Club Prospector and Metal Detectors in Quartzsite, AZ.  We always look forward to seeing many of our friends at least once a year at this fun event.  Here Ken is drywashing for gold during one of our outings.

January at Quartzsite is quite an experience...a community of a few hundred becomes upward to a million people when the RV'ers come to town for the big RV Show and other festivities.  Here Joanne is greeted by one big dude...the Michelin Man at the big tent! 

Each year in Arizona City, some of our neighborhood men and women get some exercise by literally cleaning up over-grown lots that are a magnet for litter accumulation.  Here's an example of the "before" at 9 a.m.  

These neighbors are in the process of the trimming, raking, and burning (with a Fire Dept. Burn permit).

Here's the noon photo!  One can even see the beauty of the green golf course behind the cleaned lot!  

Another big winter project for the Parsons is volunteering with the Arizona City Chamber of Commerce to co-ordinate the local Arizona City Daze Parade the last Sat. in Feb.  We were delighted to have two very special grand marshal entries this year.  Here is the family of Bo Warren...wife, children and spouses, grand kids and great grand kids.  Bo passed away last fall.  He was a local farmer and avid sports enthusiast.  We often saw Bo on his tractor with the mower behind cleaning up the weeds along our main street.  We'd ask him to be our grand marshal previously but he humbly refused.  We were so appreciative of his family allowing our town to honor his memory. 

Bo's son drives the famous red tractor behind the family as they march in our parade.

We were also delighted to honor as grand marshal Lin Laursen.  Lin is now retired after 34 years at Central Arizona College.  She was the "winning-est" junior college coach with an amazing record of 971-145. Among her awards, she was honored in the Hall of Fame for Women's Basketball Coaches, coached  3 national championships, and was National Coach of the Year 3 times.  Indeed she's a "famous lady" in our town!  

Among the Judge's choices for parade awards were our neighbors from the High Chaparral RV Park.  They had lots of participants from many USA states included in their entry!  How about this for a "historic trailer"?

The High Chaparral Band and singers as well as riders of 4-wheelers joined in the Arizona City Daze Parade fun!

The Arizona City Golfers "Celebrated the Holidays" by including decorated golf carts adorned for many different seasons.

Even the Easter Bunny with the Golfers passed out treats to the local parade watchers.  We had great participation by area civic groups (fire, sheriff, rangers, political), commercial entrants, youth, comic, and classic vehicles!