First visit to Quartzite

[Ramblin__Ralph]

Usually do my ramblin' during the warm months, so Quartzite isn't a good choice then. This winter I decided I'd better check it out, before I hang up my steering wheel.

Left from my home on the central CA coast Feb 28 and returned home on Mar 18. Total mileage was about 1100 mi. Stayed at RV parks in Bakersfield, Barstow, Needles, Joshua Tree and Lancaster. Attended a good bluegrass festival in Lake Havasu, AZ before arriving in the Q area. Spent 5 boondocking nights around Q and one outside of Joshua Tree NP. Below are photo collages of each BLM boondocking spot with brief descriptions and GPS coordinates.

Got back home to a "different world" due to the virus mess. ;( Hope I can get a least a couple of months of ramblin' in this summer. TBD.

[obiwancanoli]

noteven wrote:

Ramblin' Ralph wrote:

noteven wrote:
Howdy Ralph - re: stuck in sand - I’m thinking of buying a set of Maxtrax recovery boards for just such an occasion.

Someone else I told about my episode suggested them. I might be too old and stiff to dig and place them, though. I think I'll just be more careful. 🙂

Ya the genuine Maxtrax have handles molded in and the tips form a bit of a shobbel so you can tip them in to the tires - once a tire gets a holda them out you go...

I wonder... would these work with a Class A?

[JKJavelin]

jarata1 wrote:
Not sure what people see in quartzsite seemed like a lot of nothing when we went

Here, maybe this T-shirt will explain it:

[jarata1]

Not sure what people see in quartzsite seemed like a lot of nothing when we went

[pnichols]

The last time we camped in the AZ areas you guys are talking about we had to cross a wash in our Class C to get to our spot, so we pretty much had it to ourselves on the other side. That was really a nice bonus out there!

[Ramblin__Ralph]

I zoomed in on the pics I took in your direction, but didn't spot your rig. I did take a walk N of me a bit to your "row", but still nothing in those pics. That would have been something if I had photographed your rig! 🙂 I did have a pic from Mar 11 and Mar 12 that showed recent rain on the ground. I didn't leave until Mar 13, so it must have continued until then.

Safe travels.

[JKJavelin]

Ramblin' Ralph wrote:

JKJavelin wrote:
Ha! We may have been there at the same time Ralph.

We definitely were!! How coincidental! I arrived the afternoon of Mar 10 and left a.m. of Mar 13. I looked at the satellite map of both of our locations and see where you were. I probably saw your rig from where I was. Why didn't you come over and say hello? 🙂 🙂

Here's where we stayed.

[Ramblin__Ralph]

JKJavelin wrote:
Ha! We may have been there at the same time Ralph.

We definitely were!! How coincidental! I arrived the afternoon of Mar 10 and left a.m. of Mar 13. I looked at the satellite map of both of our locations and see where you were. I probably saw your rig from where I was. Why didn't you come over and say hello? 🙂 🙂

[JKJavelin]

Ha! We may have been there at the same time Ralph. We were at Plamosa Road from February 28- March 12, about 800 feet west of your GPS coordinates, in the next "row" up if you look at satellite view. 33.76094,-114.18185
It did rain the last few days we were there. We had solar installed Monday the 9th in the Q and I think the next day the rain started.
JK

[noteven]

Ramblin' Ralph wrote:

noteven wrote:
Howdy Ralph - re: stuck in sand - I’m thinking of buying a set of Maxtrax recovery boards for just such an occasion.

Someone else I told about my episode suggested them. I might be too old and stiff to dig and place them, though. I think I'll just be more careful. 🙂

Ya the genuine Maxtrax have handles molded in and the tips form a bit of a shobbel so you can tip them in to the tires - once a tire gets a holda them out you go...

[noteven]

Ramblin' Ralph wrote:

noteven wrote:
Howdy Ralph - re: stuck in sand - I’m thinking of buying a set of Maxtrax recovery boards for just such an occasion.

Someone else I told about my episode suggested them. I might be too old and stiff to dig and place them, though. I think I'll just be more careful. 🙂

Ya the genuine Maxtrax have handles molded in and the tips form a bit of a shobbel so you can tip them in to the tires - once a tire gets a holda them out you go...

[2oldman]

I like La Posa Tyson Wash

[vermilye]

I've spent the last 4 winters at La Posa West (the smallest of the Quartzsite LTVAs) and even during the January Big Tent show there was plenty of room for proper "Social Distancing". Not so for the Big Tent itself!

If you are interested, a blog on my last trip is here. If you want to read just the Quartzsite part of the trip, start at page 50.

[Lwiddis]

"I do wonder how many will be there next winter?"

A bunch more spreading out by folks that do come IMO.

[Ramblin__Ralph]

pnichols wrote:
Ralph, I guess that your truck isn't a 4X4?

Nope, only 2WD. However, in 130+K miles of ramblin', that's only the 2nd time I've been stuck and needed help. The first time some kind soul unhitched their truck from their trailer and pulled me out for free! At least I didn't also get the "Q flu" on this trip! 🙂