Settling In At Butterfield RV Resort - (Benson, AZ)

Around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, we made the 3-mile drive from the Escapees SKP Saguaro RV Park to the Butterfield RV Resort in Benson, AZ.

We got checked in and we welcomed by our long-time friends Don & Deb who are full-timers that have been here as Assistant Managers for 11 years now.

We parked in Site 144, our home for the next three to four months. We're on a corner and it's a large site, so it won't be too claustrophobic for me.

 

 

The monthly rate here is $475 plus electric - not bad at all. Now we'll just have to see if electric heat costs us more than propane. 

One of the things we wanted to do was see about hooking up to a large, exterior propane tank so we wouldn't have to move the rig to get propane if we needed it. Well, Butterfield makes it easy. They have 100-lb cylinders that you can "borrow", and before we were in our site very long, one had been delivered.

I just had to figure out what connections I needed and how to hook it up. Fortunately, there is no special plumbing required.

The guys at Barnett's Propane here in Benson had what we needed and showed me how to hook it up.

This is our propane tank with a cover over the regulator.

 

 

And here it is with the cover off.

 

 

I needed to disconnect the regulator and be able to move it five inches to the right. Verifying I had enough room, I purchased Barnett's version of a an "Extend-A-Stay" propane "T" connection.

Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the device before I installed it. And though it is designed so that the hose from the external propane cylinder attaches at the bottom, the metal plate welded to the propane tank to protect it from road debris didn't allow enough room to install it the preferred way. So, I had to install it upside down - no big deal.

 

 

I also installed it so I could run the external hose in from underneath so we could close the propane compartment door.

Even I could do it, so you know it can't be too difficult. It was just a matter of disconnecting the regulator on the right from the on/off valve on the left, and inserting the "Extend-A-Stay" in between. 

With the onboard propane tank turned off, I disconnected the regulator. The guy at Barnett's reminded me that the propane fittings are "left handed" so they don't follow the normal "righty tighty, lefty loosey". You turn them to the right to loosen. Don lent me some wrenches.

Once the device was installed, I attached the 6-foot hose I got from Barnett's to the "T" and to the external tank. We turned the external tank on and there was clearly a leak where the tank hose connected to the "Extend-A-Stay". I tightened everything up, and then we used dish soap to check for leaks. We still had a small leak, so I used some PTFE Yellow Gas Line Thread Sealant Tape on that one connection and did a better job of tightening it. No more leaks.

 

 

We tested the stove burners and our Truma AquaGo water heater and we're now drawing propane from the 100-lb cylinder next to our slide.

 

 

 

Basically, we're just by-passing the onboard propane tank, but we can still use it should the external cylinder run out.

If that one runs out, then the park just comes and gets it and re-fills it for us. We pay for the amount we used, and they put it back.

When we leave here, I can leave the "Extend-A-Stay" in and we can carry a small 20-lb tank with us to use as a back-up for boondocking if we want to.

Camco sells an "Extend-A-Stay" kit and their device has an additional port so you can run another hose to your gas grill. There are lots of YouTube videos on the installation of that product, and though it looks a bit different, it's pretty much the same process as what I did. 

 

After completing that little project, we got cleaned up and went back over to the Escapees park. Linda and Leesa, went to Tombstone to shop, eat, and do a ghost tour at the Bird Cage Theater while Gary and I spent the afternoon and evening watching football.

Ultimately, we stayed late again, and it was our third night in a row we were out after 11:00. Back home at Butterfield, we realized the trains running through Benson are closer and louder. I suppose we'll get use to them.

 

On Sunday morning we slept in, and then I did my tour of the park to get my bearings. There is a clubhouse with a TV and pool table and four card tables, plus a separate library/computer room. There is an exercise room with some decent equipment and there is a nice laundry. They also have a banquet hall that seats about a 100, and there is a pickleball court, and an observatory.

Unfortunately, the pool and spa are under construction. They are undergoing a renovation and were supposed to be finished in October. From the looks of them, I'm not sure they'll be completed while we are here.

We're walking distance to the post office, a Safeway grocery, an ACE Hardware store, Linda's "nail lady", and more. 

And the San Pedro Golf Club, a municipal 18-hole championship course, is less than two miles away. My buddy Don runs outings and tournaments there, and I'm sure we'll be playing a lot of golf. I already got my seasonal pass, and I'll get my handicap re-established. 

In the afternoon, Linda did laundry.

Then, at 2:30, we attended an ice cream social that celebrates December birthdays and anniversaries in the park. RVers love free ice cream, and today we had it with our choice of brownies, yellow cake, German chocolate cake, or carrot cake. We got to know a few more people, and I'm sure we'll (at least Linda) will become involved in all the social aspects of the park.

In the evening, we joined Don & Deb, and Barb & Steven (the park activities directors) for card games. That was a good time, and we quit early enough to get in bed at a more reasonable hour.

 

We've never settled into an RV park like this for more than a couple of weeks, so it should be an interesting winter. I'm the one that wanted to stay put for as long as we are which is unusual for our RVing life - I'm usually the one that wants to stay on the move. It's been several years since we stayed anywhere four months, and the three prior times were workamping gigs where I was starting to get fidgety arter two months and ready to leave after three months. So this will be quite a test for us, especially staying in our much smaller motorhome.

Anyway, we'll keep you updated on this aspect of RVing which a lot of folks love, and which we simply haven't done up until now.

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Comments

[Dan Crooks]

Do they still have the amateur radio shack and antenna farm? That would entice me to stay there long term...

[Deanna]

Happy Winter y’all 🤗

[Dan Crooks]

Question about your extend a stay setup...when you want (need) to use the on-board tank, how do you not fill the external tank with vapor? I used quick disconnects on my setup so I could unhook the external hose if/when I wanted to use the on-board tank.

[JC Webber III]

Why that private park instead of the SKP park?

-- jc

[Dave Burdick]

Now if "WE" can just convince you to post 5-6 Iceland Blogs each month, by the time you leave we will have seen all of your Wonderful Iceland trip. (hint hint)

[Rick Rousseau]

You should install a Shutoff Valve just above the "T" so if you need to Travel your Propane Tank will not bleed out the Extend-a-Stay.
Be Safe and Enjoy!

It's about time.

[Jo Rainville]

Hi! Randy and I are all settled in at Voyager in Tucson for the next three months! Maybe we can meet up for a lunch or dinner to catch up sibce we are only a half hour away!

[Jodee Gravel]

One of a very short list of places we could eventually land. So much to see and do in the area. Will be fun to see what you get up to!

[Phyllis]

If you meet Loretta P tell her this Jersey girl says hello.

Enjoy your stay!

[Howard]

Dan, I know there is some type of operation like that, but I'm not sure exactly what it is.

[Howard]

Dan & Rick,
There is a shut-off valve above the "T" on the extend-a-stay. You just can't see it because it is in the open position and behind the device. It should be in the front, but since I had to install it upside down it's in the back and not visible. So, that's how we can 1) Use the onboard tank without vapor going into the external tank, and 2) how we can leave the device in when traveling if we so choose.

[Howard]

JC,
We have friends that are Asst. Mgrs. here at Butterfield, and they got permission to make us an really good offer that we couldn't refuse. Plus Butterfield has a pickleball court and it's a little more active and younger than the Escapees park.

[Howard]

Dave,
That's the plan. I hope to finish up the Iceland postings, but we've been pretty busy here so far.