Ann's Travelogues

JANUARY - MARCH 2014

THE SLABS, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO and TEXAS

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TRAVELOGUE #3

January 12 - 25, 2014 - Yuma, Quartzsite, Casa Grande

Myrna and I left the Slabs on Sunday the 12th, and headed toward Yuma. At the rest stop where the first photos below were taken, we parted ways. I drove east to join Ruth DeBay at Copper Mountain RV park in Tacna, Myrna joined Richard Gibbs at a park closer to Yuma. After several nights at Copper Mountain, I headed back to Yuma and north on 95 to meet Marilyn Mills at the VFW camping area (free, boondocking). Birdie Norvell was also there so we spent some time together. Sunna and I walked the trails behind which led to a dike and through some brush, until it got too thick. I'm always on the lookout for trails where she can run free. I had a conference call (for my Parks meeting) the next day and I wanted power, so I headed back to Yuma to an RV park right on the Colorado River. We walked down to the river and the great Colorado was only about 100' across at this point! I understand it is even smaller where it enters Mexico. So much water is extracted for the huge population and agriculture!

On Thursday the 16th I headed to Quartzsite. Started seeing RV parks randomly across the landscape on BLM lands miles before getting to the town. The big annual RV show was about to start and they have a huge tent (cleverly called the "Big Tent") with everything imaginable for the RVer. There are also blocks and blocks of vendors selling everything from rocks and gems and jewelry, to clothing, hats, hardware, just about everything. There were RVs everywhere - parked and driving around in logjam traffic. There were thousands. I read somewhere that a million RVs visit Quartzsite every winter (!!) and I'm sure many of them show up during the big RV Show. I found the Toyota group and settled in. This was a rally for 3 days for folks who drive the Toyota based motorhomes that were built in the 80s and 90s - last ones were built in 94 I understand. Mine was built in 1990. The group has done this rally for a number of years so they had a prime space just a few blocks from the Big Tent and a lot of other vendors. We hung out a lot, looked at each others' rigs, and talked about RVing and travel and lots of stuff. All in all, 28 rigs showed up. Made some new friends. Got a lot of ideas about boondocking, solar, replacing my bumper, etc. Because we were so close, I spent one day touring the Big Tent, then the next day all the other vendors on the other side of the street. After a few hours I was hot, tired, and brain dead. Yes, I did buy some stuff. How can you not?

On Monday the 20th, I drove to the north side of Quartzsite and found where the LOWs camp was. They gather and hang out during the RV show, then by the end of the week people started to drift away. One guy, Jim, fixed a fabulous dinner every night (for $5). And of course, every day there was happy hour. I met a guy Mike from AZ who is a walker, and every morning we walked out into the desert with our dogs. I have come to love the sunrises and sunsets in the desert, and I've been making myself get up early and get out walking so I can bathe in the sunrise. Had to take Sunna to the vet on Tuesday, so I decided to stay an extra day so she could rest and get over the effect of the medicine (she had picked up some worms - probably at the Slabs) before we started traveling again. Thursday, we had our morning walk and then headed out. My goal was to get somewhere near Sun City where I met David and Janet Schwartz (Lopezians) and their daughter Virginia for dinner. Next day was a driving day and we ended up going thru Phoenix and stopping at a Walmart in Coolidge - right across the road from the Casa Grande Ruins. Saturday, we visited the ruins. This is the ancient community for which the whole region is named.

Myrna's rig with toad - me on the right. Myrna (below) - sorry I cut the dog off. This very colorful woman is a big rig truck driver!

Sunset at Copper Mountain RV Park, Tacna, AZ. (above and below)

Ruth and a REALLY big guy. I think he said he was over 7' tall.

This was a full moon rising over the hills from the VFW campground.

The Colorado River in Yuma. Not very big any more...

Sign outside the RV park...

This rig came in and parked next to me. It was a custom built short RV on a Land Cruiser. The couple was from Switzerland. See the next photo for all the places they have been in it (over 4+ years).

Path of Quail - in the wonderful city park near the RV park. (For Kelley) This gave Sunna and me a good place to walk around.

They actually had trout (and fishing) in this pond.

Yes, its a Road Runner (below, too. I wanted you to see the whole tail).

Quartzsite, AZ. Lots of Toyota Motorhomes. Mine is the center one in the line of three at the back (with the flag just to the left and above mine).

This photo was taken from the other end of the area - my rig is just on my left. We had a double tent with picnic tables for potluck meals. Tika, who organized the rally, is a master at rallys!

And of course, hanging out by the campfire.

Another beautiful desert sunrise.

Same day, sunset lighting up the mountains in the desert where LOWs were camped.

LOWs get together for happy hour and dinner. Jim rigged up a cook tent next to his 5th wheel and fixed dinner every night! Oh, and a campfire every evening, too!

Our morning walk in the desert - with Mike and Gabby (Sunna and Gabby above). It was all very rough volcanic rock. Roads were smoother.

This shows most of the LOWs group, although some (like mine) are hidden. It's just open desert, you park wherever you want.

Another desert sunrise. The real thing is so much more spectacular... and 360 degrees of color.

Some other early risers...

Flowering cactus (above), mature Saguaro cactus (below).

The Casa Grande Ruins site covered many acres with a playing field, and various other mounds and forms that have yet to be excavated. It was a large community with many buildings.