Quirky Quartzsite!!

We have now been in Quartzsite for a week! We have been meaning to write some thoughts down but somehow there’s been so much going on that sitting at the computer just hasn’t been in the cards.

For those of our faithful readers who are not aware, Quartzsite is on I-10 in Arizona just inside the border with California. It is a tiny town (3800 +/-) in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

Summertimes bring scorching heat in the 110+ range….where even the rattlesnakes find it too hot. BUT in January, the daytime temperatures are in the 70s though the nights are cool….nothing a roaring campfire can’t dispel.

But the warm, dry days and the cloudless blue skies are not the only attraction. Oh no! Quartzsite in the winter turns into a major RV haven and one of the world’s largest bazaars!

Almost everything in Quartzsite is on wheels or under a tent. There are RVs everywhere and businesses set up to cater to the RVer….you can buy any part of an RV or by the whole thing assembled from one of a dozen dealers!

To add to the attraction, the Bureau of Land Management has huge campsites in the desert where, for a paltry $20 a week you can park your RV under the blue skies…stars at night and enjoy all the delights Quartzsite has to offer!

Oh yes, there’s a catch! There are NO facilities…so you have to pack in water, generate your own power and some how get your tanks drained when they get full!

We have had to learn a bit about this more self-sufficient way to RV but luckily we are camping right near Santa Bruce (and his lovely wife Sue) and Santa Kevin and Heather. They are very experienced desert campers and have not been shy about teaching us the ropes.

To date we have had a crash course in water conservation and solar power. We have upgraded our storage batteries and purchased a solar panel to charge them. There's nothing quite like free electricity from the sky!! Learned where to get water and how to transfer it ourselves by pump to our on board tanks!

Everyone takes turn cooking and we have had some amazing meals under the stars. Then of course we have a supply of firewood for toasty fires in the evenings.

Every day brings new shopping experiences, gems, tools, RV parts and of course hourly trips to the well-stocked hardware store.

We have made one trek to Yuma 81 miles to the south. For major grocery shopping…amazing steaks for less than $3 a pound! And Gin for $10 a gallon!

Tonight was a very special experience…the Quartzsite auction. Held at noon and six everyday, except Sunday, the stuff for sale is mind boggling…everything from mayonnaise to calligraphy supplies.

The highlight of the season is the big shows that are held inside of the biggest tent we’ve ever seen. First up is the RV show which opens next week then a car show and on and on.

These shows draw huge crowds and we are lucky enough to be parked close enough to walk over. We will have a full report later!