Welcome to Convention 2010 TOURS & EVENTS (Please Note: Some tours overlap event times, please plan accordingly)
To register: Check the
appropriate box on your Convention 2010 printed or online registration form.
Tours include round-trip transporation by deluxe motorcoach, professional guide, water, and driver and guide gratuity. Tours require a minimum of 30 people (maximum of 52 people per coach). Tours will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis to convention attendees. Day registration participants will be signed for tours on a space-available basis.
Saturday, October 23 TORTILLA FLAT AND DOLLY STEAMBOAT TOUR 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Before boarding the Dolly steamboat for a cruise through the junior grand canyon, we will head out to Tortilla Flat and the Tortilla Flat restaurant, which is famously decorated with dollar bills and cowboy memorabilia. Once a stagecoach stop, this authentic remnant of an old west town reportedly has a full-time population of six hardy souls, a general store gift shop, a schoolhouse museum, a sweet shop serving prickly pear ice cream and a restaurant where you can belly up to the bar on a saddle stool and enjoy some great barbecue. After lunch, the Dolly Steamboat will take us leisurely through the secluded inner waterways of the beautiful Canyon Lake and past the breathtaking flora and fauna of the lower Sonoran desert. This tour is consistently rated one of the best things to do in Arizona.
Cost: $110 per person. Includes barbecue lunch and steamboat cruise.
Sunday, October 24 SEDONA TOUR LAND OF THE RED ROCKS 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This is a popular day trip for visitors and Arizona residents alike. Desert dwellers love the lush green Oak Creek Canyon and one never tires of the red rocks or startling view as the highway plunges into the heart of this magnificent country. We will stop at Montezuma's Castle, a national monument since 1906, to see cliff dwellings judged to be over 700 years old, a legacy of the Sinagua people. We will also pass by the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a building majestic in its simplicity, a reverent testament to the natural red rock beauty that embraces it. We will stop for photo opportunities along the way. We will also spend some time in the town of Sedona. Here you will find enticing restaurants and several galleries and interesting shops. Time will be allowed for browsing. Lunch will be on your own.
Monday, October 25 FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S TALIESIN WEST TOUR 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Frank Lloyd Wright, an architect, interior designer, writer and educator, designed more than 1,000 projects. His work includes original and innovative examples of many different building types, including offices, churches, schools, skyscrapers, hotels, museums and private homes. Come along to Taliesin West to experience firsthand Wright's brilliant ability to integrate indoor and outdoor spaces. You will visit the Cabaret Theater, Music Pavilion, Kiva and Wright's private office, all linked by dramatic terraces, gardens and walkways overlooking the rugged Sonoran desert and valley below. Knowledgeable and experienced guides will provide an overview of Wright's philosophies and theories of design and explain how this site relates to the desert.
Monday, October 25 HEARD MUSEUM TOUR 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Since its founding in 1929, the Heard Museum has grown in size and stature to become recognized internationally for the quality of its collections, educational programs and cultural festivals. Dedicated to the sensitive and accurate portrayal of Native arts and cultures, the museum's activities revolve around collecting, preserving and presenting art ranging from ancestral artifacts to contemporary artworks that provide a foundation for learning about the cultures and experiences of Native people, especially those from the Southwest. The museum's collection includes nearly 40,000 objects. In addition to viewing exhibits, you will want to allow some time while you are here to visit the museum's outdoor gardens and courtyards.
Tuesday, October 26 VALLEY OF THE SUN CITIES TOUR 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
This tour will provide you with an introduction to the Valley of the Sun metropolitan areas growing out of the Sonoran desert landscape. In addition to the downtown Phoenix federal courthouse, Arizona Center, U.S. Airways Center and Arizona state capital building, we will see Carefree, in the pristine high desert, Scottsdale, where untamed nature provides the backdrop for carefully sculptured landscapes, and Tempe, home of Arizona State University, Sun Devil Stadium and the Gammage Auditorium. We will stop in Old Town Scottsdale for lunch (on your own). There will be time to browse the galleries and shops that line the wooden sidewalks.
Cost: $55 per person.
Tuesday, October 26 BESH-BA-GOWAH ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK TOUR 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Besh-Ba-Gowah Archelological Park is home to the well-preserved ruins of a 700-year-old Salado pueblo. The park's museum has one of the largest single-site archaelogical collections in the southwest. We will view typical furnishings of the era along with numerous artifacts of the remarkably advanced Salado culture. There will be time to stop for lunch (on your own) before we head back to Viewpoint RV and Golf Resort.
EVENTS (Please Note: Some tours overlap event times, please plan accordingly)
Monday and Tuesday, October 25 and 26 PICKLEBALL EXPERIENCE 8 a.m. start time
This is a two-day course with required active participation during the morning hours and optional active participation in the afternoon hours. Experienced pickleball players will present an overview of the game, provide instruction on technical aspects of the game, demonstrate various aspects of play and supervise registrants as they participate in drills and round robin tournament play geared for different levels of experience. The game requires mobility, endurance, balance and eye-hand motor skills and is played on an outside court the size of a badminton court. Pickleball is popular among all age groups. Paddles will be provided for those who don't have their own. Wear safe court shoes and appropriate clothing for hot weather. Also bring sunglasses, visors and a small sweat towel. Water and energy snacks will be provided. For more information, email seamtblossom@comcast.net.
Cost: $20 per person for both days.
Monday, October 25 GOLF OUTING 8 a.m. tee time
Dust off your golf clubs and bring them along to Convention 2010. This golf outing is going to be a treasure of an event. What more could we ask for: sunny Arizona skies, tree-lined fairways, a sand trap or two, great view of the mountains that guard the city of Mesaand the course is immediately adjacent to the convention grounds. This fun competition will be followed by lunch with prizes and gifts. The registration deadline for this outing is October 18. For more information, email mesagolf2010@aol.com.
Cost: $65 per person. Includes lunch.
Monday, October 25 BEGINNING MAINTENANCE CLASS 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This basic RV maintenance class will guide you to a better understanding of your RV and what you must do to keep it in tip-top shape. This class is designed for women who are new to RVing and women who need a refresher course in the basic care and feeding of travel trailers, fifth wheels and motorhomes. This class begins at 9 a.m. and goes to 4 p.m. We will break for one hour for lunch.
Cost: $45 per person.
Tuesday, October 26 ADVANCED MAINTENANCE CLASS 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This RV maintenance class, for more experienced RVers, will help you learn how to troubleshoot problems and do some minor repairs that can save you money. To benefit from this class, it is recommended that you have a good basic knowledge of preventive maintenance and simple repairs. This class begins at 9 a.m. and goes to 4 p.m. We will break for one hour for lunch.
