Quartzsite, January 18 -27

We left Deserts Edge heading towards Quartzsite via Winco grocery store.  The grocery stores in Quartzsite leave much to be desired, although one could say there are enough eateries around you don't need to cook.  We also need to fill up the fresh water tanks and dump the grey and black water tanks. The plan  was  to use the I-10 rest area out side of Indio but much to our disappointment the dump portion was closed.  I've found most of California's rest area dump sites have been closed mostly to cost cutting but also "abuse".  Apparently a few have dumped oil or other illegal liquids in the dumps thus spoiling it for the rest of us.

  
Boomerville in the foreground and Quartzsite at the foot of the mountains.  Most of the white things in the back ground are RV's.  In another few weeks the foreground will be almost empty as folks move one. The BLM has now imposed a 14 day limit in a 28 day period for camping in most of the Quartzsite areas.

We arrived at "Boomerville" just in time for happy hour.  Boomerville is an Escapee rally located  back in the hills off the Scadden Wash a few miles outside of Quartzsite.  The rally lasts for about two weeks.  I hadn't been to Boomerville before, but had heard of it.  Joel has been a few times and wanted to connect with old friends.  The Boomers enjoy lots of activities including pot lucks and happy hour.  Most Boomers are not full timers and they enjoy cooking and socializing.  There went my resolve to cut back on all of the goodies.

We stayed at Boomerville for a few nights and then traveled the ten miles or so to the WIN gathering off Plomosa Road.  (The WINS call it a gathering and the Escapees call it a Rally..its all the same)The Quartzsite gathering for the WINs is usually the biggest event of the year for the club.  There were over 170 members attending over the two week period. ...that  is NOT necessarily  170 rigs and all at the same time.  Many come and go, and some stay somewhere else in Quartzsite and drop in for the outings.

Since Joel and I have been on a nearly dead run since mid-December we decided to take the time and decompress a little and chose not to attend every outing planned with the WINS.  We have been selective and chose to attend the Ice Cream Social, Hot Dog Roast, Dinner at the Yacht Club,  (there seems to be a theme here) morning walks and a hike in the hills involving a lot of  jumping cholla. If you are not familiar with cholla it's a cactus with lots of ball like things with big thorns with barbs on the end. The balls seem to jump out and grab you. They hurt!They bite!

                                 Hardy souls who hiked the hills.  Note the small cholla at the very right of the picture next to Chuck, our leader.

The draw to Quartzsite in January is the big RV show and Big Tent". Hundreds of RV vendors set up booths in the Big Tent .  It used to be most of the items were RV related.  Now days it seems there is more jewelry and knick knacks   (AKA as stuff) rather than RV related items. We  went to the "Big Tent" and performed what  I call the tent shuffle.  You know, you walk along taking baby steps as the crowd pushes you forward .  Actually, we went in one entrance and proceeded directly to the opposite entrance vowing to never return on opening day again. We were so traumatized we treated ourselves to ice cream.  We did return a few days later (sans check book) when it wasn't so crowded and plan to return again before the vendors go home with the check book.  There is a lot to see outside the tent and the surrounding areas so a couple of days of browsing is needed.

Most of the WINs left yesterday but we are staying put for a few days, catching up on chores and maintenance.  Full time RVing is not all relaxing and fun and games.  It is a life style which comes with some responsibilities. I stress "some".  It's just the responsibilities are different than when you live in a stick house.  We recently had a wake up call as one of our members lost her rig to fire so we will be taking inventory evaluating where to put important papers etc.

 For more on the fire see Diana's blog: http://lifeontheopenroad.blogspot.com/ .  Fortunately, no one or pets were hurt.  Insurance will cover the material items but there are personal things that can never be replaced..just like in a stick house.