(This is the last of three “Updates on Quartzsite 2016.”)
Hundreds of thousands of RV boondockers camp on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) near Quartzsite, Ariz. each winter. Boondocking, a term synonymous with ‘dry camping,’ is when RVers live off what they carry with them. They use generators and solar to charge their batteries for electricity and propane for cooking.
Because there are no utility hook-ups on BLM land, the camping fees are minimal. A 14-day stay runs $40; a season pass for up to seven months costs $180.
Each winter dozens of RV groups including the Escapees RV Club, use Quartzsite as a gathering place for annual get-togethers.
Susie and Denny Orr of Congress, Ariz., began visiting Quartzsite 16 years ago in their 1999 Ultimate Advantage 38-foot class A motor home. They remember fondly the many potlucks and nightly fireside rings where they met new people and shared RV adventures.
Between 2007-2014 the Orrs organized Escapees Happy Hour gatherings prior to the Quartzsite RV Show to promote other Escapees events and rallies. They remember fondly the many potlucks and nightly fireside rings where they met new people and shared RV adventures.
“We love the camaraderie of parking together and sharing of RVing information,” said Susie Orr. “We all learn from others about unique places to go and pass along what we have learned.”
“RVers like Quartzsite for many different reasons,” said Kym Scott of Tyson Wells, “whether it be the great shopping, mild winter climate, or amazing ATV trails around the desert. All of them want a safe and affordable place to enjoy the winter with a variety of things to do, and Quartzsite fits the bill.”
Longtime RVer Melanie Cullen of Vista, Calif., summed up the shopping by saying: “If you can’t find it at Quartzsite, it probably doesn’t exist.”
If you missed “Update on Quartzsite, Part 1 — Click on: ‘Tyson Wells Shows’ are popular destinations for RVers”
If you missed “Update on Quartzsite, Part 2 — Click on: “‘The Big Tent’ RV Show Jan. 16 to 24, 2016”
Photos: (Top) Escapees gather nightly around campfires to renew friendships and trade stories. (Mark Nemeth). (Middle) Susie and Denny Orr, Escapees Chapter Directors organize Escapees Happy Hours. (Courtesy of Susie Orr).
