PIRATE CAMP '24-25....................Desert SouthWest

The dog, cat and I made it safely to the RV park in Q. Officially here now, however tomorrow and maybe at least one more day before the 31st I will head back up to winterize and finish clearing out the RV up there.

"They" shut the Colorado River OFF at night at the Davis Dam............In the morning the river is two feet low at Davis camp

We're sandwiched between two Class A giants..............ahhhh The gentle hum of generators

abnorm said:

"They" shut the Colorado River OFF at night at the Davis Dam............In the morning the river is two feet low at Davis camp

We're sandwiched between two Class A giants..............ahhhh The gentle hum of generators

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You have wheels that roll merrily along
away from big RVs. I surely hope that Pirate Camp LTVA 2024/25 is not as cursed by noisy generators from nearby non members as it was last season. The sooner lots of Pirate camp folks arrive the less likely that will be!

Reminder Quartzsite is dropping into the 70s this coming Tuesday! Get a hop on it! We need to occupy the area with scurvy pirats to discourage those noisy riffrats. Bring friends too. It is an occupy ASAP action!

I have a plethora of new electric goodies this season.........all destined to run off the Honda

and we've still got some pillaging left to do along the Colorado before we arrive...............soon

AHHHH...................we've landed in Craggy Wash, Lake Havasu City after a windy day of travel................An Oil Change and Harbor Freight for new camping chairs in Bullhead City...............and a few stops in Needles for some Green Goods !

VA tomorrow................................

I am right up the road at Lone Tree!

Not sure on my departure date. A camp host guy stopped by this morning and said I know you have been here a while but I am giving you another fourteen days and handed me an official form saying I can stay until 11/11. I was not overstayed, I still had nearly a week left. But I do not mind the extended stay time. I might even use part of it, or I might not.

So often we hear of camp hosts and others that want campers to move along.

It's nice to know there are a few that have some kindness on offer.

And it also speaks to the way your campsite and rig appear to be (one would assume) tidy and well maintained.

Checking in…

Had my 3-week appointment with the doc on Friday. They are happy with the healing they see, so that is very good.

I am warned very sternly against putting any weight on my left leg at all for at least another 3 weeks. I don’t need the warning because that ankle is still very painful. The right ankle which only suffered a sprain is doing very well, I can put my full weight on it, which makes life much easier. I am off the Oxy, but still need Tylenol regularly to be at all comfortable.

I am staying at a neighbor of my sister and BIL. These neighbors have started a pod lodge - there are 2 larger airstreams here and 2 of the Olympic Village pods for athletes. I am in one of the athlete pods, it is very small and comfortable, and I am getting it for a discount rate - only $2325 for 4 weeks! Egad. But it is very convenient for my sister to come by twice a day and take care of the things that need taking care of. I am in bed except for when I get up to use the bedside commode.

Winter rain is setting in, which I don’t mind. I have a decent view of madrones and firs, which is helpful.

My BIL, who worries far more about me than he should, after driving my van up here, became convinced the van’s transmission was in trouble. So he took it to a transmission shop in Tacoma, where they failed to find anything wrong with the transmission. But the oil pressure is really low. Oil pump? Unknown at this point. The shop also found a power steering fluid leak as well as a couple of other things. They did a thorough diagnostic for no money, so it is good to know these things.

My sister and BIL are of the opinion that I should find a permanent apartment. And there is in fact a good argument to be made for that. But I’m not sure I’m ready to take that step yet. A lot depends on how well this leg heals. The doc tells me it is too soon to say anything definite, but I do not expect to be up and around, even with a walker or crutches, for another couple of months.

Could be a lot better. But it could also have been a LOT WORSE. So I am doing my best to remain cheerful, and I am being surprisingly successful!

Think of you guys and desert sunsets all of the time…

tx2sturgis said:

So often we hear of camp hosts and others that want campers to move along.

It's nice to know there are a few that have some kindness on offer.

And it also speaks to the way your campsite and rig appear to be (one would assume) tidy and well maintained.

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My campsite is typically clean and tidy on 14 day lands. It is too much trouble to unpack and setup camp with stuff set out the way I do at Quartzsite. But I keep tidy there as well using a popup screen room and bin boxes.

Inside my trailer and car…that gets very messy very quickly.

Class C has moved in a bit farther from the road than the tow trailer (toward Pirate Camp). Otherwise still just me here.

Saw a note on the check-in station window noting that the hours are 9-12, which I take to mean that even on the days they are open they are only open for 3 hours a day.

According to reports, the Discount Grocery (the one in the vendors area) apparently takes credit/debit cards now.

That is all for now.

Markw said:

Class C has moved in a bit farther from the road than the tow trailer (toward Pirate Camp). Otherwise still just me here.

Saw a note on the check-in station window noting that the hours are 9-12, which I take to mean that even on the days they are open they are only open for 3 hours a day.

According to reports, the Discount Grocery (the one in the vendors area) apparently takes credit/debit cards now.

That is all for now.

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The discount grocery used to take debit cards with a 20 minimum but last spring they suddenly stopped. Also they were not doing the deep discounts at the end of season they had always done before. They had also stopped bringing in any produce. When I asked about the changes the stated clerk
Said the business had just been sold and the derbydiscounted merchandise at end of season policy had been stopped

Not sure what major changes if any we will be seeing in that store this year. But I will be stopping in right after I get there as the best stock to choose from happens in November and early December.

I will be arriving Quartzsite Pirate camp reasonably soon. Got the oil change on my car done today, way too high priced, when I drove up to the price chart inside at the service area. I complained about that and would have driven right back out they gave me a $20 discount plus an upgrade and another 10% coupon off the final total. But I won’t go back there again. I only tried it because it had good reviews and it was conveniently on my way to the post office. They did good customer service, but at that high price point they had better. Of course at those prices there was not a long line to wait in.

I still have some other chores and errands that are easier to do here in Lake Havasu than in Quartzsite. How soon I get ready to leave depends on my energy levels. Of course rain and wind might delay me as well. Currently making those decisions in “one day at a time mode”.

maki2 said:

The discount grocery used to take debit cards with a 20 minimum but last spring they suddenly stopped. Also they were not doing the deep discounts at the end of season they had always done before. They had also stopped bringing in any produce. When I asked about the changes the stated clerk
Said the business had just been sold and the derbydiscounted merchandise at end of season policy had been stopped

Not sure what major changes if any we will be seeing in that store this year. But I will be stopping in right after I get there as the best stock to choose from happens in November and early December.

I will be arriving Quartzsite Pirate camp reasonably soon. Got the oil change on my car done today, way too high priced, when I drove up to the price chart inside at the service area. I complained about that and would have driven right back out they gave me a $20 discount plus an upgrade and another 10% coupon off the final total. But I won’t go back there again. I only tried it because it had good reviews and it was conveniently on my way to the post office. They did good customer service, but at that high price point they had better. Of course at those prices there was not a long line to wait in.

I still have some other chores and errands that are easier to do here in Lake Havasu than in Quartzsite. How soon I get ready to leave depends on my energy levels. Of course rain and wind might delay me as well. Currently making those decisions in “one day at a time mode”.

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Was not aware of all that regarding the Discount Grocery place. I haven't really shopped there much, so wasn't really up to date on anything there. I think I might have shopped there twice.

As for the oil change thing, I usually get mine done when I go to Flagstaff. Generally at the Jiffy Lube by Wal-Mart (the Wal-Mart that isn't near the Cracker Barrel). A bit pricey for my taste considering I can actually do it myself if I had a place to (cost just under a hundred using high mileage synthetic). However, they are really nice and when you get an oil change there it comes with fluid top-offs for a year (just pull in and let them know you are there for a fluid top-off and they take care of it for free). Plus they have free coffee, fountain soda and popcorn in the lobby.

MARK...........is the camp fire GRILL still there ?

maki2 said:

I am right up the road at Lone Tree!

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We Looked at 60 MPH but didn't SEE you..............

jacqueg said:

Think of you guys and desert sunsets all of the time…

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Thanks for checking in..............you're in our hearts

Markw said:

That is all for now.

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Hold the fort !...............we'll head that way soon

You likely couldn’t see me as a bunch of big motorhomes pulling cargo trailers squeezed themselves in between me and the highway. Those fools are parked on top of fissured unstable ground next to warning signs saying unsafe
Plus they parked right on top of the OHV trail! A few leave and more come crowding in. They are all scared to death to park anywhere near the carcass of the van that burned out last spring. Herd behavior patterns at work, they have to cluster up in a crowd or the coyotes will eat them after dark. Their next stop is no doubt going to be La Posa South!

abnorm said:

MARK...........is the camp fire GRILL still there ?

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It is, indeed! Also, the Class C has apparently moved to the other side of the wash.

In other Q news....

The gas islands at Pilot are being worked on. The pumps are sitting in the corner of a fenced in area and it looks like the tanks themselves have been dug up as well. Not sure about any timeline but at least for now no gas at Pilot. Good news is the Chevron next to Roadrunner was at $3.19/gal today when I drove past it.

Found out that Burger King will be permanently closed after today. According to the person I spoke to there (admittedly just the person at the drive-thru) all the Burger Kings in Arizona are being shut down.

For those registered to vote that have residence in the Q area, it looks like the Community Center is going to be the official polling place (which means not having to drive all the way to Parker to vote). So be sure to go vote on the 5th if you are in the area.

maki2 said:

You likely couldn’t see me as a bunch of big motorhomes pulling cargo trailers squeezed themselves in between me and the highway. Those fools are parked on top of fissured unstable ground next to warning signs saying unsafe
Plus they parked right on top of the OHV trail! A few leave and more come crowding in. They are all scared to death to park anywhere near the carcass of the van that burned out last spring. Herd behavior patterns at work, they have to cluster up in a crowd or the coyotes will eat them after dark. Their next stop is no doubt going to be La Posa South!

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Will be looking for ya!

Markw said:

Will be looking for ya!

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Not sure exactly when I will get to Q. I am now all setup with my vinyl cutter out trying to get some inventory made. The 70 degree weather has given me back some energy and I was out of a lot of the kits I sell so had to prioritize getting work done over moving to Quartzsite.
Done working for the night though, the orders I need to ship out are packaged for shipping tomorrow.

One of those big class A rigs that parked near me has a loud generator going. So I am going to put on headphones and stream a few videos to drown it out.

maki2 said:

Not sure exactly when I will get to Q. I am now all setup with my vinyl cutter out trying to get some inventory made. The 70 degree weather has given me back some energy and I was out of a lot of the kits I sell so had to prioritize getting work done over moving to Quartzsite.
Done working for the night though, the orders I need to ship out are packaged for shipping tomorrow.

One of those big class A rigs that parked near me has a loud generator going. So I am going to put on headphones and stream a few videos to drown it out.

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No worries, do what you need to do.

I'll be hanging out here for the foreseeable future.

Markw said:

No worries, do what you need to do.

I'll be hanging out here for the foreseeable future.

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I do need to move pretty soon. No early morning sun here as the mountain adjacent to this campsite is blocking it. Plus I have a new close by generator running neighbor. If they do not leave today I might need to move tomorrow