We just got back from the Q last night and I thought I would pass on our experiences. Definetely not my first visit, but things have really been changing over the years. Mostly expansion and modernazation of a sleepy desert town. Jackie and I go for the shows and to get away from the snow and the cold.
We left late Saturday the 12th because the winds were fierce during the day and I don't like coming around the turns on our mountain road and being blown sideways. We had large amounts of snow on the van and the trailer. As we came down the mountain the frozen snow came off the van in a huge sheet and landed right on the windshield! This happened twice before it all came off, scared Jackie. Decided to stay at the rest stop outside Palm Springs that night and got up and there still was a lot of snow on the roof of the Casita! We were true snow birds!
and attracted a lot of attention.
Our first day at the Q was pretty warm,
light jacket weather, but by the next morning the wind was howling at 40-50mph and the temp had dropped to the high 30's. Night time temps got into the 20's. Yes, the desert can get really cold!!!!!!
We moved to the east side of town on Thursday and by then the days were warming up, but the nights were really cold the whole time we were there.
Quartzsite is really getting built up since last year. The road thru town is now four lane with a turn lane in the middle. They even have sidewalks!!!!! Never was like that!!! The show, The Main Event, has really gone downhill as it is now split into two parts and the owner said she lost a bunch of vendors. Still quite a bit to see, but the vendors were suffering from a lack of traffic. The Tyson Wells show was as good as ever and it is the one to visit! Lots of neat little goodies to take your money away
The Main Event has
dry camping for five dollars a night and on the east side of town we stayed at Rice Ranch and it was seven for dry camp. If you go out of town south on Hwy 95, you can enter BLM, but there is still a charge. Don't let your dogs run free out there tho. We heard a story of a woman who got her dog impounded for that.
Now some advice. Make sure you have water and your holding tanks are empty; it is very tedious trying to get into the places where you can do that. You end up waiting for those people with the big motorhomes FOREVER! If you are coming from California there is a place in Blythe that is not too bad, sometimes. Get off at the Lovekin exit and go south to Miller Park and there is a dump station and water fill. I always stopped at the Willie Wells rest stop to dump, but the station is closed now. Be prepared for some cold nights out there! And days too!
Bob & Jackie, & Ms Daysee