Friday, January 27, 2012

AWWWW NUTS….TODAY I ENDED UP IN QUARTZSITE’S ‘BIG TENT’

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MORNING SUNRISE ON PLOMOSA ROAD

Decided Thursday to head out Friday morning in search of a small ghost town near us called Swansea.  Well, that was the plan until the weatherman turned things around & surprised us with a cooler overcast day.  And, that changed things!!

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MORNING WALK

We made a last minute snap decision & decided to go to Quartzsite instead.  Figured we would rather kick some dust around in Swansea on a warmer sunny day.  Our logic figured it would be better to do the Q on a cloudy day.  I think everybody else thought that too.

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WEST END OF PLOMOSA ROAD…..GLAD WE ARE AT THE EAST END 12 MILES AWAY…..CAN’T IMAGINE BEING JAMMED TOGETHER LIKE THIS

I had absolutely no interest or intentions of going to Quartzsite again this year but I downed a second glass of milk for fortification & steeled myself against the inevitable!!  The writing was on the wall.  Either go to Quartzsite shopping, or else!!!!!!

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LOTS TO SEE AROUND QUARTZSITE

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AND, LOTS OF YUMMY TREATS AROUND QUARTZSITE

Not wanting to suffer the ‘or else’ I loaded myself into the Jeep & off we went, 17 miles to the Q.  As expected, nothing had changed since the other 4 times I have been there.  Bumper to bumper cars, trucks & RV’s along with crowds of shuffling shoppers.  Row after row of vendors hawking their wares.  A Carnival atmosphere with the delightful smells of fried onions, popcorn, fry cakes, hotdogs and hamburgers.  Now, how’s that for a positive afterthought.

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It was when I had to use one of those ‘Johnny on the Spot’ toilets that I was really regretting my circumstances.  Oh what had happened to my wide open desert spaces with refreshing wisps of sweet smelling breezes wafting up my nose.  Oh dear!!

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Kelly did have a list of things she was looking for & I was pleased to have my name on a few of them.  A couple new ‘no hole’ belts, whip aerial flag for the Jeep, a ratchet strap for our satellite dish, a jug of ‘Solution’ for magically cleaning stuff, a toggle switch for our satellite or antennae TV & probably half a dozen other things I haven’t been told about yet.

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KELLY HEADS FOR THE ‘BIG TENT’ & LATER LINES UP FOR A SMOKED TURKEY LEG

We dragged up & down the rows in Tyson Wells for nearly an hour before heading over to do battle with the heavier crowds in and around the big tent.  It was in the big tent that we got the long Jeep antennae & Kelly made me carry that so she could keep track of me rushing ahead of her in a vain attempt to escape the tent mayhem.  The antennae’s are affixed to ATV’s or rear bumpers of vehicles & are a safety feature when off roading through hills & steep gullies.  The small flags atop the aerials are often seen before the vehicle below them is.

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KELLY MADE ME CARRY THIS FLAG POLE:))     

I actually didn’t do too badly in the big tent & managed to keep a lid on myself for nearly half an hour before starting to feel the stirrings of…….snarly!!  Finally, enough was enough & I had to get myself away from all the Carnival Barkers, noise & jostling crowds.  At least outside of the ‘in tent circus’' I had the advantage of fresh air & open skies.  Like a caged animal I finally began to sense my freedom at the 4 hour mark.  We were soon heading in the direction & sanity of the Jeep, loaded down with all our ‘stuff’.  Didn’t pick up the LED lights we were looking for today but might stop at the RV Sales & Service store on the way out of Quartzite whenever it is we leave here. Heard they have better prices there.

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IN THE ‘BIG TENT’

And then something nice happened.  Kelly was spotted and recognized by a couple of our Blog readers.   Angela & Don from Nanimo BC said they knew it was Kelly right away when they saw her.  Pretty blondes are always easily recognizable you know.  Had ourselves a nice chat for a few minutes.  They had been out to the Bouse area last year looking for JANNA & MIKE along with furry little Emmi.  They did manage to meet Emmi that day who happened to be in the good care of Jim & Ellie Meachum while Mike & Janna were away.  Small kinda world because it was just two years ago Kelly & I had done the same thing in the same area looking for the same people.

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TALKING TO ANGELA & DON FROM NANAIMO B.C.

Finally made it back to the Jeep wherever it was we had left it & I wasn’t long in cranking that little giggle box into gear & putting some mighty fast miles between us & Quartzsite. 

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GETTING OUT OF TOWN……..

Spent the rest of the day inside.  Overcast windy cooler days don’t work for me.  Didn’t appear to be working for Ivan & Wandering Willy either because we didn’t see them although I’m pretty sure I saw that long pole with the mirror on the end of it peeking around a corner of WW’s rig again:))

DSC_0012GROANER’S CORNER:((  And remember folks, if the music’s too loud….. you’re too old!!

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-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.

If one's thoughts are positive about the landscape, one's eyes will appreciate what they see......AL.

stargeezerguy@gmail.com

15 comments:

  1. you are braver than I am,
    Skip would still go but I couldn't handle all those people.

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  2. I knew you would relent and end up in Q this year. IF Kelly wants to go, Al has to give in...........

    Don't look like I'm gonna get there this year during the show.

    So I enjoyed your pictures and never had to leave the comfort of the easy chair!!

    Rod

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  3. I know we will get there some year, but it is not high on my wish list!

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  4. It's nice to know that Kelly gets to choose once in a while; don't think it is just a matter of Al "giving in". It sure wasn't like she had a laundry list of things for herself.

    http://travelinglongdogs.blogspot.com/

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  5. That traffic picture made my stomach hurt!! I guess there's lots to see ...thanks for sharing some interesting photos. Was that a smoked turkey leg Kelly had?

    Can't imagine what the Porta-Johns are like with all those crowds around...EWWW!

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  6. You are a helluva good sport! I wouldn't be caught dead carrying that flag pole around in the tent. In fact, I'm glad for your pictures and descriptions because now I will never go anywhere near Q or the Big Tent.

    Thanks for the laughs, which I just can't stop. Tell me, did you hit anyone "accidentally" with that pole in those crowded quarters. On a serious note, you've been running up some major debt to Kelly for all the messes she gets you out of, phone calls, fixing things, etc., and I imagine you still have a little paying back to do.

    (I'm still laughing).

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  7. just chalk up today as a successful shopping day!!

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  8. A successful day and you got out of Q alive! We must be getting old, I don't remember the Angela and Don story--glad they got to meet our Emmi.

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  9. Sounds like a typical day in the Tent. I was there twice today, a five minute walk from our site, sneak in get what I want and backhome. Too bad we missed you, maybe another time.

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  10. Al, I'm thinking Kelly may have bought that flag so she could keep track of you in the crowds. Perhaps it's a good thing you didn't think of that while carrying that flag around,because if I would have ran into you there I would definately have told you that, having the weird sense of humor that I do!ha..Enjoy yourselves...
    ~Pam in Louisiana~

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  11. Hey, ya know what? That flag pole would work pretty well to clear a path for you out of that big tent, just wave it around you briskly and watch people scramble out of your way! Glad you lived through the experience yet again, Al. Now back to peace and quite. Enjoying the sounds of the desert, and listening to the quiet things allow one to find their own peace with themselves and world around them. That's about the best in life, isn't it?

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  12. There is nothing I want so badly that I have to go to the Big Tent in Q to get it!

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  13. We have something similar to the Q at home..The DeKalb County Fair...junk, and junk food...one hour of that and we head home...which is one block away.

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  14. Personally, I enjoyed camping with a few friends around the campfire roasting (and burning) marshmellos and hot dogs than I did fighting the crowds at Quartzsite! Shopping was fun with Sue tho! hahaha! I was lucky... I only bought 3 pair of socks! hahaha!

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