QUARTZSITE, AZ

The above is a picture when the RV big tent is set up.

We are back in Apache Junction getting ready for a series of doctor appointments for Jim.

I do want to share some pictures of Quartzsite with you, especially for those of you who have never been there. The problem is, no matter what words I use or what pictures I post, you still can’t truly understand what Q is like until you experience it for yourself.

(Peter, your picture turned out so much better than mine, I hope you don’t mind if I used yours.)

In 1856, Fort Tyson was built at the present site of Quartzsite to protect the water supply from attacks by Native Americans. It had become known as Tyson's Wells by the time the stage stopped running and the town was abandoned.

Mining resurrected the small town for several years until it was discovered by RVers who now arrived 1 million strong during the months of January and February each year.

 

Jim did some shopping at the vendors. Picked up some LED lights and a post for his windchime. That was about it for us. Oh, we also got some water filters. Just not shoppers. But there is definitely something for everyone and you could spend days wandering through all the vendors.

The big RV tent show doesn’t start until January 20 this year so we won’t be there for that. Currently there is a huge rock and gem show happening.

 

                        Tomb of Hi Jolly in Quartzsite.

One of Quartzsite’s most famous citizen is surrounded by an air of mystery. Nobody knows for certain where he was born, when he was born and what he was named after he was born. He was a dreamer, an adventurer and an entrepreneur but never achieved great success in any of his undertakings. He died almost 97 years ago, but his name is still immediately recognized here. His tombstone is the largest monument in the city.

He came to this country as Hadji Ali but came to be known as Hi Jolly. He was one of the first camel drivers ever to be employed by the U. S. Army in 1856. Jefferson Davis, then the U.S. secretary of war, believed camels could solve the Army's transport problems in the arid Southwest, so he imported more than 60 animals and a full complement of drivers from the Middle East. Ali was one of the drivers.

Although the camels could carry up to 600 pounds of goods and travel more than 60 miles a day without water, the operation failed. In his final years, the old camel driver lived in a cabin near Quartzsite.

He died on Dec. 16, 1902. According to the legends that survive him, Ali perished when he went out into the desert to find a wild camel. And when they found his body, he had one arm wrapped around a dead beast of burden.

A very unique place – Quartzsite, Arizona

Our last night out on the desert we had a pot luck. Small group but lots of good food. And even better company.

STRANGERS BECOME FRIENDS

You know how when you meet some people, something just clicks and you know they are very special people. We have been extremely lucky to have met two more such couples this year. (And it’s only the first part of January) We really seem to have good luck getting to know people here in Quartzsite.

Meet Mike and Debbie. They are from Alaska and have quite a story to tell. I wish they had a blog I could refer you to. Their home burned down in Alaska and they have had some major surgeries slow their journey to full timing but they have overcome all the odds and are part of our ranks now.

They had a little bit of trouble trying to leave Quartzsite. Their coach didn’t want to start. Of course, this meant all the guys were busy adding their words of advice. Jim was finally able to jump start the rig and they did get on their way to Phoenix.

We will definitely be looking forward to spending more time with them when we meet on the road.

Peter and Bea are the second couple we have had the privilege to meet. (I have yet to get a decent picture of them.) They are fellow bloggers and were parked down at Holtville, CA. They wanted to make a trip up to to Q before going on to Joshua Tree NP. I convinced them to join us for a few days and I am so glad they said yes.

They are currently living in New Brunswick, Canada but were born in Germany and lived in Norway. (I think I have that right.) The good news is they have a blog and their pictures are incredible. Check them out at Peter and Bea.

This is Molly. Isn’t she just gorgeous. She belongs to Peter and Bea and is so sweet.

If you get a chance to spend some time with this couple you will definitely come away with friends and lots of great stories. Thanks guys for joining us.

What wonderful additions to the other fabulous friends we have made out here on the road.

CAMPFIRES AND MORE FRIENDS

I have been so busy sitting in the sun that I just haven’t done any blogging. So now it’s catch up time.

They rescheduled Jim’s surgery once again to January 31. His other surgery was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and his doctor did not want him to be fasting that long. It is now at 7:00 a.m.

Somebody asked about our doggie prison. I can’t remember who and going back to check is almost impossible with my connection out here. It came put together like in the picture but it folds down flat. We didn’t have to put it together. Bought it at PetSmart. They don’t like it, but it keeps them safe and out of trouble.

We had our first campfire. Yahoo!! There is something so mesmerizing about a campfire. Lee starts the fire and Denise is the tender of the fire (or would that be Fire Queen).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve had some more folks join us. Toni and Doug arrived.  Check  out their blog to see the problems they had getting here from Canada.

Our Clubhouse got decorated.

As you can tell, we are busy, busy, busy.

BIG CHANGE IN PLANS

Jim left me yesterday.

He had two doctor appointments in Scottsdale on Wednesday and the first one was at 7:00 a.m. We decided that he would go up to Scottsdale on Tuesday and stay in a motel (horrors) and I’d stay with the girls. So off he went.

His first appointment was with a cardiologist. We thought they would be doing a stress test but after visiting with Jim and reviewing his medical history she decided he needed some other special tests. That means that she would not clear him for his surgery on the 10th.

They scheduled his Echocardiogram and Nuclear Stress Test for the 12th and rescheduled his surgery for the 24th. The cardiologist doesn’t expect to find any problems but since Jim has had two by-passes, she wants to make sure he is completely ready for the surgery. I

I have been extremely impressed with the thoroughness of both the General Practitioner and the Cardiologist that we have found in AZ. In fact, they have been more thorough than our physicians in Billings. Makes me very happy.

What else makes me very happy is the fact that with these changes we don’t have to leave Quartzsite until Tuesday instead of this Saturday. 

Linda and Ron arrived yesterday and we have two more rigs rolling in tomorrow.

BUSY AT OUR SPOT

I rounded up everybody so we could all go to breakfast. Went to Sweet Darlene’s and won’t ever make that mistake again. We waited forever to get the food and then it was cold. Jim and Jeri’s eggs were overcooked. Terry had to send his omelet back because it was so cold he couldn’t eat it.

But the company was fantastic.

Mike and Deb wanted a blue flame heater so Terry and Jeri took them to Grandma’s and sure nuff – they came back with a heater. Discovered they didn’t have all the doodads so the guys went back into town. Jim came home with a quick connect for our heater.

Debbie and Smokie

Some of us just sat in the sun and visited. Wonder which group I was in.

Jim also scored a great buy. Seems Mike and Deb’s new-to-them motorhome has an ice maker in the fridge. They had previously bought a portable ice maker. You can see where this is headed can’t you. We have been talking about getting an ice maker but just couldn’t justify the cost. But we are now the proud owners of an ice maker and while we are running the generator tonight, Jim is making ice.

We also decided that since breakfast was such a rousing success (not) that we’d try dinner out. So the eight of us headed out to the Palo Verde Restaurant. Much better this time.

On the left is Mike, Deb, me and Jim.  On the right is Denise, Lee, Jeri and Terry.

GREAT START

2012 – Day One

The Clubhouse is finished. Bright and early we heard the sounds of Terry hard at work. Jim finished his breakfast and went out to check on all the noise. After all the pipe cutting and tarp’s not fitting, the guys were finally able to get everything to work and this is the result.

As luck would have it, Lee had a sawsall that he was willing to sell and Terry became the proud owner of a new tool.

 

 

 

The girls in prison.

And the supervisors:

Jeri and Jim took for on the ATVs and disappeared into the desert for a wild ride. Some of us took a nap. And then more excitement.

Debbie and Mike arrived. Our little group is growing.

AN OH NO AND SPAGHETTI

My internet is really hit or miss where we are parked out here in the desert, so I haven’t been able to post a comment on a lot of the blogs I’ve been reading. But it sounds like everyone had a wonderful New Year’s Eve. Some played until the midnight hour and others like us, celebrated with the East Coast and then went to bed.

New Year’s Eve day did not start out well for Terry and Jeri. They wanted to go to Blythe for groceries and started to drive off when Denise flagged them down. This is what stopped them in their tracks.

Jim helped them get it changed and off they went. We rounded up Denise and headed into Q. We needed some water filters and Denise was just going to look around. We found our water filters and Denise found treasures – some stakes to hold her solar lights and a new sign for her garage. We grabbed a bite to eat and then headed home.

We have company. Lee arrived and parked next to us. Sure is good to see him again. It’s been a year. I promised him a spaghetti dinner and since I always make a big pot, I invited Denise and Terry and Jeri to join us. Denise had some good bread and desserts for us to enjoy.

We sat around and enjoyed our dinner and then called it a day.

I did find some time to do my job of sitting in the sun.

 

Denise (Bennie), Jeri and me with only Skitz visible.