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Ron and Terry go fulltime

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Sunday January 7
 

The drive through Tyson Wells heading west just off HWY 95 on Kuehn St. south side of I-10

It was such a nice day, so when done reading the Sunday paper we just had to go for a drive around Q 
and check out the venders. It's like the old scoop the loop, when we were kids. But we were country 
kids in rural Iowa, so scoop the loop, was driving around a couple of blocks of our hometown and then 
heading to the neighboring town  to scoop the loop there. The only entertainment that is free, except for 
the beer that was sneaked out the back door of the local tavern. And to think we were on the student council. 
Well back then gas was 25 cents or less, (1964 or so) and most of what we used as farm kids, 
came from the bulk tanks on our farms which and even cheaper since, no tax on farm fuel. 
I degress... Bring back any memories for You?

So here we are are now in Q and Terry is posing with a balck bear... notice the trap below. 
The vender sez many dogs go by and get nervous to say the least. Didn't scare Terry, as he stepped 
up and was ready for a bear hug. 

These pics are at the Main Event area.

Here is the booty we picked up while touring the venders. Let no one say we 
don't support the action in Q. The red and blue storage canisters are for welding rods for Terry's brother. 
Who would think we would find such things in Q. A couple of books for 50 cents each. One was "All's Fair"
by Mary Matalin and Jmaes Carville. and another one by Patricia Cornwell "From Potter's Fiels". 
(They had pallets of books all for 50 cents each. This was in the second tin building at 
The Main Event past the ice cream stand.) 
We also got hearing protectors,eye protecter goggles, and a dusk mask. 
(I keep telling him playing at the rock club is unsafe.)
Place mats, paper plate holders, drill bits, splatter fry pan guard, hair pin clips, 
and pickup tie down inserts. (which don't fit our truck). A plethora of goodies.
We have just started to shop till we drop... Wait till the big tent sets up later this month. 

One day soon I do want a Bloomin Onion... At The Main Event entrance. 
I think the last one I had was at Cheyenne Frontieer Days several years ago. 


 

Monday January 8
 

Right across from the Bloomin Onion stand you can get Lemonade to wash it all down.
All in The Main Event.


 


 

And just what you wanted to carry around from campground to campground.
It all can be found in Q in January. Think of having to truck all this stuff in and set up.


 

Later I stopped at a vender in Tyson Wells and started to take a picture of her crafts. 
She spoke up and said NO PICTURES. I looked at her in amazement and said NO pictures 
NO sale and walked off. It takes all kinds. I think I will go back in the days to come and 
challenge her on the no pictures thing. A public area, no entrance fees, and no signs. 
Might ask for her business card ahead of time, so I can let readers know who not to buy from. 
I would think a vender would want all the exposure they could get. Now if she wants to explain 
why no pics, and has a good reason I will listen. We shall see. Wonder what she would say if I 
explained the pictures that our blog readers might see, of her crafts, just might want them stop 
by to take a look, and BUY something. 
Her (fine works of art) would be more at home at a national art show, instead of a vender booth in Quartzsite. 
Anyway we wish all venders good success selling their wares in Q. This for many, is not just a means 
to supplement their income, but their only income source ongoing.
 

A warmer Monday with no breeze at all. At 5 PM it is 70. We are having home made pizza 
tonight to watch the big football game between Ohio and Florida.
 

Tuesday January 9
 

Want to do a little RV decorating, or just make your picnic table feastive 
for your Quartzsite gathering. This vender in Tyson Wells can fix you up.

Or if the weather report is to believed for this weekend of cold and rain and just a little 
north of here snow. Low of 27 this weekend. You can run over to The Main Event and 
pick up a sleigh or glass fishing floats. 
Everything is here in Quartzsite.

There are semi trailers in back of the vender show areas in Tyson Wells with fork lifts to unload 
more product as it is sold. We will get some pictures of the tons and tons of rocks and jems that 
are sold here eash year. 

With that poor forcast the venders sales will be way off this weekend as people will not wonder about 
in the wind and cold. Lets hope for the big events the last two weeks of Jan. that the weather picks up.

But right now again at 5 PM we are a fantastic 70 and calm. 

Wednesday January 10
 
 

We ran accross this motly crew on W Main Street. at a vender 
who called himself Loose Arrows.

We later went to RV Lifestyles go get a new fluorescent light for over the dining room table. 
It now has a fancy three bulb light which does not put out as much light we would like and is 
not very efficient. When you turn it on the 12 volt reading spot light over the recliner dims some. 
This we hope will be more to our liking. We have four other EOM fluorescent lights and are very happy with them.
The light was even on sale. We like to do business with this bricks and motor dealer in Q.

It has been overcast all day and does not look good for the next few days and even into next week. 
Just had a severe weather warning pop up in my toolbar. Talking about in the lower 20s to head our way.
I use a free program Weather Watcher.   Runs in the toolbar and you can add any location in the world to 
monitor the weather. Day by  day forecasts or even hour by hour. It will alarm with severe weather warnings.
Radar maps, etc. One neat program. I have used it for years. If your are on the road and want to keep track 
of the weather back home or anywhere, this is the program to get.

I thought my computer was going bad as the mouse curser was very jumpy and it took two clicks 
to open files and such. I did a run chkdsk a couple of times and rebooted and then it dawned on me to 
replace the wireless mouse batteries as the red pointing diode was going nuts blinking at me.  DAH. That did it. 
Got the new mouse on black Friday sale at Radio Shack.  So first battery change. I know what you are say 
I should have read the instructions. Men don't do that do they? Or ask directions. 
Why do you think GPS devices are such big sellers. 

Terry is if off to a night wire wrapping class at the rock club so I'm going to catch up on the forums. 

9 PM UPDATE

I found this post on the forums...

Just back from a trip to Quartzsite and I am very disappointed in what I saw in the LTVA's, they look 
like shanty towns! Fancy rigs with a cobbled together mess around them are no better than a mess! 
I thought at one point LTVA's were a good thing but after seeing what they have become I have to say I
would be in favor of discontinuing the program. In many ways it's hard to see any difference between 
the LTVA's and Slab City other than the subsidized services provided for the snowbirds! 
Slums surrounding a set of wheels! 

MY REPLY WAS:

I'm sorry that you don't like Q and the LTVA's BUT 100,000 thousand others or more, think different. 
All types of people in rigs from $300K MH to broken down cars in tents do stay the season in the LTVA. 
Sometimes we have to get a life, and understand we are all in this together. The BLM is here for ALL. 
If you want a 5* resort go for it, just leave the rest of us to partake in the kind of lifestyle we enjoy. 
We have the means and could stay in the finest RV resort in the area, BUT we would rather be in the 
BLM and not have another RV unit so close we think we are in a parking lot.

For what we spent on solar and a generator we could buy a lot in Q. 
BUT we like being away from the herds.

We like RV watching (like people watching) as they pull into the LTVA. Some people might miss the fact 
that most RVers have found that 'class structure' disappears when you get in a campground. It turns out, 
for most of us, we all just love this lifestyle, and go out of our way to be friendly and helpful to a fellow RVer. 

9:20 PM  ...

Terry just called on the GRMS radio from the rock club and he is now off to get fried chicken to bring home. 
Healthy NO good YES. 
 

Thursday January 11
 


Sandy our new roving photographer spotted these snow shoes.
More talented eyes, more shutter clicks , and more great photos of life in 
Q in the height of the season. She has submitted many more great shots,
watch for them in the days to come. We hope she will share her skills with added commentary.

You thought we were fooling about the strom headed our way. 
You do remember we are in southwest Arizona.
The big news in USA Today is how warm the winter is up north. 
It has been nice here, but the jet stream is sending us a cold wave and we want it to shift back up north. 
Asked Terry to look for the snow shovel display at the General Store. 
 
 
 


Watch out pardner their gunning for Ya.



 

And at Hasslers RV park you can go fishing if you are big enough to reel it in.
And if their is water running in Tyson wash. Hasslers (by the way) is For Sale if you 
want to buy a RV park right on W. Main St. which at times is a water front property.

Friday January 12

A short non pic post today... spent my time working on ebay stuff.
Everybody needs a day off now and then... when frustrated trying to get other 
programs to work. 

Also after Terry took ALARM IT units to the Quartzsite Post Office and they could not figure 
out how to scan in the Delivery Confirmation bar codes. They did it before, but today no clue. 
We love them but that doesn't help. The units went but without Track and Confirm.

You can feel the change in the air as it is getting colder. 
Many RVs are pulling in to boondock in the BLM. They just keep driving by unit after unit, 
right by my window, as I sit at this computer, working (or should say playing) and watching life go by. 
It's interesting to see the variety, of the types of units, people choose to fulfill their dreams of living 
and traveling in an RV. RV people watching at its best right here in the BLM LTVA. 
It gives me a perspective about the choices we made about the equipment we settled on, 
and to compare our choices, with what others made, to also live this life. 
As the many units drive by I wonder about their stories and the adventures they have to share. 
 

Saturday January 13

7 PM 
WOW we are talking cold. Tonight it is to get to 20 degrees. That is just insane. 
The news sez a record low for at least the last three years.
One of the things we do is open the cabinet doors below the kitchen sink. Run the gas water 
heater all night and turn of the water pump and open up the faucets. 
I just broke down and changed from shorts to sweat pants. 


Time for a few more great shots from Sandy.


Terry went over to Bob and Sandy's 5er just up the raod in the BLM and they had a little wire wrapping session.
They were unable to get into a class at the rock club so Terry set up a little private class.
They did great per Terry. This is their first season in Q (just starting out fulltiming it) and they love the desert 
and the rock club and are getting into it big time. See the new heater they just added on the wall behind them.

Oh! by the way the BIG TENT went up today. It is huge.  Just count the tent poles in this sucker.


(2006 photo from the RV Show web site)

See a whole group of aerial photos of the tent and the event.

See what all the fuss is about at the following link.


http://www.quartzsitervshow.com/index.htm
 

Stay warm now, and if your'e in the midwest we hope the ice doesn't take down your power.
Weather can be fun to talk about, but at times it is serious. Take care out there.
 


 

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