Desert Parties, Performances, and Meet-ups – Quartzsite, AZ

The remainder of January in Quartzsite, AZ was jam-packed with special activities for us in addition to line dancing and pickleball.

Another of my desert self-portraits.

Gold Star RV Park hosted a musical variety show that we enjoyed immensely.  Our friend, Chrissy, acted as MC, and her comedic bits rivaled those of today’s late night talk show hosts.  The talented musical artists played an array of instruments, from guitars to violins to autoharp, complimenting their beautiful voices.

This fiddler is amazing!  And would you believe she is 94 years young!

We also attended an ukulele performance by 20 of the more than 60 members of the Greater Quartzsite Area Ukulele Group.  I am shocked at how many people play this instrument, including about a half dozen of our friends!  It was a fun and enjoyable evening, and we thank Gold Star RV Park for providing their venue.

These ukulele players were so much fun, Mom may be inspired enough to learn to play the ukulele herself!

We had two days of heavy rains, which canceled two group happy hours/get togethers for us.  But the forced “relaxation” was probably a good thing, and we were all rewarded with a lovely rainbow afterwards.

The nearby washes began to fill from the rainfall.

The rainbow appears to be coming out the roof of the outhouse!

 

The next day we all made up for lost time at the Escapees RV Club annual event, Party on Plomosa.  Held within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 14-day dispersed camping area, this event is open to the public.   The Status Crowes always provide terrific musical entertainment, and many of us with dancing feet couldn’t sit in our seats, including our friend Lisa, known as the Dancing Unicorn.   Free refreshments, games, door prizes, and an annual visit with RVing friends—what’s not to enjoy!

 

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Friends from Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Denis and Vivian.

Catching up with Kirsty, whom we met initially at Delta Junction, AK in 2016.

Friends Jack and Sue (and adogable Teddy), whom we met when we all volunteered for CARE Octoberfest in 2019.

So great to have our annual meet-up with Deb and Randy, friends from our 2016 Amazon Camper Force days.  Meeting so many great folks, remaining in touch, and getting together down the road has been such a wonderful perk of full-time RVing.

My parents with friend Lori, the Dancing Unicorn!

Great performance by the Status Crowes.

We attended a happy hour with fellow DRV owners Davie/Nicky, along with their group of Xscapers who were hanging out for a short time at the Roadrunner 14-day BLM dispersed camping area.  Everyone was very welcoming, and a fun time was had by all.

We popped over one day to the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation, and RV Show, also known by us “locals” as “The Big Tent”.  My parents took advantage of Escapees RV Club’s show discount for membership and renewed for another 3 years, saving $30 (that translates into more cheez money for me!)  There were the usual vendors, but one that caught our eyes and my parents’ wallet:  The Geyser System Low Flow Personal Shower/Wash System.  Designed specifically for van life and car camping, it utilizes 1 gallon of water for a 15-minute shower through its proprietary tank and sponge system.  There are two options:  the tank set-up or the showerhead conversion.   We are not vanners/car campers; our fifth wheel has a 100-gallon freshwater tank onboard; and we have an inflatable 150-gallon water bladder for when we boondock for extended periods (like here in Quartzsite.)  So, you are probably wondering why the heck we purchased the showerhead conversion ($105).  Well, we loved the entrepreneurial spirit of the founder/CEO Jonathan and the fact that the product is manufactured in a small plant in Montrose, CO.  We shower every day, even when boondocking, so it would extend the life-cycle of our water supply.  But most importantly, every drop of water we all can save, especially in these Western states, helps to sustain our natural resources.  Just think of the consolidated benefit if every “dwelling”, whether a sticks/bricks or home-on-wheels, utilized this system!  And for those whose water bills are exorbitant (like folks in areas of CA), that translates to a huge monetary savings over the course of a year.  All I can say is that the product earns one of my Rambling RV Rat 5-cheese awards, and we are considering buying a second conversion set-up (again, sans the tank) for our kitchen sink.

Full system with water tank made specifically for vanners/car campers.

This is the shower conversion we purchased.

Speaking of the kitchen sink, did I tell you about the fantastic job Dad did this fall of making Mom a happy camper?  From Day 1 of purchasing Suite Retreat in 2019, Mom complained that the sink angles were no conducive to proper draining.  And the divided stainless kitchen sink was too small for her Italian-sized pots.  Her frustration was so bad, she said she no longer wanted to cook.  WHAT!  Dad went into panic mode!  He immediately got quotes for a replacement stainless steel custom-sized sink, but they were astronomical, the cheapest $3K+ and the highest $6K+.   Dad, trying to ward off Mom’s cooking boycott, decided on a do-it-yourself project.  He made an extra-deep, custom-sized fiberglass/epoxy resin sink for Mom for a mere $500.  It is so big, Mom can stack tons of dirty dishes/cookware in it and still fit the countertop sink covers, forgetting she even has dishwashing to do!  This DIY project was a winner, giving Mom the sink she desired without breaking the bank.

 

We took a trip down to Yuma, taking friend Sylvia for lunch at Bernardo’s, which offers tasty pizza and Italian subs/hoagies.  Bernardo’s even obliged Dad by using his plant-based cheese!  Mom found her Italian sub/hoagie delicious, and Sylvia and I enjoyed sampling both options.  We three then ventured to Fortuna Hills for Howling at the Moon.  We arranged to meet up with Vivian/Denis again, who left Quartzsite and were spending just a few days in Yuma before returning home.  If you have never been to Howling at the Moon, it is an awesome party in the desert each month between October and March when a full moon occurs.  Food and merchandise vendors, bands, and the star of the show, the full moon, combine for one howling good time.  We had spectacular weather, good friends, a fun crowd, the chance to line dance to a half dozen songs, and a gorgeous full moon for us all to howl at like wolves.  I sure am looking forward to attending again in February.

 

Friend Sylvia with whom we volunteered in 2020 in Idaho for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Denis was in full wolf mode, practicing his howl for when the moon rise occurred.

Dancing in the desert!

We got together for dinner at Silly Al’s with friends Debbie/Steve (from the now defunct RV Dreamers group) and their friends Rick/Angie.  We have gone to Silly Al’s on prior occasions when the Big Tent Show was ongoing, but had never seen it quite this crazy.  My family arrived at 5 p.m. to get our party of 6 on the seating list.  But we didn’t get seated until 6:30 (the host was taking parties of 2 before groups of 4 or more, which seemed weird), and we didn’t get our food until 7:30!  Good thing we had great company and lots to talk about, though no easy feat with the unbelievable noise level.  The Senior Center dance my family was to attend afterwards started at 7 p.m., but we didn’t arrive until 8:15.  At least we had a chance to join our classmates for a few line dances.

 

We heard from our dance classmate Cheryl that musician Kelly Hughes was putting on an impromptu concert in the desert on Saturday.   We had seen Kelly perform 2 years ago at a Howling at the Moon in Yuma, and he put on a great show.  Dad and I hopped on Maximus the Trike and Mom on her motorcycle, Yellowjacket, and headed about 5 miles down US-95 to La Paz Valley Road.  What a fantastic time!

Dance buddies Lee and Nikki.

With a blink of an eye, it is already February.  Our time in Southwest AZ is flying by rapidly.  I’ll bid adieu with some more photos of spectacular sunsets (they never get old).