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:
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