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Old 12-06-2022, 05:40 PM   #1
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Quartzsite Arizona

Anyone going to Quartzsite in late January for the big tent and other shows? I've been checking on line but can not find any get togethers posted. I know lots of different types of groups and many Ytubers have meetups in the area but can't find any listed..
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Old 12-06-2022, 06:21 PM   #2
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I think some of the Seneca owners tried a meet-up this year.
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Old 12-06-2022, 07:04 PM   #3
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We were in Quartzsite last week and I thought I would share some observations. Having lived there for 10 years I have seen many changes from the good ole days of vendors showing up before Thanksgiving and staying until Memorial Day. Now the main attraction is the 10 days of the “Big Tent”.

Some of the things we noticed last week: the area of Rice Ranch is no more. All of the buildings are gone: the Gamblers RV supply store, along with the neighboring vendors. The whole area is being turned into a huge RV park. Where the Main Event used to be is now a Terrible Herbst gas station. The La Mesa RV sales lot is permanently closed and is for sale. Only a few restaurants are open. The Mountain Quail Cafe was closed and is for sale. It was a bit depressing to see the many changes, and not all for the better.

The one place still going strong with the parking lot over-flowing each night was Silly Al’s pizza. When we first moved there it was actually run by Silly Al, then his son took it over when his father passed away. It’s the true Hot spot of Quartzsite and has the best pizza in town!
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Old 12-06-2022, 07:55 PM   #4
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I'd give $1000 to go... but I can't get there for $1000 in gas, plus I have to stay here to work anyway.
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Old 12-06-2022, 09:45 PM   #5
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We were in Quartzsite last week and I thought I would share some observations. Having lived there for 10 years I have seen many changes from the good ole days of vendors showing up before Thanksgiving and staying until Memorial Day. Now the main attraction is the 10 days of the “Big Tent”.

Some of the things we noticed last week: the area of Rice Ranch is no more. All of the buildings are gone: the Gamblers RV supply store, along with the neighboring vendors. The whole area is being turned into a huge RV park. Where the Main Event used to be is now a Terrible Herbst gas station. The La Mesa RV sales lot is permanently closed and is for sale. Only a few restaurants are open. The Mountain Quail Cafe was closed and is for sale. It was a bit depressing to see the many changes, and not all for the better.

The one place still going strong with the parking lot over-flowing each night was Silly Al’s pizza. When we first moved there it was actually run by Silly Al, then his son took it over when his father passed away. It’s the true Hot spot of Quartzsite and has the best pizza in town!
Sounds like a lot of changes since I wintered there a couple of years ago. Is the yacht club still open? More beggars at the Dollar store?
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Old 12-06-2022, 11:01 PM   #6
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The one place still going strong with the parking lot over-flowing each night was Silly Al’s pizza. When we first moved there it was actually run by Silly Al, then his son took it over when his father passed away. It’s the true Hot spot of Quartzsite and has the best pizza in town!
Lee: Side question... have you tried Stan's Late Night Pizza near home? yumm
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Old 12-07-2022, 08:50 AM   #7
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Sounds like a lot of changes since I wintered there a couple of years ago. Is the yacht club still open? More beggars at the Dollar store?
The Yacht Club is still there. It didn't seem as busy...haven't actually been inside since about 20 years ago. RV Lifestyles is also up for sale and didn't have any RV's for sale, only ATV's and side by sides. Tyson Wells vendor area adjacent to where the big tent will be setup only had a few vendors setup so far.

We only saw a few people asking for handouts, which was nice. It used to be a huge problem. That's the reason McDonald's removed all of their outside tables to cut down on loitering. The Dollar Store and Family Dollar were probably the busiest stores in town.


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Lee: Side question... have you tried Stan's Late Night Pizza near home? yumm
No, but we'll look them up.
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Old 12-07-2022, 11:21 PM   #8
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jmckelvy I was down there every year from 2004 to 2018, then didn't really get back into traveling until this year. I am planning to make it in January, probably during the primary week of the 21st. From 2007 on I mostly stayed with a Bluebird Wanderlodge group out in La Posa South. Since they are a non-discriminating group, and many others have moved on to "SOBs" but still attend I will probably spend a few days there at least, catching up with old friends.

In any case, since we have the same rig, we should make contact at some point to share experiences!
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Old 12-07-2022, 11:48 PM   #9
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Route66Traveler, did anyone take over Oasis Books after Paul died? Visiting there was always a highlight. Before I went to Q the first time, someone told me that "it is the biggest collection of everything you never needed." Which does have some truth. But I ran into some folks I knew from online or elsewhere, including Paul Angerami who owned Satellite Advantage. I had heard that he had taken over running RV Lifestyles from his parents, but hadn't heard it was for sale.

Anyway, the whole point of going back again and again was to see people you know, but only see in person once a year, do I'm looking forward to one more trip.
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Old 12-08-2022, 06:07 AM   #10
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I mistyped La Posa South when it is actually La Posa North. Must be getting old.
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Old 12-08-2022, 08:23 AM   #11
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Route66Traveler, did anyone take over Oasis Books after Paul died? Visiting there was always a highlight. Before I went to Q the first time, someone told me that "it is the biggest collection of everything you never needed."
The last I heard his wife Joanne is running the store.
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Old 12-08-2022, 10:47 AM   #12
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The last I heard his wife Joanne is running the store.
I never met her, I don't think. Is she even half the character he was?
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Old 12-08-2022, 12:25 PM   #13
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Don, it would be nice to touch base at Quartzsite. On my 2 previous trips I have stayed in the Plomosa Road area.

I plan to leave North Alabama on Jan22 and will take 4 to 5 days to arrive. Not sure where I will stay this trip. Lets keep in touch.
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Old 12-08-2022, 12:54 PM   #14
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Lets keep in touch.
For sure. The Big Tent show is the 21st to 29th. I don't know that I'll bother fighting the crowds to go, but it is the time most of my friends will be there. For those who don't know what the Big Tent is, here's video I shot in 2012.
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Old 12-08-2022, 02:19 PM   #15
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Is she even half the character he was?

I've only seen her...she had her clothes on!
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Old 12-08-2022, 02:54 PM   #16
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I've only seen her...she had her clothes on!
I'll let people guess why you said that!
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Old 12-08-2022, 03:01 PM   #17
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For those who have no idea what we are talking about. He rode his bike to and from the store, actually all over town. Only wore a jacket when it was cold in the winter.


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Old 12-08-2022, 03:13 PM   #18
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You had to spoil the fun of having people scratch their heads! So, Paul stories. He was always posing for pictures with female tourists. I'll bet there are a lot those out there.

He always impressed me with the breadth of his knowledge on a lot of subjects.

He had 10s (hundreds?) of thousands of books. Some on shelves, but lots in stacks. If you were looking for something in particular, he KNEW where it was! He would move a stack and retrieve your selection.

Truly one of a kind!
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Old 12-14-2022, 01:32 PM   #19
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We are planning to go for the first time. Does it matter that we don’t know where we are staying? Is it “easy” to find a boondocking spot? Is there a community online place?
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Old 12-14-2022, 02:13 PM   #20
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JudyB Quartzsite camping consists of 3 basic types. One is campgrounds, generally with full hookups, but often (at least in the past) full. Second is camping on BLM land within 5 miles of town to the south, which costs $40 for 2 weeks, or $180 for 6 months. That gives access to a dump station, water station, and garbage dumpsters. Of the three Fee areas, only one has the water and dump, and there is often a wait in line of an hour or more. All three have dumpsters.

The final one is all of the other BLM land, of which there is a lot. Boondocking there is free, but you are supposed to move every two weeks, and there are no services.

When you boondock on BLM land you are expected to stay 100 feet from your nearest neighbor, unless that neighbor is a friend (or part of a rally). Images below I took from "Q hill" in 2006; First is of the entrance area of La Posa West (near) and La Posa North (far). La Posa North is the one with water/dump. Long telephoto, so everything looks more bunched. The second is of where I was parked in La Posa West, shows the spread better. The third image is not mine, but is an aerial of an organized rally I attended in 2008 in La Posa North. you can get an idea of how much open area there is.

For purposes of ours, non-organized rally, a thread like this can be used to post where you are, and we can decide if/when/where to meet up. With the huge number of campers cell service can be poor, but it exists for all the major carriers.
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IMG_2651.jpg   IMG_2656.jpg   dsf1879.jpg  
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