Still in Quartsite.

Sunday Jan 20th 2008
Quartsite, AZ


Yeah, I know it is really not Sunday, but this is what we did on Sunday. It was a fine day. Chuck, Pancho and I went on an ATV ride to look for Geo Caches in the desert hills. It was a nice sunny day with no wind. I was actually able to take my two jackets off for about an hour, although I did have long sleeve on. It is still cold to me, around 50 during the day. I think on this Sunday the temp got up to the mid 60's.

A Crested Saguaro Cactus, Apparently fairly rare that is is growing like this.

I liked the texture of this cactus as it grew. These cactus look in a lot better shape from a distance. Bird and mice seem to tear them up pretty good to the point that some of them die.

The way this is shaped and the angel this picture was taken is quite cool.

These two Cactus we called the twins. They looked almost like twins. We did not see any cactus like these two the whole day, so I guess they must be pretty special growing close to each other like that and looking so much the same.


This sign gave us a good laugh. It was an "oh shit" road to going up. I had to get off and walk at one point. Going down I got to stay on the ATV, but it was fun.


This is uphill and is the good part. It is to bad that the camera never show's how steep a road or trail really is. This thing, although it is the good part was pretty steep.


This is from the top. At the top there is a mine. It is not an old mine either as the post holding the entrance have round nails in them. Also there is tin at the entrance, something the old miners did not have and probley would not of been able to carry anyway.


All those white dots are RV's, and this is only 1 small section of them.

I really would like to take one of these red barrel cactus back to Deming. There are so many here that I told Chuck from a distance they all look like red headed Indians peaking for attack over the rocks. I can not take any back however cause it is illegal to take anything out of an Arizona desert. Even dead branches of cactus. Besides, it might not live until we get back to Deming, so I guess these cactus are safe from me relocating them.

While we were at the mine, some other ATVers came up the road. There are so many people here that while riding you will run into people. Not only on ATV's, but in Jeeps, dune buggies and motorcycles. They all drive Pancho crazy. He wants to bit them all.

This is me looking that the entrance of the mine. Pancho is following.

This is the entrance. A big section of the entrance fell down, or it was blasted off to seal off the entrance. There was rail tracks going into it also, you can see them at the bottom of this picture. It would of been a neat place to explore if it was safer. Or if you wanted to lay on your belly and crawl in. I am not that into going into an unsafe area that I would get on my belly and crawl through beams, rat poop and owl poop hoping NOT to run into a rattler that I would do that. Pancho did not even want to go in very far and that say's a lot when your dog says no.


This is at another place away from the mine. If you look closer or make the picture bigger by clicking on it you can see Old Indian writings. Very cool.



Do you Know what this is??? Yes, it is a hole, but from what???

This is what it looks like when you walk up to them. They are holes that the women would put corn and nuts in to grind. I can just see these women talking while they watch the water in the river (This is on a river bar and I expect at one time there was quite a bit of water here) and the children while they worked. So this is some of what we saw on Sunday. It was a fine day and we had a blast. Pretty country in the hills with lots to see. We also came upon some rocks that people over the years have carved into. Some as old as 1903. One I was real impressed with was from a Mexican man in 1925. The time he took to carve the way they used to write was real impressive. Sorry we did not get a picture of that. We will continue to post as we go.

More of Quartsite

Thursday January 17th

Today we went to the "Main Event" area.

Dee picked up some feathers for her art stuff and I managed to pick up 10 air chucks. 10, Why 10? Well because they were 10 for $1.00 or you could get a steal deal and pay $.50 each. So 10 works for me.

Here are a few shots of vendor spots.

Dee here. Look at all the twirlers. These were a big seller five years ago the first time we saw them. We have a brown one with a adobe house on it. Now they have anything you can imagine on them. Very pretty.
















If you click on this picture you can see these neat little birdhouses. This could be a good do it yourself project if you get your own wood. I thought they were pretty cool. Pancho wanted to mark them, but we have a rule. No marking around the vendors things. This includes tents. Needless to say, I carry the little boy allot when we are in the vendors area.

















Chuck liked these wooden things. I agree they took a lot of work, but we did not need any. I think if they had motors chuck might of thought a little harder about one.















This is the vendor I get my stuff at. Yeah, lots of killed animals, but we people seem to like things like that. Personally, I do not mind killed animals as long as their ate. I wonder how many people ate them coyotes and foxes. Wonder if they tasted like chicken?















After doing the vendor thing, we came home and ate lunch, then I settled in to keep warm under my blanket and read a book. About a half hour later, Chuck thought going to get a Geo Cache would be good. I was not going to go cause it is pretty cold, but Pancho was having such a fit at the door I decided he needed to go out for an outing. Man was that dog ready!!! He was so happy to be on the ATV he jumped up on Chucks shoulders and smiled the whole way. We ended up getting three Geo Caches. It was a lot of fun. We went over rocky hills and into washes and had a grand time.
When we got back it was about five in the evening. That is the time the coyotes come out and start to scout around the trailers to smell the cooking smells. Pancho was in my arms and I still had his ATV harness on him. I was glad about that as he decided he was going to defend us against the coyote. The coyote just stood there watching. I guess the coyote was about 30 feet away. Anyway, after a bit the coyote got tired of waiting for me to put down its snack (that would be Pancho) so it turned around and slowly walked away. Poor Pancho, another coyote got away. Pancho sure is brave when he is in my arms or in the truck. Very mean one he is.

Tomorrow if Chuck does not forget the camera, maybe we can get some pictures while we are out on the ATV. Personally, I know I have spent more money than Chuck here, but I am about ready to break down and get another jacker. One with a windbreaker built in. I am in three layers of long sleeved jackets and still the cold wind is bitting into me. Lets all give Dee a big "AAAHHH poor Dee." There, thank you.

Running around in Quartsite.

Tuesday, January 15th 2008

This area is called Tyson Wells, which is at the junction of I-10 and Arizona Hwy 95. SW and is where the "Big tent" is located. The tent will open on Jan 19th.

This Saguaro Cactus must be older than dirt as they do not get their first arm until they are 75 years old. So I am told.






















This is a good example of some of the vendors all around. However, here at Tyson Wells the walking area is covered with outdoor rugs to keep out the dust some.
















One of the many kinds of Rocks/Gems available here.





















Chuck was thinking these big ones would make a great bathtub. I told him it would probley scrape up our butts to much, so he decided not to buy one. (Thank god!!!)
















Noticed the price on this sucker. What the heck is this person thinking????




















Wednesday January 16th 2008

This area is one near what is called the "Main Event"

















Pancho loved this spot. He growled and growled and amused people all around us with his challenging these dang Coyotes. I do not think the owner was so impressed however. Oh Well, it DID bring attention to his vendoring spot so I think he should of given Pancho a bone.
















This is the "Hi Jolly" memorial. Check out the history here.
It was also a Virtual Geocache.

Quartzsite Day 2

Look!!! A posting within a day of the other one!!!! We are doing great. It was a good day. Little windy in the early afternoon, but by the evening it was really nice weather. Chuck took a ride on the ATV while I stayed home and cleaned (I really like to clean the house when the hubby is not underfoot......all 31 feet of the house on wheels) So here is some pictures he took today.

Here is our home for the time being.



















A view from one of the old mines West of us.


















The next 3 were taken from atop "Q Mountain" I has a big Q on the side facing town.































This is the mine that the first picture was taken from.
















Quartzite Arizona

Day 1 in Quartzsite, AZ

We have arrived. We are in a short term campground half mile from town. We road our ATV into town, but I'll get back to that in a minute. We left Deming and Geo Cached our way to Tucson. We stayed at the Desert Diamond Casino. We have stayed there twice before, but were shocked to see it this time. They built that Casino up big time. It now has a six story Hotel, a very expensive buffet, $10.95, (no, we did eat in there, we had left over chinese food) along with a sit down and order restaurant, and a hughe casino. Some people who parked next to us last night ate at the sit and order restaurant and were disapointed in it. They said that you order everything separate. They ordered prime rib. Then had to order a potato and then a salad. They said the food was not bad, but the price of the meal was way more than they expected. They were from Canada, so if they were unhappy about the price, you know it was overpriced. From what I understand, going out for a meal in Canada is more costly than the U.S. and the portion's are smaller also. So most of the people we have met from Canada think eating out in the U.S. is a bargain.
Anyway, last night I was beat. So I went to bed at 7:30. Chuck followed. Our neighbors decided to turn on there generator just as we were going to bed. So I laid there until they turned it off at nine. Very polite I might add for them to keep to the unwritten rules of camping next to someone......turning off the generator at nine. My bad for trying to sleep before nine. Anyway, they turn it off and last thing I remember is thinking "Thank god...now I can to to sle...

Unfortunally, they decided to leave at 4 in the morning. On goes there motor home engine, up goes our eyes. They of course had to let it warm up as it is freezing weather ( at least in MY mind) and by then there is no going back to sleep. So after chuck heats up the house, I got up, warmed up coffee and put it in a thourmas, brushed hair and teeth, got the slide outs in, put the satellite ON the bed and Pancho OUT of bed and away we went. We got here in Quartzsite by 11.

Found us a nice place to park and after setting up, we went for a ride on the ATV. Now, you all know us, and you know we NEVER go looking for things to happen to us or come our way. NEVER. It just happens to find us. What found us today while we are at an old mine looking for a Geo Cache is four teen age boys. They are about 16. One of them decided he liked us so much that he decided to show us his butt. Several times. All the while yelling and telling us to Look at him. Well, not him, but as HE said, his ass. Duh. Your showing your ass to us, yes, we are (were) looking. He never turned around to show us anything else, but did you all know that some people can bend over, walk sideways while pleading for someone to keep looking at there white cheeks........all at the same time going down hill on a rock road. Youth is amazing.
I told Chuck he should go over and beat the shit out of the little fuc-er to defend my honor, but Chuck did not think I was offended enough. Dam.

So we found a dirt road into town. We can just ride the ATV down a wash and PRESTO there is town. In all different directions to. Quartsite itself has changed a whole lot in five years. There are building house's all over the place. New Stores. It is still RV city here, but I think that is what helps fund this town.
Anyway, we are in La Posa West. It is a short term (two weeks) area. We are amoung other campers (All very nice people and Pancho has a friend to play with) in a brush part of the desert. I like this as it keeps the dust down as it does get windy here in the afternoons and evenings. But the sky is clear and it is pretty. The people across from us are feeding the coyotes, so we have to be extremely careful with Pancho. These coyotes are pretty used to RVers feeding them, so they are not scared of humans. They stay back about 20 feet from what the neighbors say, but 20 feet is just a short dash and grab for my little dog, so I keep my eyes peeled. Pancho thinks he wants to go tear them apart. He has been pretty upset that Chuck and I are not letting him kick some wild coyote butt!!! Chuck and I are pretty sure it will not turn out as he thinks. While I have been writting this, he is crying to go out, pushing on my leg and begging to go out. The answer is no. No outside.
So here we are and will be for at least a couple of weeks.
We will post pictures when we take some. Yes, I will make sure to TRY to get them in here in three days time.
(we know I should not make any promises about keeping up with our blog now don't we!!!)

Take care of each other and hug and kiss who you love.
Chuck, DeeDee and Pancho