RVForum
QZ
Rally News, Sign-Up List,
Photos, & Directions
January
19-27, 2013
The QZ desert several mile south of the town center - and a few
of the over 50,000 RV's (can you see our rally group) parked here during January
(photo by Bob Buchanan).
The purpose of this web page is to provide RVForum members, their families, and friends with news and photos prior to and during our annual Quartzsite rally, plus directions on how to find us in the desert. Mark your calendars and plan to come join us during the days of this early spring event. Click HERE to find out more about the Quartzsite happening. The dates of our rally coincide each year with the Sports, Vacation, and RV Show events. The show dates (and our rally) are Saturday January 19 through Sunday, January 27, 2013. Our annual Quartzsite Pot Luck dinner will be held Saturday afternoon, January the 26th.
The following local links contain the Sign Up List for 2013, Photos taken at past years events, and detailed directions on how to find us. As the time draws near and events begin, I will be keeping this page current with news, signups and attendee lists, and photos of the 2013 rally.
We hope to see you in January
LINKS
Attendee/Arrival List (2013)
History of the Quartzsite Rally
Preparation
Activities
Photo Album
Directions
ATTENDEE/ARRIVAL LIST (2013):
Current number PLANNING TO ATTEND = 32 RIGS, ARRIVED = 0 as of Wednesday, January 09, 2013 09:18 PM-PST.
Thanks for keeping me posted on corrections I need to make to the list. Please do not sign up until you are currently planning to attend. If you are not sure as yet, let me know when you have QZ scheduled. It "is" of course OK to cancel if your plans change. The total number attending changes as new names are added, or, if I have been told that someone on the list has decided they are not able to attend. I will then add or delete names accordingly.
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NAME, STATE, ESTIMATED ARRIVAL DATE (forum
handles added after first name only entries)
|
Post your name on
my
RVForum thread
when you decide you can attend and I will add it here. Please
include your home state or the state you are traveling from if possible.
Your estimated arrival date would also be helpful . . .
HISTORY OF
THE QUARTZSITE RALLY: For those
not aware of the beginnings of this popular
and growing event, Fred and Daisy Thomas started it about 16 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. Am told that one year as many as 42 rigs where in attendance. They finally settled on our current location and it easily handles
the larger numbers that are now attending. Fred and Daisy still attend each year making sure the event goes well and that all of those
attending are enjoying themselves.
Fred & Daisy at 2009 QZ Rally
PREPARATION: Here
are some thoughts on preparing for a trek to Quartzsite
 | Fees: The fee for two weeks is still $40.00 payable at the ranger station. You can purchase additional weeks. The fee for the entire season is still $180 (September 15th thru April 15th). Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and Golden Access Passport discounts DO NOT apply to LTVA (Long Term Visitor Areas) fees. HERE is the source of my fee information from BLM. |
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Reservations: No reservations are taken or needed. We are on over 11,000 acres of BLM land so there is plenty of room for everyone. This page contains a list of those planning to attend -- it is not a reservation list. |
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Tanks: This is a dry camping affair. Be sure to fill your fresh water, propane, and gas tanks prior to heading out to the site -- and be sure to empty your black and gray tanks. |
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Dump facilities: The closest BLM dump and potable water station is on the east side of I95 adjacent to our site on the West side. It is free, but the wait can be long at certain times of the day. Early AM or mid afternoon seems to be OK times. There are also commercial dump stations in downtown QZ (e.g. "The Pit Stop" just North of QZ on I95 has dump, potable water, and propane). The BLM dump stations close at 5:00PM and the water is automatically turned off - regardless of a remaining line of rigs. |
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Trash: Free trash dump stations are available a mile or so from the RVForum site. |
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Internet Access: At least 6 or more rigs will be there with Internet Satellite dishes creating a very effective and free RVForum "hot spot". So all you need is a laptop with a Wi-Fi card to surf the net or get your email. You will also find commercial hot spots in and around Quartzsite. Several last year used their air card to get on line with no problems. |
| Cellular Service: Verizon and Sprint users report very good reception in and around QZ. Have not heard of anyone not being able to use their cell phone or air card from QZ or our La Posa rally site. However, there have been reports of slow downs during the peak of the RV Show crowds. |
| The Quartzsite Environment: Quartzsite is a small
town of about 3,000. During the RV show that grows to over 1 million and
over 50-60,000 RV's of every size shape and color. And the weather is
typical Arizona desert. It can be hot one day and cold the next. It can
be hot during the day and cold at night. According to rain levels each year it
can be dusty. If a dry year, it can be very dusty at times on the back roads
and to a degree everywhere. It can be windy on some days, with no wind
whatsoever on other days. It can also be perfect Arizona desert winter
weather that makes those in the northern states very envious. So come
prepared. However, also come prepared to be with top of line RV
friends in one of the most beautiful deserts in the U.S.
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ACTIVITIES: One of the nice things about the
schedule of events for this rally is that there "is" no schedule of
events. However, certain things happen by some degree of scheduling. The
following are activities you can expect.
| Pot Luck: Always scheduled for the last Saturday of the rally. No animals allowed at "any" event that includes food, e.g., the potluck, happy hour, and AM coffee. |
| AM Coffee: This happens each morning. If it rains, the pot of coffee will be under an awning. Expect coffee, home made breakfast treats (bring if you can bake), and conversation of the day. BTW, if you haven't been to the Quartzsite Bakery, you are in for a treat. |
| Off Road Treks: Scheduled as weather and interest allow. |
| Geocaching Treks: The first geocaching venture by RVForum members started a few years back. More will be scheduled based on interest. Check HERE to find out more about this GPS sport where "you" are the search engine. |
| Red Hat Society: Details to be announced. Learn more about our red hatters HERE. |
| Trips to the Shows: Individually scheduled. You can usually find a ride with someone. If you have an All/Four wheel drive vehicle, you can take the off road short cuts. If new to the event, you will be able to follow someone that knows the way -- and to parking. |
| Happy Hour: Usually begin about 4:00PM each day. Bring a goody, a drink that makes you happy, and tales of your day. |
| Stuff for Sale: This began last year and was very well received. Look through those compartments for stuff you no longer need, but others might find a real prize. Examples are computer stuff you no longer need, sound equipment, a remote that you don't need, or whatever. Year before Last year I picked up an extra TiVo remote that I was surprised to find. This is meant for the small stuff between friends. |
| Show, Share and Tell: Sharing with others about most everything is part of this rally. You will find others with hobbies, craft knowledge, HughesNet and Starband Internet Sat setups, tow brake systems, WiFi setups, and -- well, you name it. There others to share. |
| Evening Campfire: This happens each night. Sitting around a campfire with friends under an Arizona sky makes coming to Quartzsite worthwhile. |
| Photography Workshops: A number of RV Forum members are into digital photography - to various degrees of technique. This is an "on line" group, so the marriage of digital images and computers has been a natural progression. According to interest levels, photo field trips may also be scheduled this year - with more experienced members discussing and demonstrating various shooting techniques. |
| Group Picture: On the Saturday of our Pot Luck (1/26) a group picture of all attendees will be taken. The exact time will be announced at the rally - but will be shortly before the pot luck begins. We ask that only the designated photographer and photographers helping the designated photographer take the group picture. Everyone will be given links to to copies of the pictures taken in up to RAW format if so desired. |
| Morning Walk: Each AM an organized 2 mile walk will form for
interested members. The walk has become very popular. It is not a race so
you can move along at your own pace. Also, the route has been designed so
you can easily shorten your walk and get back to the campsite without having
to back track your walk to that point. A 15 minute mile is considered good
cardio vascular exercise. Some are doing the trek at a 12 and under minute
mile pace whereas others relax and take up to an hour or so. |
A few pictures from former QZ rallies. . .
Betty Brewer and Wendy Lawrence
Russ Mahoney
Each rock in our fire ring was found on the desert and placed by
a forum member!! Some from hikes miles from our campsite.
2012 Attending RVForum Staff - Bob Maxwell, Betty Brewer, Lou
Schneider, Wendy Lawrence, Jeff Cousins, Marsha Lassen , Don Miller
Typical 2012 rally happy hour circle
Jerry & Ardra Fitzgerald, Ned Reiter, Betty Brewer, Lorna
Reiter, Liza & Ray.
Panorama taken from the I-95 overpass of the I-10 looking
Southwest over the Tyson Wells show area, The Big Tent, and "Q"
Mountain.
Typical Sunset from our campsite - January 2012
DIRECTIONS:
Ardra and Jerry Fitzgerald
furnished the verbiage directions that follow. I have added photos to help you find your way to our
site and Richard Sharpe furnished the final aerial view of the roads to the site.
NOTE: The verbiage directions are followed by a Google map showing directions to the ranger station and a view of the roads to our site. Click the VIEW LARGE MAP link to get the full view & Googles Directions.
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 33 38.035 N, 114 13.586 W.
The RVForum 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 (the Red Kuehn Street sign was added to the picture replacing the
actual sign).
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. If traveling north on US-95 from Yuma, watch for this
exit on your left.
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 4 prong fork in the road. The "Main Road" (second fork
from the right) has a 15 MPH sign to it's right side. At
the sign, bear left onto the Main Road. NOTE: At this point, you
may want to also take a look at the aerial view in the last picture on this page to
better understand the route at this intersection.
At this point you will be on a "main" road.
After .3 mile you will see another 15 mph sign on your
right.
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 RVForum coaches. It is approximately .8
mile from the ranger station to our campsite.
And finally, this aerial picture visually summarizes the route between the ranger station and the RVForum site (the red X). The shot was taken by a friend of forum member Richard Sharp. Richard stitched individual photos together and I added the arrows and removed a few RV's that were sitting in various intersections. The above Google map and directions should get you to the Ranger station, and Richard's map plus the directions to the rally site.
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End of Page (Updated Wednesday, January 09, 2013
)