Rambling RV Rat's Quartzsite Tours - January 27, 2015

We ventured out these last few days touring Quartzsite, home to 3,600 permanent residents.  It has a couple of banks, laundromats, watering holes, and fast food joints.  It sponsors an RV show and a rock/gem show each January, transforming this small town into a metropolis of RVs and caravans.  Every parking lot, land parcel, RV park/resort (some of which are so packed together they resemble parking lots!) and the 11,400 acres of BLM lands are filled to the gills with RVs!  Daddy says it reminds him of Sturgis, SD during Bike Week!

We visited Quartzsite’s historical sites and places of interest.  For example, the desert area near Quartzsite was used as a military training camp by General Patton.  The soldiers marked the site with rock formations spelling out “Quartzsite”.  My pic didn’t come out too well from the ground—if only I could have borrowed an ultralight to take an aerial shot!

 

The area is also home to several pictures that Native Americans etched into the landscape (Mom says they are called intaglios or geoglyphs).  It took us several attempts to locate, but we finally found the one called Bouse Fisherman.
 

 

 

(If you have a few drinks, close one eye, and stand on one foot, the photo of the intaglio looks just like the diagram on the plaque picture!)

 Forget that--this is more important!  I think some of my rat ancestors created intaglios as well!  Look at the one we found while hiking in the desert.

Now look at my self-portrait created back in 1987 for my Daddy's birthday—do you see the resemblance?

 

We also participated in our first geocache, which we stumbled upon by accident!  I can’t tell you where it is—you’ll have to locate it yourself!  But if you find it, we are the ones who inserted a pocket edition of the U.S. Constitution!

Of all the places we visited (and we really saw EVERYTHING in Quartzsite), Celia’s Rainbow Gardens is my favorite.  It is an 8-acre section of Quartzsite Town Park inspired by a special 8-year-old girl http://celiasrainbowgardens.com/.  As I walked the trails to view the lovely plantings, reflected by the pond, and said a prayer at various memorials, I was moved by the labor of love being conducted by volunteer members of the community.  I hope someday I get the opportunity to volunteer at the Garden myself.  Celia’s story and this beautiful park truly touched this rat’s heart!

Well I sure am tired.  Time for my beauty rest.  Talk to you soon!