Quartzsite 2010 Recap
The RV America Quartzsite Trailer Trash Gang meets in Quartzsite, AZ, every year during the big RV Show. We always encourage both old and new folks to visit us, and to join us around the campfire—which traditionally starts promptly at 1700 hours (that's 5 PM for you younger folks).
The following graphic, thanks to Dave Peters of RV America fame, shows you the GPS coordinates where the Trailer Trash can be found in Quartzsite—in the La Posa North BLM camping area, which is across Hwy 95 and a tad southeast of the huge tent near the corner of Kuehn Drive and Hwy 95.
Since there are no reserved spaces on the BLM land, camping spots are always first-come-first-served, but we usually manage to find a spot that is within 100 yards or so of previous years—so these GPS coordiantes will get you quite close.
Shown, below, is a copy of the RV America post that proclaimed what fun we all enjoyed.
Quartzsite 2010—A Wild Week!
Once again, the RV America Quartzsite Trailer Trash Gang had a good turnout in Quartzsite, in spite of the forecast of inclement weather. Especially for a non-Puerto Penasco year, the turnout was quite nice, with ten rigs showing up from various parts of the country.
This year, we had representation from California (7), Washington (1), Colorado (1), and Michigan (1)—with four newbies venturing to join us and partake of boondocking on BLM land and experiencing the many shopping wonders of the local area. The Texas and Louisiana contingents chose to head to the Tampa RV show instead. The usual West Virginia folks decided to work-kamp this year and were not available.
Without the six Tiffin rigs, this year was a Winnebago year—with three Winny rigs in attendance.
The vendor turnout was very much reduced, as compared to previous years. Many RVers also chose to stay away, and there was lots of space in the BLM area. For the old timers, it is rather sad to see the Quartzsite experience going downhill.
The weather was, at first, cooperative, and we had some lively campfires, along with munchies and cocktails. We had a most interesting newbie this year—who, we said, was a famous personage who had people coming from all over the world to see him perform and to hear his musical talents. Our newby from San Franciso (and a camping friend of two of the Trailer Trash Gang), was a retired cable car gripman. We had a good time teasing him about his infamy.
But he also surprised us by bringing a huge load of rather unique firewood for our evening campfires—used wooden cable car brake blocks (that can only be used for one day before they have to be replaced)! Since the brake blocks were a rather soft pine (so they don't glaze over and become ineffective), we had some wonderful campfires.
Linda #1 (we had three again this year) livened up the evening campfires by showing us what happens when you put a piece of old garden hose inside a copper tube that has holes drilled in it—and put the whole thing in the fire. After a very short while, the flames were suddenly almost a hunter green and/or a royal blue—really some very interesting colors for a Quartzsite campfire.
Due to rather crappy weather, we only had the pleasure of having two campfire/munchie evenings, before the chill and occasional showers forced the group inside to play games of cards or dominoes.
The 2010 gathering of the RVA Quartzsite Trailer Trash Gang had one memorable first for the group—a visit from three of the RVA ladies from the Women's Forum, who were camped nearby and dropped by for a visit. Due to the lousy weather, we had to sit inside and just chat—with many of the TT gang not having the opportunity to meet "the girls." We enjoyed meeting and chatting with Sheila (Snowball), Jan (Island Momma), and Kerry (GMCdesire). Maybe next year we can entice some of the gals to join us for our jaunt to Puerto Penasco, MX.
The assembled group initiated four newbies into the RVA Quartzsite Trailer Trash Gang, and urged them to return next year and to bring one or more friends with them.
Due to reports of a nasty storm heading East from California, many of the TT Gang wisely decided to break camp and head for Yuma a day earlier than originally planned. The foresight proved to be a good choice. Those that left on Wednesday had a clear day and an uneventful trip down to Yuma—and were safely tucked into an RV park with electricity on the following day when the heavens opened up and the winds blew like the dickens. It was one of those days that you brought in the slides, even though the jacks were down!
The three intrepid souls who waited the extra day had a rather rough time driving from Quartzsite to Yuma, having to drive through several washes on Hwy 95 that were several inches deep (a few almost a foot deep), and lots of wind. The three barely made it into Yuma when they found out that Hwy 95 had been closed between Quartzsite and Yuma!
Sadly, one of the Women's Forum gals did not fare too well with the nasty weather. Just as her husband decided that it was time to roll up their awning, the wind caught the awning, ripped it to shreds, and bent the roller tube over the top of their 5er—smashing some solar panels in the process. Ouch!
One of the newbies thought he was just about out of water. (He only had about thirty gallons left in his 40 foot DP, and he was worried that he wouldn't have enough water to flush his toilet.) After being told that a flush used only about a quart of water (meaning that he had about 120 flushes left), he was asked if he planned on having a "difficult" night. He decided that he didn't need to drag a hose across the camp area to the lone set of hookups that he had spotted near Mike and Linda's rig.
After we had arrived in Yuma, we discovered that the high winds had really clobbered some of the vendors at the Arizona Marketplace (known by most old timers as the New Swap Meet). Later, we heard via some other RV friends, that a tornado (yeah, really) had touched down in Quartzsite and destroyed or really messed up many of the merchants (but not sure where in town). [Later, we found out that Tyson Wells was the area that was damaged.] Yes, it was a rough year for Quartzsite.
Undaunted, the RVA Quartzsite Trailer Trash Gang agreed to meet again next year, just before the big RV show, at approximately the same place, to enjoy another TT Gang get-together—before we head once again to Puerto Penasco, MX on our every-other-year trip across the border for pitchers of margaritas, lots of shrimp, and more good times and fellowship.
All of the "gang" hopes that you will add Quartzsite and Puerto Penasco to your travel plans for 2011.
