Our Trip to Quartzsite

So, after sitting stationary for some three weeks, we felt the need for a road trip. And since we had a group of friends "boon-docking" in the middle of a typically desolate desert town called Quartzsite, we set our itinerary.

First a couple of items need explanation be for we proceed. "Boon-docking" refers to a RV'ers without any attachment to electric, water or sewer. They are truly self contained using only power from their own "rigs." Batteries as stand alone or supplemented via solar or wind generation, water held onboard in storage tanks and waste collected in another set of tanks. Fortunately and with a little common sense, the contents of each tank never meet. With proper conservation, the boon-docker can stretch out the interval at which fresh water must be brought in and waste transferred to a smaller portable container for transport to a waste facility. There is an intensified feeling of freedom and self-sufficiency for those who choose to pursue this life style on a long-term basis. More on this in a bit, hopefully illustrated photographically.

As far as the town of Quartzsite is concerned, its is quadranted by State Route 95 and Interstate 10 in Arizona, just 15 miles east of Blythe, California. For most of the year (April to November, +/-) it seems like a ghost town with an occasional tumble weed gleefully running a red-light through the midst of town. Historically, Quartzsite is know for one of the Country's largest gem and rock show and vendors. The population starts a slow growth in November, as recreational vehicles start to trickle in and take up temporary residency in their own little space of desert. By January the population of "Q" has swelled to between 100,000 to 250,000 RV's of all size, shapes colors and configurations. Accompanying this annual version of RV-Woodstock, vendors of all elks spring up from the acrid desert floor, selling their wares ranging from RV parts and supplies to great smelling food. We personally found a pair of 12-volt lights to replace their failed counterparts in our bedroom. The price for these gems was a fraction of what the usual suspects would charge back in civilization. We also got hooked up with a vent-less propane heater and the required ancillary parts for installation. This should reduce our consumption of both propane and electricity. How's that for reducing our already narrow carbon footprint? As a bit of extravagance to our meager life style, we found an RV sympathetic DIRECT TV retailer, who understood the fact that our residence was constantly on the move and any offer of free installation only meant that the installer would first have to find us! I got the parts needed and had our Satellite TV functional in less than 30 minutes. YEAH!

Now that you plodded through the background, here is what we came to the desert for:

Written by Al and Photos by Jan

Deming, New Mexico

Our next stop was Deming New Mexico. We had big plans or New Mexico. There was Roswell, White Sands, The Gila Cliff Dwellings, you get the picture. The weather however didn't coroperate with our plans. But when we where in the Visitors Center in pulled a 5th wheel we reconized, it was friends we meet in Lake George and have seen and worked with thru out the US including Amazon, Dayle and Tom. They where staying at the Escapees Dream Catcher RV Park in Deming. So we met up there ate Chili together, did wash and drank wine from the largest winery in New Mexico.

I did mention the weather was crappy for all the places we where goin to see. So we stayed a week waiting for the weather to clear. Didn't happen so then we headed to Casa Grande, AZ to stay at another Escapees park, Rovers Roost. And thats where we are now. Dayle and Tom and about 2 million people headed for Quartzsite, we did not.

We are trying New Mexico again in October.

New Braufels, TX

Our next stop was hopefully a little warmer, New Braufels, TX staying at another Coast to Coast park, Summit Vacation Resort. The office girls were really friendly and helpful we ended up spending a week there. The Summit Vacation Resort is located in the Texas Hill Country between San Antonio and Austin. From this base we were able to see The Alamo and The River Walk

We were 3 miles from the 12,000-acre Canyon Lake. The Resort is right on the scenic Guadalupe River. The emerald colored water is a favorite for bank and fly fisherman.

The oldest Dance Hall in Texas was located in nearby Historic Gruene. Al found out from a neighbor that John Travolta danced in the Guene Hall as the arch-Angel Michael from the movie of the same name. Being the movie buff I am Al and I took a ride over. What a great day and a wonderful little town. If ever in the area don't pass that one up.

We had a very quiet New Years Eve and since it was 12 midnight in New York and since we were in Texas we could go to bed at 11 pm cause it was already the new year. Heavy man!

We are moving on to the next stop Deming, New Mexico

Life after Amazon

Why start there you ask? Because that is the most recent pictures I have. We left Kansas Dec 23, 2009 and headed for Thackerville, Oklahoma to a Coast to Coast park Red River Ranch RV Resort. Passing thru Oklahoma City we noticed there was a large part of RT. 66 there. Visiting as much of the Mother Road is something that is on both our bucket list we had planned to drive back up to Oklahoma City and check that one off. Not going to happen. Traveling in winter one finds the flexabilty of an RVer is tested quite often. The day we where driving back up to Rt. 66 a blizzard started, OK no problem we will do it in a couple of days. So we pulled in the slides and plugged up the drafts against the frosty wind and sat watching the snow fall along with the temperatures. The next morning Dec 25, 2009 we had our very first white Christmas.It was beautiful, all 10 inches of it. We thought OK Saturday we drive up to Oklahoma City, we got a few miles out of the park and the roads where still covered in ice so we turned around and headed to the Casino. After roaming around a few countrys, we went to a Cracker Barrell and chowed down on comfort food.....YUM. We left the next day.