Quartzsite 2009 Recap

Wow, what a fun time this year—both in Quartzsite and in Puerto Penasco, MX!

We had a stellar turnout this year—even though we looked almost like a Tiffin Owners Group. There were, all told, 17 rigs this year, encompassing everything from a truck camper, fivers, gas Class A rigs, and a bunch of almost new diesel pushers (from Winnebago, Holiday Rambler, and Tiffin).

Because of the large number of rigs, we parked in a star pattern, with the nose of the rigs facing the campfire circle, and this arrangmenet worked out very well.

This year, the RVA Quartzsite Trailer Trash bash included folks from British Columbia, Washington, California, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, and Minnesota.

We all had a great time meeting up with old friends from around the country, and meeting new friends from both Canada and the United States. We had five Quartzsite "newbies" attend this year, and they were all duly initiated into the Quartzsite Trailer Trash Gang.

The weather was quite nice (high 60's during the day, and in the 40's at night). There was the usual wind, but nothing more than a breeze. The mild weather helped to make the evening camp fires absolutely great—with the group often sitting around the campfire until almost 9 PM. (This old fart almost wrote 2100 instead of 9 PM, but most of the younger folks don't know how to tell time that way.) Several folks brought boxes and sacks of wood, and, as usual, the ladies put forth a bountious table of munchies at the 5 PM cocktail hour.

Because of the bountious munchies, dinner was not required—and the group never braved the crowded restaurant scene for a dinner outing.

The gathering this year almost seemed like a Tiffin Owner's Group gathering, since we had six different Tiffin rigs among us this year, all of them diesel pushers.

As usual, the evening jokes around the campfire had everyone in stitches—laughing at some of the good jokes and some of the corny jokes that were thrown out.

The humongous Quartzsite crowds of yesteryear were much in abeyance. The town was still crowded, but there was lots of available space in the La Posa North LTVA camping area. The RV tent was almost full, but the outside vendors were much more sparse this year. Lots of vendors were complaining about how they are being gouged on rental space. Several vendors said that they would not be returning next year. (It will be interesting to see how many of the "missing" vendors this year will turn up in Yuma when we get there later this week—as was the case last year.)

For those of us who are die-hard Quartzsite fans, it is still fun to be here and to experience the people and the many unusual goodies that can be found, seemingly, only in Quartzsite.

Main street is now newly paved, with curbs on both sides, and is four-lane through the crowded part of town. Parking at the Main Event is free, but, surprisingly, was not full!

La Mesa RV staffed their location at the former Silver Buckle, but Beaudry was a no-show this year. Just about all the other purveyors of new and used motorhomes were in attendance near the big RV tent. It was surprising to see just how many rigs that Paul Evert brought down from Fresno, CA.

Everyone had a great time, and the anticipation of the RVA bi-annual trip to Puerto Penasco had even the hesitant "Mexico newbies" anxious to experience Puerto Penasco, Mexico in RVA Trailer Trash style.

This year, all you arm-chair travelers have a wonderful opportunity to experience the joys, trials, and tribulations of the 2009 RVA Quartzsite and Puerto Penasco "happenings."

Grab some Murine and feast on all the Q gang happenings and gossip—from sometimes widely different points of view.

Here's hoping that you enjoy the vicarious travel adventures of a fun group of people.

We hope that these blog entries and pictures will encourage you to "saddle up" and come join the RVA Trailer Trash Gang in Quartzsite (every year) and/or Puerto Penasco, Mexico (every other year in odd-numbered years). Everyone is welcome.

As Norm and Linda Payne say all the time, "See Ya Down the Road."