Newsletter Archive

10th October 2009

We began this year with hope and determination to achieve our goals at Mesa RV Resort. Now as the season draws to a close, we can say that it has been an exciting, difficult at times, but rewarding journey. Together with our fantastic team of workampers, I think you will agree that  we managed to achieve most of the improvements we had planned but most important, we achieved an atmosphere in which our guests could relax, have fun and truly enjoy their visit.

The two cabins, "the Shrew", so named after our favorite Traditional Longbow, (which both Allan and Andy shoot) and "the Hawken", named after the rifle used extensively by hunters and trappers in the high country, were completed by the begining of the season. Andy did a wonderful job on them. Both have a little character of their own..At this point I should thank workamper Mick and Park Model Guest Jim Jaggers for their invaluable help. Both cabins were booked back to back all summer and bookings for the fall and winter season look promising. In fact we are thrilled that "the Hawken" will actually be occupied over Christmas. Peg and Hullit, we hope you have a wonderful and cozy Christmas here. You are the first guests to spend Christmas at Mesa RV Resort! Oh, the weather outside might be seem frightful, but Gunnison, in the winter is indeed delightful! I'm sure that this is the place to enjoy the most memorable Christmas you  could imagine. From skiing to snowshoeing to snowmobiling, it is the place for enthusiasts from all walks of life. Gunnison sure becomes a winter-land of wonder, a winter adventure that is sure to warm your heart and spirit.

In April, we created quite  stir when we put up two Tipis. One has become Andy's "abode". He has made it rather comfortable with a wood stove and skins amongst many weird and interesting bits and pieces..He enjoys showing it to people so if you missed out this year, be sure to pay him a visit on your next stay at Mesa RV Resort. The other, we rented out through the summer for a special camping experience which was enjoyed by a number of families who described their stays as "the best fun ever". A playground was also built near the club house and we managed to get the beginning of a Recycling Bank together. At this stage, there is no collection so we have had to cart all the recycling to the Gunnison Recycling Point ourselves. Mr and Mrs Barnes who were here for the season took the responsibility of doing just that for us twice a week and we would like them to know how much we appreciated their help. Thank you all for helping us make this a Green Park.

Our team of workampers deserve a special mention. They did a magnificent job.  Richard and Shana spent a few days cleaning and restoring the clubhouse when they first arrived. They did a wonderful job giving the old building a good makeover. It looks cheerful and welcoming and has been an ideal setting for our many Potlucks. Mick and Penny also deserve a mention...Mick was Andy's right hand man on the second cabin..He has also revived the old compressor that had been abandoned for years in all weather in the boat yard, and Penny has been a star with the sowing machine...Thank you for the curtains Penny!  I love them. Penny made curtains for the cabins, the club house and our house! Linda tackled the office and book keeping with great zeal and spent many hours organizing mountains of paper work. Sam did a stirling job improving the sites by adding gravel and getting the grass just right at the start of the season. Sam, Richard and Lenny spent much time improving the grounds- and as we had hoped,the grassy areas have been increased and improved through lots of extra watering, fertilizing and care. The ladies welcoming the guests in the office did a fantastic job behind the desk...they tackled the computer program with enthusiasm and soon had that under their belt. Just recently, Richard and Shana together with Barbara ad Lenny decided to give the office a new look and a fresh coat of paint has made the office so much brighter and cheerful. It is now ready for a new season. One thing for sure is that we received many a compliment about the helpfulness and friendliness of our workampers throughout the season. We are very pleased that most of them will be back again next year.

Our social calendar kicked off with a bang on the 23rd May when we had our first Fish Fry to celebrate Memorial Day..Throughout the season we had numerous, well attended, delicious, fun Potlucks, Ice-cream socials, Birthday parties, "illegal" gatherings on the front bench as well as fun evenings of cards, bingo, pegs and jokers etc. The Duck Race and the 4th of July  BBQ and Dance were attended by a record breaking 120 people. So many of you helped and participated in the preparations and co-ordination of these events and we would like to thank you all for your support and contributions in making these so successful. A big thank you to Ralph who gave up a great amount of time and effort to help us out with all our summer functions. We plan to continue with these fun plans next year and we welcome any new ideas..so get your thinking caps on..

One evening, Allan decided to have an impromtu slide show....a general collection of photographs taken in Africa- a nostalgic trip for Allan, Andy and I but it did give you all a pretty good insight into our family background...and so this became a weekly must..as everyone gathered in the club house most sunday evenings to be taken on journeys around Gunnison, the Grand Circle, Gothic Weekend and Gypsy Gathering in the UK, Bangladesh and after many requests, a second showing of the African Memories album.

And now Fall has come. The colors are a wonderful sight of glistening Gold. The summer seems to have whizzed past in a rainbow of fun, laughter and much hard work..
"These fields are full of rock, and the season is too short
Sometimes it seems there's naught but toil & labour
Yet there's joy enough to share, though the times be lean & spare
And laughter like a flowing cup we'll savour."    
These lyrics from Joe Grant, seems to sum up our summer..   Andy has been busy with winterizing the park and is getting himself organized for his second winter in Gunnison.                    

Already we have said goodbye and farewell to all our new friends, many of whom  have become part of our family- Thank you all for your help, your support, your constructive criticism ,your observations and enthusiasm without which we would not have had this great summer. We look forward to seeing you all again next year when a new adventure awaits us.
"Every end is a new begining".
Next year will bring new things and it will be our pleasure to share these with you in this wonderful location in the heart of Colorado. "Some of the most beautiful places on earth are lesser known and undisturbed. There's a special sense of wonder that goes along with discovering a place like this. You feel somehow it belongs to you. You take that place with you, even when you leave. "

Allan's daily photo blog will keep you up to date with any development through the winter months until we meet again, so be sure to check it out every now and then and feel free to add your comments, we would love to hear from you!

Take care till we meet again and happy winter!


Francie, Allan and Andy

17th September 2009

Autumn is here! The fall colors have begun to change and 'gold ' is all around us as we begin to say goodbye and farewell to our summer friends.

And what a summer it has been. It really has been  wonderful meeting everyone and making new friends. We can truly say that our first summer at MesaRV Reosrt has been a heart warming experience for Allan, Andy and myself. 

With the help of hard working and dedicated workampers and the support of seasonal guests we have achieved what we set out to do..the grounds have improved, we have been able to add cabins, tipis, a playground and most of all a tremendous atmosphere. The potlucks have been fun and delicious, our 4th of July BBQ turned out pretty impressive and generally I am sure everyone will agree that we have had a fun summer. Allan has loved to share his photographs with everyone during his slide shows and on his blog.

The three of us and Natasha who was only with us for a month, would like to thank everyone who contributed in making this summer the success that it has been.

And now we can take the time to slowdown and enjoy the autumn colors, the warm midday sunshine, the thrill of seeing  the deer back in the park for the winter. Thank you all for making this journey with us, for your kind support, help, enthusiasm, advice and kindness. We look forward to next spring when we can begin a new adventure together. I'll end with the beautiful lyrics from  the Keppel Township Love Song by Joe Grant:

"These fields are full of rock, and the season is too short
Sometimes it seems there's naught but toil & labour
Yet there's joy enough to share, though the times be lean & spare
And laughter like a flowing cup we'll savour."

Francie 

20th July 2009

This Photo was taken of me recently by Rita Hill, well known Photographer from Fresno California.

Thanks Rita, hope you made it home safely.

9th July 2009

Our season is well underway and we have been having a lot of fun here on the Resort. Our texas BBQ on the 3rd was an enormous success with a record breaking turnout of 170. The food was great and we would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who contributed and helped. The dancing afterwards was great fun and Ralph's music was just what we needed... something that we will have to do again soon...

On the 4th, Allan and I went up to Crested Butte and enjoyed taking photos of the parade...our first real experience of Independence Day in the US. The photos can be viewed in Allan's photo blog.

The famous "Duck Race" took place in the afternoon.. over a hundred ducks participated and a good time was had by all.

The evening was spent enjoying the Gunnison Fireworks ..a wonderful show and a huge turnout at the Jorgensen Park.

A couple of nights ago, Allan organized an impromptu slide show. He chose a general collection of photographs taken in Southern Africa before 1999..a nostalgic trip for Allan, Andy and I.

Africa by Emily Dibb

When you've acquired a taste for dust,
The scent of our first rain,
You're hooked for life on Africa
And you'll not be right again
Till you can watch the setting moon
And hear the jackals bark
And know that they're around you,
Waiting in the dark.

When you long to see the Elephants,
Or to hear the coucal's song,
When the moonrise sets your blood on fire,
You've been away too long.
It's time to cut the traces loose
And let you're heart go free
Beyond that far horizon,
Where your spirit yearns to be.

We were happy to share some of those memories and experiences with everyone who attended. This was only the first of many slide shows. Allan is working on a program and we will keep you all informed.

Don't forget to join us for our next potluck, Thursday 16th: "Cajun fish fry and Gumbo Supper" at the Club House! Right now the sun is still shining, the wild flowers are blooming and the fish are still biting...we don't need much more than that!

Happy camping,


Francie 

4th June 2009

Most of our Park Model and Seasonal guests have arrived. Allan met many of them last year and is re-newing friendships and for me, it's a case of making new wonderful friends. We are looking forward to the next "get together" at the Club House on the 11th June for " Mulligan Stew and Cornbread"..that sounds pretty tasty.

The Club House has seen a complete facelift. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, Shana and Richard patched, painted and scrubbed...Penny has spent the last two days measuring, cutting and sewing new curtains from a roll of material donated by Linda. Well the curtains are up and wow! what a difference they make to the look and feel of the Club House. We hope the guests will enjoy using it.

This week, we welcomed another workamper couple, Barbara and Lenny Perkins from Texas. We are happy to have them on the team and we're sure they'll fit just right in.

The Hawkin Cabin is just about complete...a few finishing touches touches inside and the railing for the deck. The first guests for the Hawkins will be arriving  on the 8th, all the way from Switzerland. We look forward to meeting the 'Weildolf' family. Both cabins are booking fast so if any one is thinking of visiting the area..call us quick to make your reservations!

Summer is here in Gunnison..come and enjoy the natural beauty of the area and remember : "Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time." ~John Lubbockon

Have a happy day!

Francie

21st May 2009

Did you know that after the killing of Curley Bill, the Earps left Arizona and headed to Colorado. In a stop over in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Wyatt and Holliday had a falling out but remained on fairly good terms. The group split up after that with Holliday heading to Pueblo and then Denver. The Earps and Texas Jack set up camp on the outskirts of Gunnison, Colorado, where they remained quiet at first, rarely going into town for supplies. Eventually, Wyatt took over a faro game at a local saloon.

Slowly all of the Earp assets in Tombstone were sold to pay for taxes, and the stake the family had amassed eroded. Wyatt and Warren joined Virgil in San Francisco in late 1882. While there, Wyatt rekindled a romance with Josie Marcus, Behan's one-time fiancée. His common-law wife, Mattie waited for him in Colton but eventually realized Wyatt was not coming back (Wyatt had left Mattie the house when he left Tombstone). Earp left San Francisco with Josie in 1883 and she became his companion for the next forty-six years (no marriage certificate has been found). Earp and Marcus returned to Gunnison where they settled down, where that state's governor refused to extradite Wyatt back to Arizona on the grounds that he could not get a fair trial, and Earp continued to run a faro bank.

Gunnison isolated themselves from the surrounding area during the Spanish Influenza epidemic for two months at the end of 1918. All highways were barricaded near the county lines. Train conductors warned all passengers that if they stepped outside of the train in Gunnison, the would be arrested and quarantined for five days. As a result of the isolation, no one died of influenza in Gunnison during the epidemic.

Its now May 2009 and our season is about to start. We will be kicking off our social events  on saturday 23rd with a Fish Fry to celebrate Memorial Day. Our team of workampers have spent much time getting the grass mowed and watered and tomorrow we will be planting flowers to add a finishing touch to the resort grounds. The creeks are full and we are enjoying the running water flowing through and around the resort. The last couple of days we have experienced amazing thunder showers in the early evenings...Allan was able to capture the feel and the color of the storms on photographs which can be seen on his daily blog.

Our guests have been arriving and we would like to express a special warm welcome to Jim and Elizabeth who have chosen to spend the whole summer with us. They have volunteered to help maintain the gardens at the luxury sites. At this point I also need to mention another Jim...Jim was the first of our seasonal Park Model guests to arrive and he has been helping Andy with the cabins, sorting out the electrics.

Workampers Richard and Shana spent a few days cleaning and restoring the clubhouse. They have done a wonderful job of giving the old building a good makeover. It now looks cheerful and welcoming and will be an ideal setting for our Fish Fry on Saturday evening. Mick and Penny also deserve a mention...Mick has been Andy's right hand man on the second cabin..and Penny has been a star with the sowing machine...Thank you for the curtains Penny. I love them. Linda has tackled the office and book keeping with great zeal and Sam is doing a stirling job  improving the sites by adding gravel and getting the grass just right. Polly Spann was right when she told us that the trees would be green by the 19th...Its been a fascinating process to watch and appreciate and sure enough on the 19th most of the trees in the resort had greened up.

In other words the creeks, the trees, the team and the beautiful surrounding countryside..we're all ready for a great season. We look forward to welcoming you all.
Have a wonderful day!

Francie

1st May 2009

"It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes
your heart ache, you want it so!"
-   Mark Twain

I love this quote from Mark Twain! Welcome to spring fever at Mesa Rv Resort as we get ready for an exciting 2009 season.

Our second batch of Workampers arrived at the end of April and we welcome Lloyd and Judy and Richard and Shana on the team. A good team effort so far has produced amazing results. The grass is coming along nicely and greening up, the gravel has been spread and raked, picnic tables are out and all in all, it looks rather inviting out there!

Linda and the ladies have had the tedious task of organizing the office, learning to operate the computer program.. quite a challenge, but they are getting there and they have been able to welcome a number of early guests. Well-done ladies!

Our Tipis are up and creating quite a stir. Already we have had a number of people driving in from Highway 50 to come and "investigate". Andy has just about moved into his Tipi and is busy making it quite homely. We have one available for rent providing an exciting and adventurous setting to anyone's vacation or weekend. It sleeps 4 comfortably.

The "Shrew Haven", our first cabin is now complete. It has been furnished so as to create a "camping" rather than a hotel experience. We hope our guests will be able to get away from TV and media and
instead enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding area. Andy is now tackling the second cabin and with the help of our workampers it should be ready within a few weeks.

We are thrilled at the success of our website since its launch at the end of last year. We would like to encourage guests in the Resort as well as our cyber visitors to join in and submit comments and stories.
We also have a growing Facebook Community and invite you all to join us by following the link on the home page.

I need to end off with a bit of fishing news. It appears as if the season has started off pretty well. We have already feasted on a delicious Lake Trout caught by Matt and cooked by Andy and we "hear" from the local fishermen that the fish are biting!

Have a fun day and see you soon,

Francie

14th April 2009

Allan and I left our home in Yorkshire on thursday 9th, and arrived back in Gunnison on Friday April, 10th after a 9 hour flight from London. It is wonderful to be back here to begin this new and exciting adventure.

We have welcomed our first workampers, Mick and Penny from California and Sam and Linda from Texas. With a huge amount of enthusiasm, they have started getting Mesa RV Resort ready for the season. A few early guests have arrived and it has been great to be able to accommodate them at this early stage.

Summer is fast approaching and together with our team we are working on creating a place where families can come to get away together for some quality time. All of us at Mesa RV Resort are planning to have fun this summer and we look forward to meeting and making new friends.

Joseph Campbell said:

'The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.'

We've said "yes" to our new adventure here at Mesa RV Resort in Gunnison ,Colorado. Come along,  join us and take part in our adventure this summer.

Have a great day and see you all soon,

Francie

2nd April 2009

Camping time is just around the corner!

Allan and I will be back on site in time for the Easter weekend. Our first workampers are also due to arrive about that time and we look forward to meeting them. Preparations for the season can then begin in earnest..

We will be giving Andy's first Cabin its final touches and Andy will be able to get going on the next one. Our traditional Tipi will be up by the end of the month..already we have had good interest in both cabin and Tipi so the season looks promising so far.

"Some of the most beautiful places on earth are lesser known and undisturbed. There's a special sense of wonder that goes along with discovering a place like this. You feel somehow it belongs to you. You take that place with you, even when you leave. "

This is often said of the area surrounding Gunnison. We would like to share that with you and so look forward to sharing the summer with you all. Mesa RV Resort is idyllically situated - in an environment where you can give yourself time to day dream away from the hustle and bustle - come,  recharge and enjoy yourselves.

See you all soon,
Francie 

20th March 2009

We are currently upgrading our internet service and will soon have a much faster connection throughout the park that will be free. The new upgrade will be in place for the new season starting 15th April.

Also construction of the new Luxury cabins are well on the way with the first nearly complete and the second due for completion in time for summer.

For the more adventurous we are introducing a new Tipi that will sleep a family of 4-6 people and will be decked out with traditional interior.

With average snow fall this winter the fishing is going to be good this year so get ready for a great summer.

Allan

24th February 2009

Well, it's February already which means we are well and truly into the new year..and what an exciting if somewhat daunting prospect that is.

Much has happened since our last newsletter. Allan and Andy have so far survived their first Gunnison winter. It has been a thrilling and wonderful adventure for them, developing new skills from snow ploughing to cross country skiing in the moonlight!

Andy is making good progress with the cabins and we should have a couple of them ready for the start of the season. Allan's wonderful photographs of the area are accumulating and he is looking forward to sharing them with you through an exhibition in the near future and through his online Blue Mesa Gallery.

Unfortunately, Bob and Charlotte will not be able to join us as planned due to unforseen personal problems. We will miss them. However, we have a new team of workcampers arriving in a few months and together with them we will be sure to provide a superb visit to our guests.

We have entered this new year with hope and determination to achieve our goal at Mesa RV Resort and we look forward to embracing every moment, every new experience with a smile. Most of all, we look forward to sharing this "little gem" of Colorado with you all.

I'll end off by sharing a few words of inspiration from
Poet William Henry Davies who once said with great wisdom:

"A poor life this if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare."

Take your time. Breathe! And what better place to do it in but right here at Mesa Rv Resort, in the heart of Colorado.

Francie

24th December 2008

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We have been in the Resort for two months now and time has flown, we have made some great friends and visited some wonderful places. We have been welcomed into the community and made to feel at home. Thanks to all our new friends for making this possible.

Much of our time has been taken up cleaning and fixing and planing for next season. Francie has had to return to England for Christmas and I was joined by our son Andy in late November.

Andy will manage the Resort while we get on with all the improvements. He went straight to work just in time for the first snow.

Having lived in South Africa for most of our lives we are always in wonder of snow and how it transforms the landscape. Below are some photos taken of Blue Mesa Lake.

Have a wonderful festive season.

From all of us at Mesa RV Resort

Allan

September 21st 2008

Welcome to our first newsletter on this exciting new website!

First, let me introduce ourselves. We are Allan and Francie Ivy and we are the new owners of Mesa RV Resort. What an incredible place set in the heart of the magnificent Gunnison County!

Our new managers whom some of you will have already met, are Bob and Charlotte Carpenter. This season they have been assisted by a fantastic team of Work Campers and together they have done a wonderful job to ensure that our guests had a brilliant stay at Mesa RV Resort.

We have some exciting new plans for the resort. Our first achievement is the creation of this new website which we hope will be fun and exciting to use while  providing you all with the information you need.

This fall, we are planning to keep the resort open for as long as possible, weather permitting of course, in order to accommodate any guests and visitors who will be taking advantage of the local attractions during the shoulder season..so hunters, if you need a hot shower, do pop in.  We will have some sites open and our laundry and restroom facilities will be open!

Next year should see some wonderful new developments. We will be adding some rustic comfortable wooden cabins to the resort. On the agenda is also a photographic gallery which will include a coffee shop. The gallery will offer some amazing fine art photographs for sale ( check our photo gallery section for a taster) as well as photographic workshops of various levels: from basic to advanced digital work.

Our coffee shop will hopefully become the heart of the gallery.. a place to make new friends and meet old ones.

Of course, we have many more ideas for improvements, all designed to improve the quality of your visit and of our service. We look forward to making new friends while creating a fun, relaxed and friendly environment here at Mesa RV Resort.

Francie