Jump to content

Q this January


Recommended Posts

As always things change . I had planed on a retirement in the spring of 2016 and I had

asked about things on the east coast before ( this is where DW wants to travel)

but during January that is just not happening.

Now it looks as if my boss is going to ask me for some contract type part time work

after I leave. This is fine with me but I looks like I will have the month of January

off then come back for a few months of work .

 

We have talked a little about going to Q then maybe out to Death Valley but have not

gotten around to seeing what else we would like to see. The only real requirement is that the weather be mild and not drop much below freezing.

 

I thought I would ask all you pros to toss a few things on the table. We would be leaving the house around January 5 and would need to be back during the first week of February.

 

Also one question regarding Q are there any shuttles from any of the full hookup parks over to the show?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd assume that you are thinking of travel from and back to TX? Carlsbad Caverns are near your route but it can be quite cold there. The Tucson area has a lot to see and do as does both Yuma and Phoenix. There will also be several Escapee parks along your route if you are interested. It might be helpful to know what sort of things you are interested in. There are several national parks and monuments along the routes that you could take. I would avoid the Flagstaff area in Jan. as it gets high and can experience some pretty cold & nasty winter weather. Save that and Grand Canyon for another trip.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's more important things in life than work or feathering your nest. Get out there & enjoy your retirement! Life is too short.

2006 Coachmen Aurora 36ft. Class A motor home. 2009 Honda CRV toad. "Snowbirds" apprx. 6 mos. each year. Travelling to the SW each winter than returning to Wi. each summer. Retired and enjoying our travels along with Buddy the cat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also one question regarding Q are there any shuttles from any of the full hookup parks over to the show?

 

No.

 

However, if you're willing to boondock, the northern-most LTVA's are within walking distance as well as several of the RV parks in town.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kirk

We are pretty open to what to go and do . My wife is not a big walker so things off the road very far are pretty much out.

I on the other hand ride a bike when I can.

Outside things are a higher priority than inside but inside is not out of the question.

 

I agree about Flagstaff and the GC been to both enough to know they are not for me in the winter.

As an ex long haul trucker I have been though a lot of places but it seems that AZ and CA where just places to pick up and drop a load . So I really don't know that much about the area .

 

If you have visited something and it just really made a good impression on you then I would like to know about it . A month is not that long so I will need to do some culling and will have some must do things but at this time the page is pretty much blank.

 

Runaway Senior

If I did not enjoy the work I do I would have been gone 5 years ago . So part time is great for me .

Each project will be about 2 months then a month or maybe longer off. Total hours that I am allowed is 999 so at most 6 months per year work

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No.

 

However, if you're willing to boondock, the northern-most LTVA's are within walking distance as well as several of the RV parks in town.

Thank you Linda

Is there one of the parks you would recommend over the others ? Will need the full hook up the wife does not boondock well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of the best park location will depend upon what you want to spend the most time doing. While the "Big Tent" is out on the edge of town there are many flea markets and shops all along the highway through the center of town and there are several RV parks on that same road. Our experience was that there isn't any RV parking or full hookup campgrounds that are only a short walk from that part of things but there are several good parks right along business 10 and in the heart of the action. It's been quite some time since we stayed in Q during the busy season but we didn't have any problems getting into a park that was very close to the heart of the in-town activities. The last time that we were there for the big action season we stayed at 88 Shades RV Park which we found to be quite acceptable. That was more than 5 years ago, but the park is still there.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We like Quail Run, Park Place, and Arizona Sun. For us, with our two dogs, we prefer the latter two because there are many more places to walk them outside the park and they're farther away from the main flow of traffic unlike Quail Run which is right on Central/AZ-95 north of Main Street (but we spend most of our time in Q boondocking on BLM land, not in RV parks). However, because of this, they're not really within walking distance of the shows (unless you REALLY like to walk!). Neither is Quail Run, for that matter since it's farther north on Central than several other RV parks.

 

If you'll get out early in the morning, you should be able to find a central place to park from which you can explore the different venues. Later in the morning or in the afternoon, it's almost impossible to find a parking place. Regardless, to view the "Big Tent," Tyson Wells, or any of the other vendor areas, is going to require some walking even if you can find a close place to park.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try to be at Quartsite sometime during the last two weeks of January. That's when the 'RV Show' is and it's when most of the RVers are there. If you don't want to walk far, Rice Ranch is the place to stay. It's right across the street from the big tent and a lot of other merchants. I'd recommend getting a reservation. It is nothing to write home about - just a gravel parking lot but it's the best location if you can't walk or if you don't have a vehicle to drive.

 

http://www.riceranch.biz/map.htm

 

Death Valley would be perfect in January but you'll have cold nights. Another nice place is Borrego Springs, California - a lot warmer and a pleasant tiny town. Quartzsite can have cold nights, too. You just can't count on the weather.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all very much for the input . I assume that reservations are in order so I will get that taken care of. Other than the Rice ranch looks like we will be driving to and from the show.

I have always wondered about this show and while I'm not sure it will live up to the hype we will give it a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...... .I have always wondered about this show and while I'm not sure it will live up to the hype we will give it a try.

While it isn't one of our favorite things to do, it is one which all RV folks should see at least once. You really have to spend at least a little time there to really understand just what it is. Be prepared for extremely heavy traffic and large crowds, but it is all RV folks so most people are very friendly, courteous, and traffic while very heavy still moves because drivers allow each other into openings and to make turns. To me, the most unique thing about the entire thing is courtesy which reigns in such congested conditions.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is "Q"?

Quartzsite, AZ. Just google and you'll learn more than you could imagine about this " winter blowup town"

Ron & Linda

Class of 2007
2000 Monaco Diplomat

2005 Honda Element

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt

"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail"

"When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Q is short for Quartzsite, Az. which is actually a small town year round in Az. Then in January each year the RV show comes to town. The town swells with all RV related people and products. There are numerous areas near town for free camping. If your looking for anything related to RV's, you'll most likely find it there. Also a lot of people of all types to meet and learn from. Q is the only place I saw a trailer full of portable showers for rent. The guy was doing fantastic with a line of people. Also there are many repair co.'s there and RV sales lots. It's a much see.

2006 Coachmen Aurora 36ft. Class A motor home. 2009 Honda CRV toad. "Snowbirds" apprx. 6 mos. each year. Travelling to the SW each winter than returning to Wi. each summer. Retired and enjoying our travels along with Buddy the cat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always wondered about this show and while I'm not sure it will live up to the hype we will give it a try.

 

No, it probably won't live up to the hype. We have been every year for the past 8 or 9. The booths in and around the big tent itself usually take us a couple hours to see. This is partly due to the fact that many of the booths are the same year after year, and partly due to the fact that there are a lot of booths that have nothing to do with RV's. They're pedaling the same stuff you see at state fairs and such like pots and pans, jewelry, women's clothes, hats, exercise machines and so on.

 

We still like to visit all the various vending areas around town, although there are fewer of them than there were a few years ago. The Rice Ranch and Tyson Wash areas are the best, but some of the other areas are also worth a visit if you are looking for pure flea market junk. However, if you want to see anything you will find in the dusty lots of Q without the dirt, go to the Yuma Marketplace or Mesa Marketplace. Both are much nicer and have exactly the same stuff.

 

That said, Q is an experience. We boondock in the area for several months each winter. We usually only spend a couple weeks in the Q area any more as we like the Imperial Dam LTVA near Yuma better. It is closer to major shopping and does not have the crowds of Q.

2000 Volvo 770, 500HP/1650FP Cummins N14 and 10 Speed Autoshift 3.58 Rear 202" WB, 2002 Teton Aspen Royal 43 Foot, Burgman 650 Scooter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While it isn't one of our favorite things to do, it is one which all RV folks should see at least once.

 

Not to be catty, but "thanks, but no thanks!" To some of us, reading about Quartzite is as close as we ever want to get. There's nothing we need for our RV that necessitates we go there to get it. Maybe in a pre-Internet world having a whole bunch of vendors in one place might have been helpful, but these days everything we need is just a keystroke away.

 

MHO the RV community of a decade or two ago was built around rallies and other group activities as a way of catching up with friends and making new ones. These days, we are in touch with the people we know and care about on a continuing basis via the internet and see no particular need to travel to some place just to sit around the campfire talking to people whom we've been communicating with all year. We prefer to travel where we want and not to where there's going to be a rally.

 

JMO and I'm not trying to convince anyone else to adopt our way of life.

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
WiFiRanger Ambassador
Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Q can be reunion city if that's your focus. We've never been to the big tent but we've met up with many groups of people from all over the place for sharing tips and stories. If your brand of RV has a gathering it can be well worth going. It's also where we met our SKP Class members thus made connections with others in our stage of full-timing. We are now members of so many different groups which hold reunions there each year that we could move nearly every day to a different group. Makes scheduling a challenge.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is something much bigger than a rally and as far as I know it is totally unique. It began with RV folks who were into rock-hound activities and because so many of them came in RVs that part grew to be far more, although the gem & mineral side of things is still a pretty major part of things. As I said, you have to see it for you to really picture just what it is. The buildup starts as it begins to get cold up in the far north and reaches its peak about the middle of Jan. and stays that way into Feb. By the end of March it is pretty much wound down, depending to a large degree upon when it warms back up in the spring. While there are many who go just for the 2 weeks to a month of big activities, there are many who spend much longer with a pretty fair number who spend all winter there. There are several internet guides that will help you to understand what to expect, or you can look at this one to get started. Google will find more than you probably wanted to know.

 

Just outside of town is one of the largest Bureau of Land Management, Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVA) where one can stay for up to seven months for a cost of $140 or for short term for $40. If you want solitude, this isn't the place but I assure you that it will be a unique experience.

feature6_main.jpg

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When we go we'll walk through the big tent and surrounding swap meets once. The rest of the time is parked out in the desert with various groups we've come to love.

 

We have potlucks, seminars on various things, 4-wheeling, geocaching, hiking, biking, boating trip to the nearby Colorado River.

 

To us, even though we may be in contact via technology all year, we love to see them in person. Internet is definitely not the same for catching up with friends.

 

This is really the reason many go to Quartzsite in Janauary. You'll find groups of social gatherings, groups of like manufacturers of their RVs, 4-wheeling groups, etc.

 

To those who don't enjoy boondocking then it probably is not for you. That where the groups hang out.

 

The congested picture posted above is the area right around the big tent, swap meets, vendors and various parking lots and RV sales.

 

It is not how it looks out in the desert areas. Believe it or not, you can find some areas to park by yourself.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have been there once, this last winter. We went to be with fellow Bluebird Wanderlodge owners. We "knew" most by the internet.

 

However, enjoying each others company, doing things together, potlucks, etc. are wonderful!

 

We were there a couple weeks. Spent a few HOURS in town!

 

My advice is to try to get involved with some group, and go to their area, rather than just doing it solo. A lot of RV internet forums have a group there. I believe this forum does too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are in the " it is something you got to see at least once" group. We have been there twice and that was once to many. It is a Rv spectacle that is nearly impossible to describe. We saw it mostly as a giant flea market that you can see most anywhere. There are a lot of RV related items but none IMO that were good deals. We had a list of "things" that we wanted to purchase and were told they would be less expensive there but that was not so.

 

The huge gathering of Rv's in the desert is just a sight to behold . Wife is in to rocks and gems but there are plenty of rock and gem shows around like the one in Tucson.

 

We personally would not travel much out of our way to go there but if you are In that part of the country do not miss it.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

RVers Online University

campgroundviews.com

RV Destinations

Find out more or sign up for Escapees RV'ers Bootcamp.

Advertise your product or service here.

The Rvers- Now Streaming

RVTravel.com Logo



×
×
  • Create New...