Our Awesome Travels: Wed. Jan. 19th 2011 Quartzsite AZ

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Wed. Jan. 19th 2011 Quartzsite AZ

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer,

since August 2006

some of the shows

   Ok now we are back in Quartzsite. Things are happening here, everywhere you look there is RV's and RV stuff, people from everywhere come here for the desert climate, the shows, all the vendors and the deals to be had. You can camp free in the desert, or get a permit ($40.00 for two weeks) to have access to water, garbage and sewage dump, or you can stay in anyone of the over 70 rv parks in town. Quartzsite has a summer population of about 3,000 people and the winter over 1.5 million visitors and these few weeks most of them will be here. We were here in late November and all was pretty quiet, but now its getting much busier. By Saturday morning when the RV show starts the traffic will be lined up for miles in all directions just to get into town, then try and find a parking spot. Well we are camped a few hundred yards from the big tent and hundreds of vendors, so we can walk to everything we want to see and do for the next week and a half.

   About 8:30 this morning after coffees and computing I took a drive around town just checking out the different areas and stores around. All the RV hundreds of nice clean shiny coaches and trailers displayed, and La Mesa have their huge lots full and offering a free pancake breakfast everyday for a few weeks hoping to boost their sales. Lotsa traffic already everywhere. Back home I ride my bike about the desert here chatting with people, most we have seen over the past 6 years here. Then a quick ride to check out the large tent area and find coaches and trailers beginning to pull in and start setting up, it all starts Saturday morning.

   Now about 10:30 Suzie and I walked past the tent area to Tyson Wells and strolled up and down the rows and rows of vendors, most of them set up and some still in the process. Now the rows are labelled with the alphabet 33 booths in a row from A to Z. Lots of stuff here from pottery, gems, stones, rocks, marble, onyx, tools, jewelry, hats, carvings, books, chairs. mats, walking sticks, clothes, kitchen wares, artwork and of course food. As we began we grabbed a hot dog from one vendor for $1.00 then walked about enjoying hot sun,(we had our sunscreen and hats), just checking things out. We found one book vendor just setting up and he does exchange books, 2 for one. So we finished checking out what we wanted, grabbed an ice cream cone and walked back home. On the way back we saw this firuistic looking RV a 2011 Monaco Vesta. Now it did remind us somewhat of the profile of our coach, more streamlined, a loud from end, a front engine diesel, streamlined, fuel efficient?, less storage that what we have and lists for over $200,000. Not for us we have something similar, a little older, suits us perfectly and its paid for.

   Suzie got out her book list and 20 books to exchange and we drove back to the far side of Tyson Wells and found a parking spot. Searching thru his inventory Suzie picked out ten free books for the exchange then we purchased more as his selection was excellent, (just setting up) only $1.00 each for good paperbacks or 11 for $10.00. So se got another 11 books. Now happy with this deal back home, open our awning, set up our chairs and relax with a good book and a cool wet beverage, (did I tell you its very dry in the desert?).

   Very hot but we love it, just need some shade and that we can do, now before we know it's time to fire up the Barbie for some pork chops, potatoes and onions in foil and a tossed salad. Watching the sun go down is nice here, then out our front window we watch the full moon rising over the mountains its a beautiful sight.

Wednesdays Pictures