Visit to Quartzsite

[motojavaphil]

We finally did it and visited Quartzsite.  Had Thanksgiving Dinner in a little Mexican Cafe and visited with some really nice folks.  Great food at a great price!  For those of you going to Quartzsite I can assure you it is still there.

Phil 

 

[Bob Buchanan]

We finally did it and visited Quartzsite.? Had Thanksgiving Dinner in a little Mexican Cafe and visited with some really nice folks.? Great food at a great price!? For those of you going to Quartzsite I can assure you it is still there.

Phil?

Was that the Taco Mia just East of the 95 on Main Street? That's one of my favorites -- and it's also a great spot for breakfast (in the new section on the left side of the Mexican kitchen. Last January a group of us from the RV Forum Rally had a great meal and time there one afternoon . . .

Glad you enjoyed your time in Quartzsite, Phil. Are you on the attendee list for the forum rally in January?

 

[Jim Dick]

Bob,

Is there any other Mexican restaurant in Q?????? ;D

 

[Jeff]

Bob,

Is there any other Mexican restaurant in Q?????? ;D

Yes, a half block north, but stick with the Taco Mia.

 

[Jim Dick]

Yes, a half block north, but stick with the Taco Mia.

Thanks, Jeff. Didn't know of the other but will stick with Taco Mia.

 

[motojavaphil]

Bob, It was Taco Mia and being a native New Mexican on  Thanksgiving Day we stopped for out sample of beans and tortillas only to behold a downhome Bird Day Dinner.  One of the family told us folks line up around the building during the peak of the season.  I was impressed.

We will not be joining the Forum this January as I still have to get the Re in front of the tired.  We ventured down to Yuma and Quartzsite to see and explore for the day we can bail out of the working insanity.  Quartzsite will take some getting used to.  There is a raw beauty to it but it is the most desolate place I have seen for a long time.  My denial of age hobby, skating, might have a snag in it there.  Then again the roads are smooth, flat and an early morning skate could be done.

I was drawn more to Yuma.  Malls, bike paths and things like that.  It is all up in the air for us now but the time grows ever closer!

 

[Jim Dick]

Bob, It was Taco Mia and being a native New Mexican on  Thanksgiving Day we stopped for out sample of beans and tortillas only to behold a downhome Bird Day Dinner.  One of the family told us folks line up around the building during the peak of the season.  I was impressed.

We will not be joining the Forum this January as I still have to get the Re in front of the tired.  We ventured down to Yuma and Quartzsite to see and explore for the day we can bail out of the working insanity.  Quartzsite will take some getting used to.  There is a raw beauty to it but it is the most desolate place I have seen for a long time.  My denial of age hobby, skating, might have a snag in it there.  Then again the roads are smooth, flat and an early morning skate could be done.

I was drawn more to Yuma.  Malls, bike paths and things like that.  It is all up in the air for us now but the time grows ever closer!

You are correct when you say Quartzsite will take some time to get used to it but it usually isn't too long when you are with forum friends. Just bring along a 4 wheeler and head out into the mountains. You'll find a lot of interesting things to see and do. Once over the first hill just pretend it's the early 1800's. It won't be long and you'll be looking for the Indians to come riding over the next hill!!! We no longer spend much time in QZ itself. The surrounding area has so much to see....gold mines, copper mines, fabulous views from the tops of passes. Everyone should try it at least once. Some may never come back but others, such as many forum framily, continue to return year after year.

 

[McClary]

Hello All

  This is my first post so hope it gets printed...I am in Quartzsite now for the 1st time and it is great..am at" 88 Shades" till 14 Jan then out to the dry camping..
  The food here has been just great and they do not over charge but the big thing is how very friendly it is and you meet people  with out trying!!
I will be at the Form on 20 Jan meet you all there>>>>

    Bill McClary

 

[Jim Dick]

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the forum. Be sure to stop at Sweet Darlene's for dinner. Quite an experience! It was much nicer when they were in the tent. ;D

 

[Bob Buchanan]

I will be at the Form on 20 Jan meet you all there>>>>

Hello Bill -- do I read that correctly in that you will be attending the RV Forum Rally on the 20th?  If so, I will add your name to our attendee list HERE. Glad to read that you are enjoying QZ so far. It's a bit cold there from this weird weather pattern -- but should be better soon.

I will sometimes stay at the Tyson Wells park on Keuhn just off the 95 while waiting on the desert temps to better themselves. Last time I stayed there the rates were $125/mos. The downside was that electric was $20/KWH. But this time of year, one doesn't need to run the Air Conditioner so with the price of gas, it was almost as inexpensive as dry camping. I may stay there again when I arrive in QZ for awhile before heading to the rally site. Unfortunately, the weekly rate that includes electric was almost as high as a monthly rate -- and they will not do monthlies this time of year. The Tyson Wells park becomes the Tyson Wells shows shortly into January -- so one must vacate by then.

Can't remember what they charge a vendor per day, but they break each RV site into two vendor sites. Multiply that time the well over 100 sites in the park times three week long shows, and one can understand the big bucks involved in the QZ show businesses.    You will notice each year Tyson RV park builds another permanent building for vendors. The owner figured that each new building would amortize itself over about 10 years -- vs. continuing to rent the RV sites that were there before the building. So each year I see a new show building and think of the game of monopoly. Instead of houses and then hotels -- he adds show buildings.

 

[Jim Dick]

Bob,

I sure hope that's 20 cents/kwh rather than $20!!!! I thought it was high at 18 cents! ;D ;D ;D

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Bob,

I sure hope that's 20 cents/kwh rather than $20!!!! I thought it was high at 18 cents! ;D ;D ;D

Ohmygosh -- another typo.  Even 20 cents/KWH was the highest I had ever paid. I experimented with unhooking just as tho I was on the desert and used my inverter as much as possible. Then hooking back up to charge the battery over night. I could read the meter for my site each AM to see exactly what I was using. Amazing how careful we are when the rates are high and separate from the site rental.

Thanks, Jim . . .

 

[motojavaphil]

Thanx for the insights into QZ.  I imagine we will try one winter there just to see if it is for us.  I really liked the people and the whole concept just blows the mind.  I like old gold mines, ghost towns and such.  Explored a number of them in Ouray CO.  I could understand the old west thing although the derrigible at the Proving Grounds on the way to Yuma added another element.  We live in the Mountains and not having a hill, tree or cool breeze was a bit disconcerting.  What sort of critters do you get around there?  Black scorpions a problem?  It definitely is rattle snake country but we have those as well.  Meeting the Forum People will be awesome, its a great family!

Phil

 

[Jim Dick]

Bob,

I agree that 20 cents is pretty high. We usually switch everything to propane wherever possible. Helps a little.

 

[Jim Dick]

Hi Phil,

I've only seen one baby scorpion in about 8 years of going to AZ. That was discovered by Terry Brewer when he turned over a rock. Even got a picture of it somewhere. I've only seen two rattlesnakes in all that time as well. Naturally we are there when they are pretty dormant. One was on Gold Nugget road just outside QZ and the other was on a dirt road somewhere north of Wickenburg.

There are several abandoned mines in the QZ area. We've been to a lot of them. Some gold and some copper, I believe. Sure hope we get out there next year. Miss the off roading in QZ.

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Hello All

  This is my first post so hope it gets printed...I am in Quartzsite now for the 1st time and it is great..am at" 88 Shades" till 14 Jan then out to the dry camping..
  The food here has been just great and they do not over charge but the big thing is how very friendly it is and you meet people  with out trying!!
I will be at the Form on 20 Jan meet you all there>>>>

    Bill McClary

Hello Bill:

After the great get together with you and your friends from B.C. tonight, I came back and checked this thread. Have added your names -- and also Jim and Marylyn and Bob and Delores to my sign up site HERE. Thank you for finding me at the Tyson RV park -- and for inviting me for drinks at your place at 88 Shades. Very enjoyable evening -- and look forward to helping you guys get set up at the RV Forum site.

Be sure and let me know when Bob and Delores get ready to travel to the site so I can go along and help them get set up.

 

[Ron]

Don't count on the cafe being so good year after year.  The last couple years we were ther it was not all that great seemed to get worse every year.  If the same managers are there it will probably be OK.

 

[slumbert55]

i live in qz in winter and can't believe you folks don't know about  la casa del rio an north 95  it's about the best food I've had in a restaurant in qz the helpings are big and the folks are very nice. there is a line at busy times but worth the wait. we try to go every week. they close early in the spring. taco mia is good but more like chain food del rio is good homemade taste

 

[Tom]

Slumbert,

Thanks for the info. Don't assume that, because la casa del rio may not have been mentioned here, that folks don't know about it.

It's highly unlikely that we'll ever vist LCDR because, after a couple of visits, we don't plan on returning to QZ, for several reasons.

 

[John From Detroit]

Slumber. Though, funds permitting, I might drip into the Casa for lunch, The only way to get my wife in a restruant with a mexician name is kicking and screaming about how "Spicey food makes me sick"    Arrgh.