Desert Dwellers

"One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.

The desert fills up during the winter months.  Retirees from all over head south.  It’s their golden years and having that golden sunshine is their winter time goal.

They travel in cars, planes and, of course, in their own RVs.  Some end up in rented homes for several months, others pull into resort parks and even more find a place away from it all.   Some are snowbirds and some are wandering souls.  Some may think they all have a lot in common.  They do but they really don’t.  

Some RVers are nesters and nest in one spot all winter.  Others are wanderers and enjoy checking out one place after another.  Not all RVers search for the same thing. There are those who prefer the amenities of RV resorts and then there are those who prefer the wide open spaces of the desert.  There definitely is a difference in the mindset.  There definitely is a difference in the people.  However, there also is a similarity.

The living quarters vary greatly among the wanderers.  Some wouldn’t have anything other than top of the line Prevost quarters and others can find their enjoyment in much less fancy dwellings.  Just like every place and everyone else, some folks are strapped financially and some folks not so much.  One thing for sure … you can’t tell the size of a bank account by what they choose to set up and settle in over the winter … or anywhere else for that matter.

Some folks are showy and some folks not at all. Some folks try to impress and others are just happy being themselves. Everyone is different and winter desert dwellers are even very different from each other.

The deserts of Arizona and California are amazing places.  All kinds can congregate together and for the most part folks can live peacefully together for a short period of time.  The larger groups usually get together for shorter periods of time.  Some smaller groups stick together all winter long.

 

Like I said, in the desert you meet all kinds.  As a fellow “dweller” indicated, you meet many new people.  Some of those people will always be acquaintances and others will become friends.  In the same way some acquaintances will end up being friends and some friends will end up just being acquaintances.  It’s definitely an interesting place to be.

Some are equipped with solar and have no need for any other means than the sun to keep their TVs and other electrical equipment running.  Propane runs the refrigerators and keeps the frost off during the occasional cold winter day.

Many rigs are definitely self-contained.  Extra barrels are used to collect water and other barrels used to empty the tanks.  Living on the desert is easy and simple. Of course, the secret is not to mix up the two barrels.

When the  time comes to leave the desert folks head in all directions.  Some attach to others and meet on down the road looking for another adventure together.  Others head back to where they came from, the same nest, the same surroundings and the same people.  The similarities is what keeps people together.  The differences are what keep them apart.  Amazing … huh?

On the BLM in the desert of Arizona that time is coming to an end for many folks in our group.  Some are heading north, some south, west and east.  Winter isn’t over but it’s just about time to move the adventure elsewhere.  Besides that … the $40 fee for the two week stay is just about over. There are many free areas without the fee and many other places to go.  Some are talking about a few days clean-up time in a park with full hookups.  Others are talking about new places to explore.  What are we talking about?  Well, you might guess.  We have no idea where we’re going to head.  We just know that it’s time we stopped to think about it.

‘Tis life on the road.

BLM RV Fire

"Readiness is all."

The other day we made the rounds.  Out came the camera and we were off to check out some of the very different and unique RVs and camping facilities in the Quartzsite area.  There are certainly some creative camping facilities around here.  The problem is I haven’t had time to preview or sort the pictures.  We’ve been terribly busy.  There’s been something to do in the morning, something to take care of in the afternoon and more on the calendar towards evening.  

This is one RV picture that I don’t have to worry about sorting.  It definitely stands out from all the other photos I took.  The other evening this older motorhome burned to the ground and it’s still sitting where it was parked on the BLM.  This definitely isn’t something any of us want to experience.  I don’t know about any of the details but hopefully everyone was safe.  As for the motorhome and the contents … that’s just stuff.

Eventually, I’ll get caught up but right now I’m just too tired.  However, here’s another photo of our campfire tonight.

‘Tis life on the road.

More Stuff at Q

 

“If you don’t know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?”

I mentioned in my post yesterday that I had snapped a picture of a Texas metal art and sent it to our daughter, Tammi.  I didn’t send the picture when we were at the vendor.  I sent it as we were on our way to the Elks BOF auction.  That was mistake #1.  Well, she wanted us to buy it for her so Friday morning that was our mission.  We went back to Tyson Wells to pick up the one item.

Mistake #2 was when I snapped another picture of another item.  She wanted it too.  I’ve decided no more pictures are going that way.  We won’t have room to carry it all back to her.

I loved these boots!

A whole bunch of vendors were at the west end of Main Street that we hadn’t visited yet.  Friday was the day to check them out.  In the past there have also been vendors behind the stores that faced Main Street where Addicted to Deals is located.  There are none there this year.  Now whether they’ve moved elsewhere or whether there just aren’t enough vendors to fill the spaces, I have no idea.  There are lots of vendors and if this had been our first year, we would have thought the place was packed.  Well, maybe because it really is packed but not to the same level as in the past.

We had always wondered what was in the big red tent that advertised an auction but had never stopped before.  Auction is in the back but this is the tent.  It’s more stuff.

It’s amazing how one day can make a difference.  Just a couple days ago the RV sites on Rice Ranch were almost empty.  That’s not the case anymore.  The place is almost full.  The Big Tent is opening this morning and the RVs are coming in by the droves.  Traffic is getting worse but we know it’s not the worst is going to be.  It’s going to get real bad this week.  At times it’ll almost be to a standstill.  We know.  Been there …. done that.

We checked out some flag poles at the vendors.  We’ve always wanted a flag pole.  Once we bought one but that was about three years ago.  It was a pile of junk and took quite an effort to put up. Yesterday we saw some heavy duty ones and brackets to just slip the pole in.  Will we get one?  Who knows.  We want to check out the Big Tent before we get anything.

Late in the afternoon I noticed my iPhone had the little message across the top … No Signal.  Terry’s phone and our aircard had no signal either.  Well, neither did a few others in our group. It took about 5 hours for our phones to again have service.  Is it because the thousands of folks coming into this area are slamming the system?  Perhaps.  We’ve seen this before with other networks. 

There was a campfire again last night.  I’m thinking it was probably the first time I haven’t gone to one in the four years we’ve been doing this but it just felt good to unwind myself a tad.

Need Propane?  Call Passmore Gas.

American Idols is back on for another season.  I recorded the shows Wednesday and Thursday.  It’s been my favorite show in the past but I really disliked Nicki and her role as a judge.  I REALLY disliked it.  Will I continue to watch?  I don’t know.

Yes, we're busy and my blogs have been daily.  If they aren't, I'll forget so here is yesterday's ... 

Gathering of the RVs in Quartzsite

‘Tis life on the road.

Gathering of the RVs in Quartzsite

"Courage is the power to let go of the familiar."

For a couple weeks each January we get together with a group of RVers.  The group changes a little each year.  Regardless, we usually have a good time.  As long as the sun is shining and it’s warm, we congregate outside often.  However, when it’s not so warm, we have to hide inside our own rigs.  Campfires aren’t possible if the wind is blowing.  When we first arrived in Q the wind was a little much to even consider spending time outside.  Now it's calmed down and nothing but good weather with sunny skies is in the forecast.  We're really hoping the weatherman doesn't blow it this time.

There’s a lot to do in Quartzsite this time of year.  Besides visiting with each other, the vendors provide lots of entertainment. There are several main vendor areas in town.  We’ve scooted thru some of them pretty fast.  After all, no one wants to be outside when it’s not warm.  All of that is changing.  The temperatures are predicted to be up in the 70’s for quite some time now and we’re sure glad of that.

One of the latest motorhome models.  Ready to place your order?

We have 18 rigs in our little area at this present moment of time.  For some it’s their first year and for others it’s a few more.  It’s amazing how fast people can be friends out here.  If people make an effort, they could find a few friends for life.  I guess that’s back to the birds of a feather flocking together thing.

Our first group outing was planned for Silly Al’s pizza.  Reservations were made for 15 but more showed up.  The bigger the group, the harder it is to find a place in this town that can accommodate all of you.  The deal is there are many groups here right now and not as many places that have facilities for those groups.  This time of year it's just better to plan meals out with smaller groups We're thinking that's the better answer as you're never going to get reservations for 35 people at a decent hour and receive decent service.  It's just not going to happen here but it might at the Desert Bar! 

The winds finally died down and we even had our first campfire.  We went around the circle and each one of us told our own little lies about ourselves.  You know how that goes.  The next night we shared our experiences at the worst RV park we had ever stayed at. 

Every year the Escapees put on a Happy Hour. We went for the first time with a group in 2009. Most of our group swore we’d never go back. We had higher expectations meeting a group of Escapees than what we experienced.  This year we finally went back. Amazing how the attitude changes when you can go with people you know and you go not expecting anything more than a get together. The snacks kept coming and we kept talking with Tina, Jeff, Dianne and Tom. It was a good time.

I tried to take some pictures of our group of 18 RVs but it’s really difficult when we’re spread all over.  We like it that we’re spread but it sure makes picture taking difficult.  Today I'm hoping to get out and take pictures of lots of RVs.  There sure are some unusual ones around.

  Newcomers checking in.

Remember I had said there weren’t as many RVs or people this year. Well, it seems they are starting to come in now that the Big Tent is just around the corner. Parks are filling up and people seem to be everywhere.

We pretty much hung around the RV Thursday morning.  Terry, Mike and Lee have had a little project checking out Linda’s new RV and trying to figure out why she can't charge her batteries with a generator.  We caught them in the act.

Tom and Dianne (new to our group this year) even  made a purchase of a new motorhome.  We got to preview the prospective home before the purchase.  It's sure a beauty!

In the afternoon we had places to go.  Our first stop was at the Tyson Wells vendors.  You never really know what you’re going to find in Quartzsite.  We found a few things. 

This is one thing we found and now Tammi wants us to buy it for her so I guess we’re going to have to go back to get it.

After stopping to check out some vendors, we made our way to Plomosa Rd and the Elks auction.  The auction was to support the Escapees CARE center in Texas.  We went, had a great time and even made a few purchases.  One of the purchases we made was a gold panning kit.  We were actually in the market to buy one for a family reunion we’re planning anyway.  The reunion isn’t until July but the theme is Texas Roundup.  One of the activities we had already thought about was gold panning.

More RVs and some flying toys

‘Tis life on the road.

Thursday's blog -- Boondocking at Q

Boondocking at Q

Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else

By looking around the Quartzsite area you would think the majority of folks boondock here.  However, there are thousands of sites available in local parks.  Most of the parks aren’t fancy but they certainly are inexpensive compared to other places. 

We have stayed at a couple of the RV parks in the past.  The first time we were here in 2009 we weren’t really equipped to be on the desert.  We had a big, heavy contractor’s generator, only two batteries and no inverter.   We needed that generator.  Even though we had done boondocking before, we never called it boondocking.  We called it camping.    We definitely had a lot to learn and it was much more than we thought it would be.

Some places the RVs are packed in 

No matter how big sites are in an RV park, most of us always want them bigger.  We also know not many parks have huge RV sites.  Most of them have you snuggled up to your neighbor and breathing on each other.  The window shades stay mostly down to keep folks next to you from peaking in.  Have you been there, done that? 

One of the important rules on the BLM is the minimum distance between two RVs.  It’s 15 feet.  Now I’m not saying there aren’t some who don’t abide by it.  We met a few last year.  We don't want to be parked here and have someone so close that all we see is their RV from our window and not the wide open spaces.  The BLM has plenty of area for everyone to have a little breathing room.  That is definitely one of the attractions of boondocking – wide open spaces. 

As you know by now this is our first year to have solar.  We’re on our maiden voyage.  We’re  constantly checking the gauges.  It’s a new toy and we like toys.  Our digital remote meter reports lots of facts on amps, watts, voltage and history of what the five 100W panels are doing. (Yes, we did increase the panels.)  Our Trimetric reports the draw on our six golf cart batteries and keeps us informed on how charged they are.  If you know me, you know I really like gadgets.   We knew installing solar wasn’t necessarily going to be a dollar saver on electricity.  Our friend, Julie, described it as a way to improve quality of life.  There you go.

We’re power hogs and we know it and we’re not going to stress over pushing a button? I figure if we use too much power, we’ll just top off the batteries.   I know how the button that starts the generator works. When we arrived on Saturday the sun was shining but it has been cold.  We’ve had to run our furnace a little at night.   We’ve had our TV, computers and sewing machine plugged in.   Now if we just had a real long sewer hose to the dump, we wouldn’t have to move for a while.

This is from Denise’s blog and was taken before 12 more rigs pulled in.

Our little group is growing.  What started out with just three or four RVs in our group has now grown to about 18 rigs.  I think we have a few more coming.   The winds have died down and beautiful weather is forecast beginning today.  However, I’m really behind on posting.  When we’re in Q and it’s January, so much happens so fast.  We’ve had a group outing at Silly Al’s. We’ve been to the Escapees Happy Hour, done the campfire ring and today we’re off to the Elks  auction.  However, I’ll have to post about all of that later. 

‘Tis life on the road.

“The Largest Gathering Of RVers in the World”

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog."

This is not our first time to attend the great event at Q.  For  the last four Januarys we have been here.  We’ve wandered around the vendors down Kuehn Street, Main Street, in the Big Tent and even on the side streets.  In the past there have been a lot of them.  During January Q is the place to be.  It is a mecca for RVers and that’s easy to see as you drive through this town. 

  

Heading to Q

Almost every street has an RV park and on every road into town RVs can be seen parked all over the desert.  In that respect everything remains the same.  The difference is the number of RVs in the parks and on the surrounding land.  I'm not so sure there are as many here this year as last.  I also know that when the Big Tent opens even more RVers flock to this area. Maybe they are just a little later in coming this year. They come in droves arriving from the north and from the south on Hwy 95. Others travel east and west arriving on I10. When activity is at it’s peak, traffic can even be at a standstill.

What is the attraction?  Well, one of the attractions is other RVers.  It is THE place.  It is definitely the place to meet other RVers and usually where most January get togethers are planned.   If you haven’t been to Quartzsite, you just haven’t been and you’ll never understand. Another attraction is the vendors and their wares.  Little tented vendors set up just about everywhere.  I would think it would be impossible to visit all of them even in a couple days.  Beaders and jeweler enthusiasts think they are in Bead Heaven when they arrive here.  There is just about every tool, every bead, every gem and everything else they need in this town during the winter.  Then, there are rocks and more rocks and even quartz.

RVs are everywhere  

Supplies are available for gold panning and gold digging.  Antiques can be found by the thousands and so can handmade crafts. Travel trailers, 5th wheels and motorhomes are for sale on every corner.  Dealers transport their inventory in hopes of snagging a buyer in search of a new “home”.  It’s big time here.   In other words, just about everything is for sale  around here – everything legal that is.  I wouldn’t have a clue about things illegal but after all, this is Arizona.

 Some groups circle their wagons --  Campfires are plentiful

Then, there are books and book sellers.  Almost everyone who visits Quartzsite makes a stop at the bookstore of Three Socks. Even though the bookstore is loaded with new and used books and magazines, it’s not the store itself that is the draw.  Most can’t even remember the name of the store. The desire to stop and “Look, See” is due to the reputation of the owner.  He’s nicknamed Three Socks for a reason.  The reason is because normally that’s all he wears ….. just three socks.  However, with all the cold weather this little town has been having recently, I’m guessing Mr. Three Socks is wearing a lot more than just three socks.  Been there, done that and unless I’m looking for a book, don’t need to go back.

The Big Tent brings a whole new flock of vendors. Many of these big time products include items such as Blue Ox hitches to generators to awnings to solar to tire pressure gauges. The list goes on to other miscellaneous gadgets, cookware, cleaning products, t-shirts and lots and lots of food. 

Vendors are just about everywhere

“This phenomenon started over 40 years ago and is now billed as The Largest Gathering Of RVers in the World”.

The Big Tent

We’re here, we’re gathering and we’re ready. Where are you?

‘Tis life on the road.

Quartzsite and It’s Cold !

"Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise."

Pulling out from one RV park and heading someplace else isn’t always fast and isn’t always easy.  Our departure time usually depends on how far we’re traveling that day.  The trip on Saturday was a mere 140-ish miles.  That’s not a long day but sometimes the shortest trips feel like the longest trips.  I think when we know we aren’t going far the hours just drag.  When we know it’s a long day, we just accept it.

On the road to Q

It was cold Saturday morning but not as cold as it was going to get.  I knew it was cold because there was ice on the car.  I figured that was a pretty good indication of what the weather would be like once I opened the door.

We had started putting things away inside on Friday.  The counters had been cleaned, loose items stuffed in one place or another, bungees secured, satellite antenna stowed, window sunshades removed, rugs rolled up and slides pulled in.  Some of the outside stuff still had to be done.   We had tanks to dump, fresh water to take on and the RZR to load and secure on the trailer.  We couldn’t do that until the morning of departure since we had to move the motorhome out of the site to drop the loading gate.  Then, since it had been such a cold, cold night the battery in the RZR had to be charged.  Of course, it did but finally we were ready to go.

Check out the ATV carrier on front

Traveling through any big city in the early hours of a weekday means you’ll hit work traffic.  We figured Saturday morning we’d probably not see much traffic but that wasn’t so.  Where were all these people going on a Saturday morning?  From Broadway in Tempe access to I10 was just a short distance away.  Then, we hopped on I17 to bypass the downtown area and five miles down the road we  were back on i10 cruising towards Quartzsite.  The farther west we headed the lighter traffic became.  It was a good day for driving.  The winds were low and the skies were blue. 

We arrived just about noon.  We were surprised to see the streets weren’t packed, parks had sites available and vendor spaces on Kuehn weren’t filled.   The Big Tent is less than a week away.  Where is everybody?   Many more RVers will start pulling in this week but it sure seemed like there were more here last year at this time. 

Our favorite consignment shop

After finding our friends and setting up camp we headed to town.  Our external propane bottle was nearly empty.  We knew we’d need it as we’d be running our furnace all night with the cold, cold temperatures around.  It was off to town.  I’ve often said it’s a small world.  Right there at the propane dealer was our neighbor from Tempe filling his RV too.  What fun!

The plan for Sunday was to be out exploring.  Even though there seems to be fewer vendors we needed to see if that was true or not.  It was true and more on that later.

One of many propane shops

This will also be a trial run for our new solar.  It’ll be interesting to see how it all works together.  I know there will definitely be times our generator will still be used.  I already plan on pushing that little generator button anytime I want to use the microwave or the curling iron. but will we need to use it to top off the batteries also in the morning like others have said they do?    We will see for sure. 

‘Tis life on the road.