Quartzsite Days and Quartzsite Nights - Part 1

We have just returned from 10 days of dusty dry camping in the desert near the town of Quartzsite, Arizona. This was our 8th year of making the journey to the location known as Senior Citizen Spring Break or Viagra Flats depending on who you talk to... This year, as all others, we did some shopping but this year, unlike others, we also did a great deal of "deserting" or "Jeeping". We put our Jeep through the paces and got some new "Arizona Pinstriping". If this is beginning to sound like a counter-culture... it's because it really is!

We discovered new trails marked by strange symbols.

We searched for gold in "dem dar hills". Pick and Shovel came with us on each excursion, but we only brought home rocks... and more rocks.


In fact, we brought back to the camp so many rocks that the suggestion was made that I should ship them back to MN so they didn't weigh down the motorhome...

So I got a flat rate box and Dan loaded it up... less than 24 pounds! it is now on its way to Janet in Minnesota for safe keeping. I do wonder if it will make it in one piece...

Back to the daytime treks into the desert. It seemed at times that there were trails going in every direction and it is tough to know which one to take.

And we stumbled on a windmill and well on one of those roads.
Beautiful scenery everywhere we look.

One night we had a dinner party. Since it was windy and since there were only 9 of us in camp at that time, we ate inside; it was close but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Carole and Jacques, friends from Quebec that we met on our cruise, joined us and Carole challenged Mike to a "strength test" - she had purchased a new "miracle bracelet" - next day we all bought them!

Next day, we set off on yet another trail,

discovered a downed saquaro on a hike,

and drove right up to an operating mine. Unfortunately it wasn't operating the day we were there.

We walked a couple of washes and found some really fine quartz; brought home several chunks.

Note the size of the quartz boulder on which I am resting my foot.

Some pretty dusty boots when we arrived back at camp.

Rosco was happy to see us... at least I think that was a happy face...
The group for dinner had grown. Here we are gathered by Bobbi and David's trailer as the sun sets on another great Quartzsite day.

And later Mike (and all his friends) enjoy the first campfire of the season.
TO BE CONTINUED...