Escapees September-October 2023

camping chair chat

RVers’ Sharing Tips, Opinions and Advice from the Road Submissions sent by e-mail can be directed to departmentseditor@escapees.com.

Disaster Strikes Saguaro SKP Co-Op Escapees Park

62, on the next level down, is lot 65 with Dale and Roxanne. Greg, on Lot 27, is on the other side of Yucca, a few lots south. Between 63 and 278 are two streets and a paved boondocking area. Ken and Karen were in their usual places. Ken was in their Casita early that morning, trying to catch a nap in his recliner. Their cat, Flash, was on his lap. Karen was in the trailer. Dennis, the SKP Co-Op facilities manager on Lot 278, was sipping his coffee, gazing out the window, looking across the boondock area toward the fi fthwheel on 63. Greg was taking their dog for a walk, heading south on Yucca. Dale and Roxanne were getting ready for the day. Dennis saw the tremendous explosion as it happened, blowing pieces of the Casita’s roof and walls upward above the fi fth wheel and out into the street in front of lot 62. Dennis ran to help. Greg dropped the dog’s leash and ran to assist as well. Karen was trapped in their trailer, unable to move to the front because the way was blocked and the back screen door was jammed. Ken could not move from what was left of the recliner. He was covered with beams, the shower wall and debris. His pajama bottoms were caught in the chair mechanism. Ken and Karen were yelling for each other and for help. Greg ripped off the screen door and got Karen into the waiting arms of neighbors. Dennis and Dale were

It was a quiet Sunday morning at SKP Saguaro Co-Op in Benson, Arizona. I took my dog for a walk just after 6:00 a.m. and hoped to fall asleep again. However, a sharp, loud blast and shockwave bounced me out of bed a few minutes before 7:00 a.m. I ran outside to see what happened and saw people running towards the smoke, fl ames and rubble on lot 62. I joined them. I saw Ken and Karen, leaseholders of lot 62, who had been pulled from the wreckage. Ken had burns to his face, head and legs. Blood was running down his arm, and a blanket had been draped over his shoulders. Leaseholders, Dale and Greg, supported him. Karen was across the street, surrounded by folks helping her. I wondered what had happened to cause such a violent explosion. Where was the ambulance? Where were the fi re trucks? Finally, a police car arrived on the scene, but theof fi cer didn’t know what to do as more SKP Co-Op folks arrived. To explain a bit of the Co-Op geography, lot 63 belongs to Dave and Lynn and is on the NE corner of Yucca Lane, which runs north/south. Next is Ken and Karen on lot 62, with Mary and Roger on lot 61. Behind

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ESCAPEES Magazine September/October 2023