They came,  they saw,  they left... well... for the most part. 

 Now it's pretty much us seasonal fulltimers and snowbirds left to play in the desert. 
Me thinks, some left early due to the forecast of this... or mostly they came for the big show and rallies for 10 days and are off to greener pastures. No one has ever confided in us to declare where that is, so that's why we're not there right now. 

BLM road in La Posa North

Yes it has been known to happen here in Q a little wind and the desert gets up moves from one side of the road to the other. 
This being Monday it makes for a good ending to the big tent show of last week. The weather has been perfect the last few weeks, but now it's turning for a spell and will be a bit cooler. Reading Nick's Blog  of Gypsy Journal fame... he is to blame for the change of weather. He brought it with him from Florida. Nick turn around and go back... we were doing just fine without Ya. 

It was still fantastic Saturday and a campfire was had, and of course a great soak in the hot tub.

We are watching the news from the middle east and the continuing winter storms up north and feel content and safe in the wilds of the BLM desert in Quartzsite, Arizona. Have solar power and backup generator as we're off the grid unlike many up north that are off the grid, not by choice. And sure the natives are restless, but we're in Arizona, where they're always restless. If you spent summers in the heat they get here, you'd be restless too, me thinks. 
 

Wednesday  Jan. 26

We went, we saw, we don't have to go back for another year.  Big... Sigh..

We go because it's there... and after walking each isle and around the outside venders we are tuckered out.  Each year we look at each other and say this is just the some O some O. Now that may be just us... might we have everything we need..  Every vender is in their same places and nothing new. Besides we seldom find anything we want to purchase. (OOPS, this year we did buy a anode for our hot water heater. A whole $11)  But if you are looking for a specific big time item (tow hitch, sat dish, etc.) that needs installed you can do it here. Wonder how many want to buy a bulky item and carry it around and then back to where they are parked.  So  you can see I'm a little down on the big tent show after going for so many years now. It's like a state fair you go back to each year because you can.  It's an outing and good people watching.  A Woodstock for RVers...  so you just get in gear and do it. Their are some non typical food venders, so you can have a food tasting compliment to your outing.  This event in the desert is a huge deal as people and their RVs are here in big numbers to walk and shop till they drop. Looking at all the RVers that spend big bucks just getting here, (diesel has gone nuts) so sure it's a must do for at least one afternoon going to the big tent. And later go wondering the other vender areas in town on other days. Makes for a more appreciated happy hour and BBQ supper and campfire after a big out and about.  Did I say the weather has been the best it have been for several years. Yes another winter storm is hitting the northeast.  BUT in Q perfect. 

Now if you had to shovel snow today, sit back and relax and view some pictures from the Quartzsite, AZ Big Tent Show. 

Make no misstate this is one big tent.

Every cooking helper known to the RV cook and then some. 

Now if you don't like bread crusts... Go for it. 

Now this might be better than most... She might just have a clue on what RVers are looking for.

Now for something every true fulltimer should have... Of course a blow up hut tube. Not because we have one, you understand... But you remember how much you miss that hot tub soak, you had in yours at your old sticks and bricks.  And to think you can have that again whenever and wherever.  We never had one in any of our S&B but now I'm addicted. He was selling the same brand as the one we have... not sure if it was the same model as the top cover was not as nice as ours. I went up to him and told him we have one set up in the BLM and people were well aware of it and might help him for sales. He didn't seem impressed. So I moved on. Think his main concern was he had missed out on a sale. He at lest could have had the bubbles running. There are a lot of big MHs and 5ers parked right now around Q that could carry this without a problem. See the picture in the stand... the tub with heater, filer system, bubbles blower folds up in a large bag. Get out there and pick one up. He is in booth 523. Or go to Walmart Inflatable-Hot-Tub
I know what your thinking, Walmart but they have this item (not in stores, online only) and it is a quality product. 

And it seems everyone has to have a flag pole. What is that all about. Looks like a lot of space needed for them... 

Now this was one booth that must have been busy... see all the applications she is going through at the table. 
Amazon hires people to handle the shipping crush during the holidays.  I read a blog the other day from someone who did that last year and wrote about it. I will try to find it. They said it was hard work, but well worth it. 

Like every year the biggest lines are at the main Ice Cream vender.

Now if you don't think you you have room for a hot tub you may have room for this.  It looks bigger in this picture than in real life.  A very very portable ping pong table. Tiny... My first thought was how well will a ping pong ball will bounce off the cardboard like surface.  The price if I read it right $100  What's wrong with lawn games with people throwing bean bags at each other. Underhanded... I hope... 
 

Now with all that walking we wondered back to Prospectors Panorama Show grounds over next to Beer Bellies for some
VERY good hand dipped fish and chips. I was surprised it was really good stuff.. Of course Terry had to saok the fires with ketchup. 
He likes fries with his ketchup.  If yu get my drift...

They had a fish flying windsock above their Red Box cook trailer.  If I find one on at banner, windsock, flag vender around town it's sold.  Theirs looks like a bass but I could get confused as it is colorful like a trout. 
I could fly it when Terry has Gone Fishing.

I did a Google Search for Trout Windsocks... Yes I did... 

Who would think I wouldn't find a school of them. Pun intended. 
The only problem is, if it is up in the wind viewable, it's likley too windy to go fly fishing. 
I guess a limp fish means it's good fly fishing day. You've got to be able to control your fly. 
I'm not going there...
 

Monday  Jan. 24

Holding out in the BLM in Quartzsite.
It's like a snow storm warning up north... you have to stock up. 

We were able to get through the gridlock and actually found Fat Free Milk at the General Store on Sunday. 
I think it might be my fault but the traffic today was worse than during the weekend.  Remember I suggested we should all hold off going to the big tent show... till it clears out later in the week...  I guess they did...  sort of...  but now on Monday they showed up in even bigger numbers than ever.  They were backed up from the Road Runner Market on the east side trying to go west to the light to jus turn south on HW 95 to go over the overpass. If you have ever been here you get the picture. Hey we're all retired so what's the rush, me thinks. 

And of course my cub photo reporter couldn't get out for pictures so I'm at a loss to show today.  He did make it to the rock club for his morning class on chain making.... So you know what his priorities were. Just kidding Terry.  There are some routes to get around this town in the crazy season.  I'm not about to tell you about them... 

I do have this... Prospectors Panorama Show grounds east of Tyson Wells has gotten a clue this year as they have moved a RV dealer off their grounds on the south side to make room for parking.  That sez alot about how they want to treat their venders so as to provide parking so customers can get access to them. Well Done... They also as you saw in an earlier post blacktoped their show area.  A class act in a desert of nincompoops. UPDATE: Prospectors started charging $10 to park.  Bummer. 

Come enjoy and bring your walking stick.... 
 
 
 

Sunday  Jan. 23

Staying connected in the BLM off the grid Plus.... a not so friendly vender food. 

Those who go off the grid don't just hunker down and read a good book by candle light you understand. 

Sure they may have a Kindle... but Internet access is a lifeline for most these days as you can see. A DataStorm Internet Dish. Yes.

Now back to a vender in Tyson Wells who has been here for years.  He used to be in Rice Ranch. But as we got closer we noticed his have a nice day signs. This is the guy who offers $1 burgers after 4 PM each day.  Think he might make them up a little smaller than normal for the after 4 crowd. That might be kind of normal for pushing vender food.... 
 But what I don't understand is his signs as you get closer.... 

PLEASE DO NOT TALK TO THE COOK ... and IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE MEAN WE CHOOSE TO NOT SERVE YOU 
That's an attitude... that ought to help sell burgers to people just looking at your menu? 
Wonder how many get turned off and go across the way to the main food court in Tyson Ranch to venders who actually want your business. 
Humor is good, but rude was not a chapter in any of my customer service lessons I ever read. 
That was until you get their money, then all bets are off.  Crude but true... But not signs up front, in your face...

For John and Derek, a snippet of the Raninbow RV group. Not members so we didn't stop by... again this year. Get your butts down here next year so you can drag us over to it. 

As I have said we don't go to the big tent show on the first few days as it is just a crush of people. 
So we hold off till mid week.. so we can get better pictures and actully see around the event. 

As luck hit me, I'm bound up with a head cold and dry hacking caugh this week.  I forgot how much this sucks. Especially since I have not had a cold for several years now. Me wonders if I should I go to the crowded tent and spread it around? Misery likes company... Would I do that? If this doesn't get better I may not make it to the big tent show this year. It's not like I haven't seen it all before in years past. It's fun but so much is a repeat in each isle. Like at a state fair each vender has the same repeat location... Why do we all go back each year... That's the question... It's something to do... we are creatures of habit... Always looking for something we might have missed out on last year.  Next after walking for ever, exhausted we desperatly look for a place to just sit down. We are Woodstock RVers after all. The food venders have tables and chairs but you need to buy to sit.  Also venders who sell camping chairs seem to have signs on them...  Do Not Sit.   Who is to say I wont buy one, If I like it after a 1/2 hour or so checking it out...

lf this is what I remenber from years past. Can you imagine what my comments will be after a swing thorough this years extravaganza....  Later.... 
 
 

Saturday  Jan. 22

It's Grid Lock time in Q. 

The big tent show opened, they came, they saw, they created traffic grid lock.

I have said in past posts... is this the year they might not come.  I was right that they didn't come for the season, but they sure as hell showed up the last few days for the big tent show. Quatrzsite if full. The BLM (could never be full but, close in is full). You can drive back in a ways and have all the privacy you want. As you can see they like to gather as close to town as possible.. The herd factor. 

This is the bus conversion contingent north side Rice Ranch. 

I actually put it in park so I could take my foot of the brake..  Now that is slow going. Heading toward Tyson Wells from the west on Kuehn Rd.

Parking is limited and some try to park in the washes and don't understand this could get you in trouble.

Tyson Wells was slow going... If we have an hour or so to kill we do the loop to check it all out.  That is mid afternoon when we feel it has cleared out some. Once is more than enough a season we now think. 

Heading south past the entrance to the big tent show.   It was mid afternoon and people were starting to leave walking south to find where they had parked. 

Looking south into Tyson Wells... from Kuehn Rd. K and B itools (not in view) is on the left and you see it now.. the big tent in the upper right.  All these people feel they need to be here on opening day. This is a main walkway to get to the big tent from the north. 

 Above looking west into Rice Ranch.  They were trying to get us to trun to go to the Ladder Truck Pizza.

Anyway a good day was had by all.  They came... the area is overflowing with with RVs and the weather is as close to perfect as it can get at this time of year in south AZ.  (last year we had biggy storms and they even closed the big tent down on Thursday due to it) The big tent show runs into next weekend and this will cointinue to be a party, Woodstock for RVers.  Just how long they can endure off the grid in their RVs to be seen. How many came for the party leaving their 5 Star RV parks or gated homes with attached MH garage for a little fun in the sun. I guess what I am thinking is anymore many just show up for a week for the shows and move on just like the venders who also follow the events circuit. Some RVers also just move from RV rally to RV rally. If that's whats your're into. 
It's a challenge some look forward to, once a year, at this event to show themselves they can sacarifice and boondock off the grid, if they have to.  I bet there is a sticker for that, for their "Where I Have Been Map".  If more would just stay longer they could enjoy the music jams, ATVing, gold hunting, gem and mineral club, QIA events, and much more. 

Woodstock RVers... Are you one... They're not in tents anymore but a 5er or MH is the RV of choice.  Some may still get naked in the sun but I don't think they will have to put up with the mud as in the original Woodstock. Now days a quiet campfire instead of a band blowing tunes in the wind is more like it. This Quartzsite for RVers is just as HUGE and boggles the mind to see it all.  We get here when it was just starting in late October and watch it grow gradually and then one day it appears as today out of control and madness.  This has turned into a 10 day event like a state fair where it blooms and wilts just as fast. 
For many who spend the whole season here doing ATVing, gold hunting, spending time at the rock club...  love the influx of people... and an atmosphere of, boy this place is special.  But when the masses move on to greener pastures, we say under our breath... they have gone.  We now get paradise, and the streets, back to ourselves again thinking we are so special. That is until we also leave in the spring as it gets hotter as we give this place back to the truly special (as in crazy) people who call this place home even in the summer heat. The consensus is their brains are fried and don't know better. 

Think I've rambled on enough... (I have a sore throat and dry caugh so that my account for it)... Has been years since my last cold so feeling sorry for myself... Gets me lots of sympathy from Terry... 
 
 

Friday  Jan. 21

It's POW WOW Time in Quartzsite.

I can hear you... Pow Wow... What. Why.

It is the annual World Famous Gem & Mineral Show held each January.  The first Pow Wow was held in 1967.  Guess that name was from that time and it suck. Venders come from all parts of the country and world to show here filling the over 600 vender spaces. for the five day event.  After this event many move on to the Tuscon, AZ shows. Sort of like food venders who travel the fair circuit. But filling 600 spaces every year they must be doing something right. Another money making idea for the fulltime RVer out there. Suppose it would help if you were into gems and minerals thought. This is a whole nother kind of trinket, to be sure. Buyers tend to know thier stuff and they do ask questions. Selling gems and minerals is not like peddling a fake subsitute for a blooming onion. You remember the crap we were sold yesterday at a food vender who runs the fair circuit don't ya. 

From the Quartzsite Improvement Association web site: 
All vendors merchandize must be 75% gem, mineral or jewelry related. There is free admission and free parking with two shuttles running thruout the day from the parking area to the main hall.  Three home style cooked meals are served each day.  If you want a quick lunch, you can stop by the sandwich window.  You can view 52 showcases of beautiful gems, minerals and jewelry. In the hobby room you will see many beautiful displays of other hobbies such as paniting, quilting, beading, wire wrap and much more.
So you can see this is a big deal.  Now some picturrs from around the grounds. 

At one booth with citrine I noticed a wholesale buyer bought all they had (20 pieces) and and wanted 200 more.  He had cash.
Other than that it seemed a bit slow. 

The Gem and Mineral Club holds a raffle with over 100 prizes drawn.

It's not all gems and minerals... 

Machines for grinding. Everything for the discriminating rock aficionado. 

You put your rock in the center and the wheels turn it in to a sphere. 

Now get set the Big Tent Show opens on Saturday... a week later than last year. Hope people didn't get confused and arrived early. If so they had a extra week to play in the sun. But for the rest of us who are here for the whole season it makes little difference. 
Now we don't go to the opening few days of the big tent as it is just so crowded you can't even move inside. Mid week it clears out a bit so you can acutely get up close and personal to the vender booths, talk and get pictures. Now that's the ticket. 

If you need the link here it is again. Just click the logo.

Now again back at our BLM campsite. 

We did finish out the day in the hot tub.

Terry opened up a bottle of cheap champagne... It's what you have during a soak isn't it? 
The glass is plastic... He's in a blow up tub after all. As they say no glass in the pool area... 
 

Thursday  Jan. 20

Where the "Far East" meets the "Old West"

If you are in a sticks and bricks or have a garden that needs an uplift of art... Q is the place to find your treasures. 

He found just what he had been looking for... I bet... 

We saw one of those horns mounted to the front of a MH the other day. 
And look a plant holder OR Champaign bottle coolers. Your choice. 

After treasure hunting you can revive your soul... This is located west past Carl's Jr if you're in the need. 

  ...or fill your stomach. 

I told you I had been on the lookout for a Blooming Onion. After we were back in camp Terry ran back to get some at a place in the Rice Ranch vender area.  He came home with Shoestring Onions... their only offering. 

Not even close to what I remembered a blooming onion should taste or look like. 
We didn't even finish the greasy mess. It didn't even come with any dipping sauce.
Should have been more like this... State fair food indeed... I didn't ask and he didn't say what they cost. 

  Picture from the web

The moonrise at sunset... looking northeast.  Another great day in Quartzsite ... shot on Tuesday at sunset.
I'm getting confused about which day I post about... and the date of the post. 
The header sez Thursday...  but I did the editing on Wednesday morning for uploading on Wednesday night for Thursday reading. 
Are you still following my thought pattern... I'm not sure I am.

Now a later  Wednesday update before uploading... 

Anyway... We went to the QIA Pow Wow  the World Famous Gem & Mineral Show today on Wednesday in the afternoon.

Story and pictuers in the next post... dated Friday about our day on Wednesday afternoon. Somehow I lost a day here. 
I'm still confused... but working on how to date my posts... Now it would work out if I didn't post everyday. Ya That's The Ticket. 
We'll see.  But Ya Know It's the content and not the dates anyway me thinks. 
Did I say we just go out of another wonderful the hot tub. It might have fried my brains.
Now watching American Idol... The first show of the new season... Talk about about fried brains...

Later...
 

Wednesday  Jan. 19

Fit this into your RV.

I guess you could get rid of your ATV and put this on your trailer... instead...   BUT...

Now when you get tired of walking through the vender areas... You can rent one of these... This is on the overpass of I-10 on HW 95.  A hight point in Q with a summit view of Q.  Sure you can climb Q mountian but this is easier especially if you rent on one of these. 
 

Now like we say, if you're in Q you will see many unique rigs like this one. 
All are welcome in Quartzsite from tenters to people in high dollar RVs. It's the lifestyle, not what you do it in. 
To be sure some, are not doing it for fun, but as a last stop gap, as in down and out, and not their prefered way they want to live. 
In Q we all share the BLM and we do get along as we are all closer to the basics and that we are all in this together... When you share a campfire you just don't care about all those other things. 

We could see these were all fiberglass and not real. 

A fly over is always fun unless they loose power and crash on your RV. 
We have been here for years and never saw one go down. They do sometimes swoop down and buzz campers. They tend to be a little noisy, though. But then again so are most ATVs roaming around the BLM. Not complaining mind you... As we run our Honda 3000 generator past the quiet hours some nights. Along with everyone else. In this area close in, we are all in RVs so don't hear other units. It is well known after dark you just have to step outside to hear the Desert hum of generators. If you want real peace and quiet you can always go further back in the BLM where you won't even be able to see another RV.  This is a vast area which makes it work for all who wnat to do their own thing.
 

Tuesday  Jan. 18

You can get your favorite State Fair food here in Q.

The food court area in Tyson Wells was busy. 

If you look careful in the above picture... can you find the sign for that would you eat this delight. 

Yes Chocolate Covered Bacon. After doing a Google search I found I must have been out boondocking way to much and missed this taste treat. And Ya Know what, don't think I'll be trying it anytime soon.  I've still got my eye on a Blooming Onion over in Rice Ranch.

Bacon makes everything better, even... chocolate?
It sounds so wrong — but for some, these ingredients just taste so right.
Read more about it in the above article. 

A little more triditional offering can be found in Tyson Wells food court.. 

We are still looking for deep fried quartz crystals... Would have that crispy happy taste... but sort of hard to digest, me thinks. 
Or maybe just BBQ Roadrunner or Quail. To be sue there are a lot of Ice Cream stands to smooth it, as it all goes down. 
 

Monday  Jan. 17

I like to say a good day was had by all... each day in Q lately just gets better.
Yes we are in Quartzsite, AZ if you are just now paying attention. 

Bright skies, warm temps and no wind.  That's what makes a winning combination in Q on any given January day. Right now as things move closer to the Big Tent Days   (Jan 22nd thru 30th, 2011 - Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM) it is extraordinary that we are in a continuing warming trend. It may fall apart later, but right now it is perfect.  People are out wandering through the vender areas big time. 

This has been shorts weather in Q the last few days...
If you're up north you can pause... put on your shorts, turn up the thermostat, and come back to view the rest of this post. 
I'll wait... 

We made it to get a favorite... Gyros. 

They were good and at $6.50 in line with other offerings. I just have to accept these state fair prices and get over it. 
I did rants about vendor fast food prices in the past if you remember... but.. I give up...  as we see people lining up to pay the price for their favorite junk food. Come to think about it, this might be bigger than a small state fair. After all the big tent show does run for 10 days. And the surrounding events run for a month or longer. 

May have to check out next door a hand dipped fish and chips place later. In the Rice Ranch area I saw a Blooming Onion Place. Just once this season may have to go for one of those. If I'm a good boy that is. And no you don't get to vote. Especially if you have a PMB in Rapid City. Haven't had a Blooming Onion since the one I had at Cheyenne Frontier days several years ago.

And will have to get to "Bad Boys" one of these days as I got this email from reader, Randy... Who sez... we should visit "Bad Boys" restaurant and try it out sometime! This guy is the quintessential Quartzsite story.  When he first came to Quartzsite he was selling sausages out of a cart.  He has grown every year and serves a great product at a fair price. 

See Randy... I had a shot of their place ready for a post.. 

Did stop last year once for lunch. They moved last year into a sticks and bricks building on the north side of the road in the Rice Ranch area. We want to go back and check out their Sweet Potato Pancakes.  Note..  they close mid afternoon. 
Only serve breakfast and lunch. This is the Woodstock for RVers  after all some are getting to the age where they eat supper and go to bed soon after the sun sets.  Local Restaurant busy hour is about 4:30 PM. Most close at 7 PM. You think I'm kidding... 
But the they do get up early... ALL rested to be sure... Just the other day I saw the RVers next door playing lawn games before 9 AM as we opened our blinds to see if life existed outside at time in the morning. For some of you... the Grubstake on North Central is open late.

Stopping now... I have more stuff but shouldn't divulge everything in just one post.  Ya know I can spread this stuff out over the next week if prudent... Keeping more good stuff back for later.  Got to keep the site sticky....

 
 

Saturday  Jan. 15 

Not everyday is a vacation for fulltimers. 

Ya don't think we also don't visit the bathroom, eat breakfast, or have to wash clothes? 
Not everyday is it a just...  get up and have a Bloody Mary and gather around a morning campfire.
On wakeup... need that "Bloody" before... the campfire gets the coffee boiling. By that time who needs coffee... 
That's if you can just get away for a weekend. But for us who live this life, fulltime... we need pick and choose those events. 
Otherwise we burn out fast. I'm still working on that... 

On Friday we headed off to Parker to get the oil changed in our truck. You say how booring. Yes I would say so also. 
But these things have to be done just like you home bound folks. 

The Chevy Dealer in Parker has done a whole makeover from top to bottom of their building. Looks like brand new. Big bucks went into this remake. We have had issues with them in the past and today didn't go perfect to be sure.   The first thing I noticed was a huge plaque on the wall next to the service desk that stated..."Don't Mess With Me... You Will Loose"  What is that to say to customers as they get service orders written up. Not Cool. I'm sure it was ment to be funny. BUT 
Normally when you get service at a Chevy dealer you get a safty check of items they check for free. Like tire pressure, tire tread left status, break pad status, fuilds check status, battery voltage test. etc. None of that just a bill. We always get oil change service at a Chevy dealer all around the country as we travel and this is the only one of the few that doesn't do a GoodWrench check of maintenance items. Now you may ask why we go back to them when here for the winter. Well we tried the dealer in Blythe, CA and they were worse, more like third world. Very scary. 
Now I can hear you... He is just complaining for no good reason... Longtime readers will remember we went to this dealer for new tires which they ordered in for us. They were price compeditive.  We spent (yes) 9 hours waiting while they screwed around to get six tires on our truck with a front end alignment. The jerk of a service manager stopped by and offered us pillows jokingly. He was not funny by this time. They don't do alignments (didn't tell us that) so had to take it to someone else to do that.  Management went nuts when at closing I told them we were still waiting for our truck. To say the least we did not pay any labor for any of that. Later found out the alignment was screwed up and ruined our front tires before we noticed it. 
Last season they replaced our front and back U joints and it came in under the estimate. They got the parts next day, as we rented a car from them as were told our truck was not driveable.  That worked out well so we do go back, as they are the only game in town so to speak, and we have a history with them. So when I tell them my name they get the big picture as our history comes up in their database. 

Life on the road, duck with the punches and move on.  But it's all worth it so, don't get me wrong, we do not regret being fulltimers for a second. 

Now thoughts again back at our BLM campsite. 

Another shot of the big tent. 

It hit the mid 70s today according to NPR in Yama.  Now this is what it's all about. Now if you just arived here (I should say they are pulling in big time, at last) from the north and after they set up are sitting outside in shorts. And why not, they are happy to see these temps. They will wash off snow grime from their rigs later after they get settled in. Nice to see these newcomers happy to see these temps but unlike the locals who are in heavy coats, who this is the middle of winter for them. This is the time K-Mart in Blythe is offering HEAVY winter coats for the locals. But a baseball cap and a light hoodie does just fine for the ones who have been here awhile for a month or so. We adapt to the mild temps as we follow the snow storms up north. Been there done that and the mantra is and "Never again... SNOW in my Life".... Repeat... "Never again... SNOW in my Life"..

We didn't fire up the hot tub on Friday night but will do it to be sure Saturday afternoon. 
Now going to have sausage, potatoes, and sauerkraut while we watch Real Time with Bill Mauer on HBO. 
 
 
 

Friday  Jan. 14 

The last few days have been something. 

The tent is up...

Been busy responding to emails etc. And dealing internally with aspects of the Tucson shootings. Been consumed reading all about it as, I'm sorry, I'm a current events junky. After all my Droid X beeps whenever there is Breaking News. Not sure how to stop that.  Seems way too much is going on these days. 
We are going to Parker to get an oil change for our truck. May stop by the China Garden Restaurant for another great meal. The last time we stopped by they were very busy. With many happy faces. Ours included. 

I'm not going to go on about the Tucson shootings. The president asked us not to do that in a speech to be remembered of maybe a lifetime. If you watched you know just how great an orator he can be, when needed, to help heal our country. You may like him or not him but that was just what we needed... and you felt it. Didn't you.
 

Now thoughts again back at our BLM campsite. 

It is warm here in Q and we started to heat the hot tub but came inside to follow the news, but will be back outside on Friday night big time. A campfire and soak is on my mind for tomorrow. 
Reflecting, looking up at the stars, it can only help. 

Terry has pounded out a pork loin into thin tenderloins. I have challenged him to make them them like the old midwestern pork tenderloins I remember from my youth. It is a quest for me... and I have yet to find a very thin huge crispy tenderloin in our travels as I remembered them back in IA. We had a small cafe in my hometown that had tenderloines that were huge, and crispty.  It has been a search to find one like them to this day. 

Now with a Google search I found this Stalking the wild breaded pork tenderloin in Iowa web site. 

Now this one is a little bigger than what I am looking for, but I WILL take it if I find one. 

Now if you want a site to view the best... Pursuing the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Hope you can take the chains off your tires soon if you are up north. 
 
 

Wednesday  Jan. 12 

From the dust of the desert it rises. 

Pictures taken January 11, 2011

Make no mistake this is the big one.

Do click on the logo as they have updated their web site big time. 

Following pictures from the RV show web site.

This phenomenon started over 35 years ago and is now billed as “The Largest Gathering Of RVers in the World”...

With only two off ramps on I-10 and just over 3000 permanant residents, Quartzsite, AZ becomes the third largest city, in population, in the state of Arizona during the RV Show. The QIA POW WOW, plus several other rock & mineral shows and flea markets, has made Quartzsite a "MUST-SEE" destination for a million+ people, annually.
Want more info see our Hitchitch What is this place called Quartzsite.
 

Now thoughts again back at our BLM campsite. 

We ran across this home made RV. 

Looking at the unit from the backside... how very cool. A built in patio... just lift up the back panel. (see above picture again)
You get to see all kinds of ideas that you can use to enhance your own RV lifestyle. 
This is the place to view every kind of RV and how people are using them. People watching at its best, to be sure. 
 
 

Go  BACK       Go to  INDEX  Page     Go FORWARD

See where we are at right now. DataStormUsers map ID 98 Have question or comment about our blog life... We love email.   Just email rbunge@hitchitch.com