QZ News, Attendee List,
Photos, & Directions
January
2005
The Latest from Quartzsite
(1/29/05-11:00PM)
The record has now been set at 42. That is total rigs either here now or having
been here and moved on plus visiting couples or singles. So the total
individuals in attendance has been somewhere around 75 to 80. Today was a bit
chilly with a southern breeze, but that had little affect of the good time had
by all. Today represented to us all what the RVForum framily (family of
friends) is all about.
The "main event" today and for the rally was the
potluck. The decision to have hamburgers, bratwurst, and turkey was a good one.
Fred's post asking for deserts and condiments received quite a response. I don't
think this group has ever seen so many pickles and deserts in one spot. Ned,
Lorna, and Karl cooked and became the official taste testers of the bratwurst (Wisconsin
Soul Food), while George and Don did the huge and tasty burgers. And, of
course, there was the tender turkey cooked in peanut oil by Ron and Sam. Ron and
Sam also made up some chocolate peanut butter ice cream. Does all this sound
good? Please note the pictures that are beginning to be posted on the RVForum
(look here) by Ron Ruward, Ron Marabito, Jim Dick, and Tom Jones.
Tomorrow will see many of our members head out - and that is always a bit sad.
However, we always look forward to meeting again next year, plus hope that many
of you that have been following this event will find your way here as
well. We have had a number of new folk visit us this year and we hope that
trend continues. And also, next year we expect those regulars that couldn't make
it this time to get back out here to the desert. For example, Jim and Tarry
Johnson are examples of "very much missed"
friends. (Bob Buchanan)
LINKS
Attendee List:
Photo Album:
Directions:
History of the Quartzite rally: For those that were not aware of the beginnings of this popular and growing event, Fred and Daisy Thomas started it around 9-10 years ago. They had been wintering in this area and decided it would be a nice place to hold a forum rally at the time of the big RV Show. They had just a handful the first year, and moved from place to place on the desert each ensuing year as the numbers grew. They finally settled on our current location and it easily handles the larger numbers that are now attending. Fred and Daisy are here now, and are still very active in making sure the event goes well and that all of those attending are enjoying themselves.
ATTENDEE LIST:
1. Bob Buchanan (CA-Fulltimer)
2. Karl Kolbus (WI-Fulltimer)
3. Lou Schneider and Cindy (CA-PartTimers)
4. Bernie and Marlene Dobrin (AZ-MostTimers)
5. Al and Barbara Wax (PA-MostOfTheTimers)
6. Melvin and Sharon Baker (OK-PartTimers)
7. Pete Harpin (MA-FullTimer)
8. Jerry and Ardra Fitzgerald (NV-PartTimers)
9. Fred and Daisy (AZ-PartTimers)
10. Ron and Sam Ruward (MT-FullTimers)
11. Jim and Pat Dick (FL-FullTimers)
12. Anne and Jim Dorough (AZ-PartTimers)
13. Don, Peg, and Jack Miller (AZ-PartTimers)
14. Ron and Shirley Marabito (TX-PartTimers)
15. Colleen Slicker (friend of Ron Marabito) (TX-PartTimer)
16. Chris and Mimi Pennings (CA-PartTimers)
17. George and Pam Van Luchene (AZ-PartTimers)
18. Joel and Camille Myers (GA-FullTimers)
19. Jane Murray (NM-PartTimer)
20. Don and Betty Jordan (AZ-FullTimers)
21. Tom and Ann Wald (MN-PartTimers) (friends of the friends of the Fitzgeralds)
22. Lance and Jan Crowley (NV-PartTimers) (friends of the Fitzgeralds)
23. Jim and Betty East (AZ-PartTimers) (Friends of the Dobrins)
24. Ned and Lorna Reiter (WI-FullTimers)
25. Larry and Cathy Greathouse (FullTimers)
26. Wally and Helaine Hepworth(OR-FullTimers)
27. Tom and Chris Jones (CA-PartTimers)
28. Ben and Gay Miller (Friends of Wally and Helaine)
29. Dewey and Joann Kloos (MN-PartTimers)
30. Jim Crouch and Shirl Good (PartTimers)
31. John and Ellen Spiller (CA-PartTimers)
32. Richard and Linda Sharp (NY/AR-PartTimers)
33. Harvey Roadsfeldt (CA-PartTimer) (Friend of the Spillers)
34. Jim and Pat Godward
35. Tim and Jan Lynch
36. Russ Mahony (FullTimer)
37. Tom and Margi Bininnger (AZ-FullTimers) (Visiting in toad from Brenda)
38. Joe and Audrey Darrigo (MA-FullTimers)
39. Jerry Ray (CA-PartTimer) (Visiting-parked at another rally)
40. The Lankfords <sp chk in the AM>
41. Sharon Shafer (FullTimer) (Friend of Jayne Murray)
42. Ken and Shiela (PartTiimers)
PHOTO
ALBUM:
One of the final pictures of the Quartzsite rally group. This
was taken after dinner and desert, so as you can see, this is a very content
looking group of happy campers. The main food line is behind those standing on
the left side, whereas the "T" shaped table is just deserts and the
smaller table to the left is just condiments for the burgers and bratwurst. Ron
Marabito took this picture from the roof of Fred's rig.
Don and Betty Jordan and George Van Luchene doin' the
burgers.
The main food line.
A typical Quartzsite sunset as captured by Jim Dick.
Ron Ruward seems to have found a way to get hooked up to the
only 50Amp post in 11,000 acres of BLM land. Amazing.
When the roads are crowded, RVForum members with SUV's take
to the Washes to get downtown. However, on a rainy day in the desert, a wash is
NOT the place to be. I took these pics of the Tyson Wash just after a rain storm.
It runs from near our campsite all the way through downtown Quartzite. The
larger pic is just South of East Kuehn, the left smaller pic as it crosses East
Kuehn (between I95 and Love's Truck Stop), then as it passes under the I10
freeway. Note QZ
mountain in the background of the larger pic.
4Wheeling group setting out lead by Jim Dick. He was moving
out so fast, his SUV appears
blurred. The rest of the group are enjoying coffee and sweet rolls by the
morning campfire (to the right of the SUV line-up).
Ron Marabito and Jim Dick atop the hills west of our campsite.
The Quartzsite desert is very green this year -- note the beautiful flowers and
young cactus that cover the hillside.
This is the resulting shot taken by Jim Dick as seen in the previous
photo. After I took that shot of Ron and Jim doing their digital stuff, I turned
and shot the panorama you see as the banner photo at the beginning of this page.
The little white spots in the distance in that photo are RV's. Jim is shooting
the same group of RV's from the same spot with the long lens. Jim and Ron are
doing "fine" digital photography. When Jim took this shot, less than half of our members had arrived.
The brown and white Eagle on the left is Ron and Sam's rig, whereas the blue
Monaco in the center is Jerry and Ardra Fitzgerald. You can even see the start
of the evening happy hour around the campfire in front and to the right of Jerry
and Ardra's rig. The last Direction to Our Campsite photo was taken from about 1/4 mile to the right of this location.
And finally, this is Jack enjoying the warmth of his Dad's Jacket (Don Miller)
and the evening campfire.
DIRECTIONS:
The great direction verbiage here was taken from a post by Ardra and Jerry
Fitzgerald. I have added photos to help you find your way to our
site.
The CompuServe RV Forum campsite is approximately 2.5 miles south of
Quartzsite's four corners where I-10 and US-95 intersect. Business Loop
I-10 is Main Street of Quartzsite, Arizona and it is on the north side of I-10.
US-95 is the road south to Yuma. The frontage road on the south side I-10
is Kuehn Street. From Main Street or Kuehn Street you want to go south on
US-95. As you drive south looking from the top of the bridge crossing I-10
you will see on the left the Tyson Wells vendor stalls and on the right in the
distance at about the 2 o'clock angle the large red and white RV show tent.
Our directions begin at the south side of I-10 at the intersection of US-95 and
Kuehn Street.
Our Quartzsite campsite is on the Bureau of Land Management Long Term Visitor's
Area at Tyson's Wash, La Posa West section #541. The GPS coordinates
are N33.38.054 and W114.13.591.
Travel south on US-95 from the 4-way stop sign at Kuehn Street and US-95 (take a
mileage mark here). After approximately one mile you will see (and you
will drive by) the first BLM entry and ranger station on the west side of US-95.
Continue south on US-95 for another 1.5 miles to the second BLM entry which is
Tyson's Wash La Posa West.
Just before reaching the turn into Tyson's Wash you will see mile post 102 and
then a phone booth on the west side of US-95. At the right turn, you will
see ranger stations on both the east and west sides of US-95. Turn right
(west) off US-95 and go to the Ranger station to sign in and pay your fee.
Immediately after the ranger station parking area, the dirt road curves right.
Shortly after the curve (about 1,000 feet) you will come to a fork in the road with a yellow "dusty road" sign. At the sign, bear left (note, do not turn left, just bear a little left at the fork) keeping the brown 540 post on your left side and the yellow dusty road sign on your right.
At this point you will be on a "main" road.
After .3 mile you will see a 15 mph sign.
Just after the 15 mph speed limit sign take the left fork off the main road at another brown post 541.
(Note: The view from this location will
change as more rigs arrive).
Go straight for .5 mile and you should see tall flags
flying from one or more of the RV Forum coaches. It is approximately .8
mile from the ranger station to our campsite.
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End of Page (Updated 1/29/05)