You Don’t Have to Shovel Sunshine

Just north of Tucson, AZ, in the high desert of the Santa Catalina foothills, lies the charming community of SaddleBrooke with its gorgeous mountain views and panoramic vistas. A long-established 55+ community, SaddleBrooke combines world-class resort amenities with luxury homes built by Robson Resort Communities. Most visitors wouldn’t even realize it when they explore the community, but there are two distinct HOAs within SaddleBrooke (ONE & TWO). We’ve spoken with three current SaddleBrooke TWO residents to learn a little more about life there.

“Summer Camp for Adults”

by Kelly Godbey

Dave Palmeri and his wife Barbara permanently relocated to SaddleBrooke TWO in April of 2015 from Wilmington, DE. For years they looked for their perfect retirement home, and found it in 2007 when they flew out to Phoenix, traveling throughout Southern Arizona and New Mexico. When they arrived in the foothills of the Santa Catalinas, the Palmeris knew their search was over. So they purchased a home, then vacationed there until they retired. “We had to be in a place where the snow shovel didn’t come with us.”

Dave says there is so much to do here that it feels like a “summer camp for adults.” In addition to volunteering for the HOA, which keeps them both very busy, the Palmeris are avid hikers, and they love to hike Mount Lemmon (the Catalina’s highest peak). Dave is on the board of directors, and Barb is on the board of the pickleball club. The Palmeris play a lot of pickleball and bike both outdoors and indoors (i.e. spinning classes).

Dave shared that it’s been quite a challenging year for SaddleBrooke TWO, navigating COVID closures and keeping all of its residents safe and healthy. They have started using a more web-based approach for communications and other needs, while keeping an eye on the health updates to guide re-openings. And, Fortunately, SaddleBrookies have been able to social distance and have continued to enjoy their desert lifestyle, even in this new reality. Dave concludes, “Nothing is perfect, but with all of the beauty and the amenities here, we have NO REGRETS!”

Bringing Art to SaddleBrooke

Terese Butler was fortunate enough to retire at the age of 50. She and her husband, Tim relocated to SaddleBrooke TWO from Sacramento 13 years ago. At the time, Terese was a bit apprehensive about moving to a 55+ community: she wondered if she would she be able to find friends who were interested in the same activities as she was? She soon realized that her worries were completely unfounded. According to Terese, “It’s easy to make friends here. Almost everyone who lives here is from somewhere else.”

She also says physical activity is paramount at SaddleBrooke. “There’s no doubt about it; the physical activity keeps you younger.” She competes in Ironman competitions and says it is great to train at SaddleBrooke as there are always people to train with and offer encouragement. Tim is president of the hiking and cycling clubs, and they both teach a spin classes in the indoor cycling club. Terese was on the HOA board of directors for five years and was also previously president of the swim club.

Her career had been all-encompassing, and just before they relocated, Terese took up a new passion: fused glass. She wanted to take a class, then ended up apprenticing with an artist for a year. After she relocated, Terese and her friend Candy Armstrong decided to open a gallery, Dos Sirenas (Two Mermaids) Glass. They say the gallery “Keeps us out of bars, but not out of trouble. The gallery has been a good move for us. It’s what we love to do.” Terese and Candy love making custom order art pieces for SaddleBrooke residents and the public to enjoy. “We are just living life and having a good time.”

Longtime Tucson Residents

Nineteen years at SaddleBrooke and Bill Einecker still loves his life. Bill is a former president of the HOA board of directors and is very proud of the community and its financial stability. Bill touts the 45 miles of walking paths through the streets of the community as well as the many amenities, including 36 holes of golf, pickleball, tennis, hiking, biking, fitness centers, swimming pools, clubhouses, and even the DesertView Performance Theatre. He also says the members are very active in helping local charities.

In addition to playing golf together, Bill’s wife, Mary Jo, likes to play with the ladies in the community. They love to ride bikes and walk throughout SaddleBrooke, enjoying the views of the mountains. Outdoor living is perfect in the Tucson area, “You don’t have to shovel sunshine.”

SaddleBrooke is a great place to live year-round, and is a perfect option for the snowbirds who leave by Easter. Bill says it’s a good deal—for a little over $200 a month, the HOA fees cover most everything but golf and the shows at the theatre. He concludes, “Come out to SaddleBrooke TWO. Robson builds a wonderful community. Pretty much anything you want to do, you can find it here.”