9 Feb 2023: first week in Quartzsite

 So first week in Quartzsite has flown by - strange little dorpie.

So, as I mentioned before, Quartzsite has 2,500 people for 10 months of the year, and then for Jan/Feb nearly a million snowbirds flock here (apparently most of them from Oregon - no idea why).  The reason for this is that for the 10 months, the temperature is 100-120F and the air is unbelievably dry.  I bought a temperature/humidity reader, and the minimum humidity it can read is 20% - it has not been above 20 once in 2 weeks...

Lets start at the beginning - got here for the last 2 days of the big-tent RV show.  Its like going to Annapolis for the boat show - lots of beautiful RVs and gadgets, but nothing affordable unfortunately.  Had a good time browsing though.

Probably would not like him...see poster at the back.  Lots of Magat stuff

After a while I needed one of these

This was called the adult daycare.  Note the camel.

Spectacular sunsets

and sunrises

and all types of RVs

The big tent event

Stayed in the Shady Lane RV park for 2 nights - but their wifi sucked.  In fact, T-mobile had cell and texting capabilities, but no data.  AT&T was a bit better, but also useless, so I needed to get to a RV park with good wifi.

Just a note to everyone.... pay the IT guy what you owe him.  This guy was MIA with the admin password to their whole network, so this is what they were left with.

For the weekend, I went to LaPosa South - a BLM managed LTVA (Long Term Visitor Area).  For $40 you can stay for 2 weeks and for $180 you can stay for 6 months.  They provide water refill, trash and sewage dump stations for that - and lots of dust.  Its in the middle of the Sonaran desert which had a record temperature of 170F.

LaPosa south is probably one of the more interesting BLM sites - there are multiple around Quartzsite.  Cycled around and took some pics.

Sunrise

Sunset

The minimalist approach to solitude...

A lot of it had that post-apocalyptic feel

Gene and I went to that gap in the mountain - jagged.

  Note the terrain - just small pebbles.  People collect the larger rocks and camp off their 'area'.  Had to deflate the bicycle tires else I would have lost all my fillings.

I probably have too many photos, but I really love it here...

Another sunrise - fun fact is that seeing I was on EST, I wake up at 4:30 and my first call is at 6:30.  I am in bed by 9:00

Lots of really fun rock sculptures - the sacred spiral

Random scorpion

Zoom in - there is a hummingbird in the desert

The post-apocalyptics across the street that invited me over for pizza.  Great people. Guy under the moon - from Alaska - just bought a sailboat and is going to go fishing this summer and pay off the boat...

Indian grinding pots - many years old.

Petroglyphs

More petroglyphs - shows you were the river/ground level was a while back.

My parking spot in La Posa South LTVA

 

and then, on the last day before Gene arrived, I headed off to the Quartzsite Yacht club...

Sunset with the pickle ball court in front

Very funny - I am now a member of the yacht club... hoping to get promoted to Admiral if I drink enough.

Characters - photos are blurred due to lighting...

Straight out of 'Into the Wild'

The obligatory boat - there is no water for a long way...