Back To Quartzsite!

January 12 - 15, 2015

We can't seem to stay away! This our fifth visit here. The most we've stayed anywhere since we began traveling. North of I-10 is the site of our first boondocking experience (No Longer Boondocking Virgins ) and we have boondocked here twice at Dome Rock Road, on BLM land but outside the established LTVA's, (Long Term Visitor Areas). Last January we had our first experience in the North La Posa LTVA when we joined the View/Navion rally with other owners of the same style rig we own. We are back for the rally again this year which coincides with the opening of the Big Tent.


Our first night we arrived at dusk, the office to check in was closed, so we drove a short way in and found a level spot in the desert. The next morning we went back to the entrance, paid our $40 for 14 nights, ( you can also pay $180 for 7 months), and set out for the area our rally was held last year. Sure enough there were a few other early arrivals, so we picked a piece of desert nearby and set up. We will stay here through the rally this weekend, and then spend our second week at the end of the road in La Posa South LTVA and find some solitude.

In Quartzsite, your campsite is wherever you stop.

The other reason we went to the rally site early is because it is a short walk to the vendor area, and we needed to find someone to replace our old, torn up awning. Too many years and too many miles in all kinds of climates rendered our awning unusable, so it was time to replace it. After some wandering among the vendor's tents, we found a company specializing in awning replacement, and made an appointment for the next day. The following day the repairman called from the front entry to this huge area, Greg rode his bike to the entry and led him back to our site. The repairman promptly dubbed Greg his favorite customer ever! Usually he is given rough directions or maps to follow back into this huge desert area with no formal roads or sites, and it can take an hour to find a customer's RV.

We needed a generic replacement awning and these guys had them.

Before finding the awning vendor we just walked around and then had lunch at the seasonal Beer Belly's Adult Day Care. Live country music, some chicken sandwiches, a few non-microbrews, and we were set for more shopping. The appeal of Beer Belly's is not the “gourmet” food or beer. It's just to soak up the Quartzsite vibe!

Who let the young blonde in? Oh, she's a mannequin!

Flea market tent with a giant John Wayne

Yard decorations for the discerning customer.

Antique Indian motorcycle at Beer Bellys

Continuing the green chili theme with a grilled chicken sandwich

A few more rigs have trickled in to our site and we are now six. By tomorrow night we will have swelled to at least ten times that amount of View/Navions. Greg walked over to go shopping today. The only shopping he says he enjoys is here in Quartzsite. Yesterday we spent getting the awning replaced and doing a few other mods on the rig. We installed a curtain rod for a new curtain on our back window and cut reflectix to put into the windows at night to keep more heat in.. We now have our “patio” set up with our rug, being held down by extra water jugs since it's always windy here, and set up our chairs and folding roll-up table that we will put the grill on this evening.

New and Very Shady hat for the desert sun!

New Awning in Action!

Tomorrow morning we will do a rig shower so we will be ready to socialize this weekend! Then we'll go wait in line at the only dump/water station for four huge LTVA areas here at Quartzsite. A typical wait is an hour, but it is fun to see everyone's rigs and soak up the sun while we wait. We'll be posting more from Quartzsite, but in case you are curious, here are links from some other visits. Maybe we'll visit the naked bookseller again!

Quartzsite Craziness, Ajo, and Wild Weather
Crazy Fun in Quartzsite!