Q to R: Yuma, AZ to Quartzsite, AZ

We learned about Quartzsite when initially researching this trip, and the concept of hundreds of thousands of RVs gathering in the desert to camp for free and go to swap meets made it a must-see destination on our journey. The Border Patrol agent at the checkpoint on US-95 north of Yuma told us to watch out for elderly people driving oversized vehicles. Duly noted.Many retirees head to Quartzsite in the winter and take advantage of the Long Term Visitor Areas, which has a low yearly rate for camping, especially in comparison to traditional RV parks. Our first stop was at the Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce, where Tony loaded us up with maps, flyers and brochures about anything you could think of - swap meets, camping spots (he suggested Dome Rock west of Quartzsite), shower facilities and even the daily jam sessions. Emily couldn't resist buying a 'Snowbird 2009/2010' pin. We had been looking to purchase a new battery isolator, and after checking out K&B Tools and a few other swap meet boothes, we found Gambler's RV who happened to have just the part we needed. After 4pm, we found food boothes selling $1 tacos and $1 burgers as they all closed at 6pm. The town does not have a nightlife, and we felt that we would stick out by staying out past dark, so we headed to Dome Rock campground for the night. We found a spot that was only semi-private, as the desert was covered by RVs in all directions. It was warm enough that day just to wear a t-shirt, and the low was predicted to be around 45 degrees. We could understand why people would want to spend their winters in Arizona instead of Wisconsin or Minnesota.

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