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Quartzsite, AZ Gathering - February 5-11, 2018


ScubaRx

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Who would like to join us on a caravan to the Quartzsite, AZ gathering this winter? We plan to leave here (North Mississippi) in mid January, drop south to I-10 and travel west, meandering and stopping along the way as the mood strikes us. It will probably take us a week or better to get there. I want to arrive in Quartzsite sometime around January 24th or 25th so as to catch the end of the 35th Annual Sports, Vacation and RV Show. If you’ve never experienced the “Big Tent” it’s sure to be a memorable event for you.

 

We will camp approximately 5 miles west of Quartzsite south of I-10, alongside the Dome Rock frontage road. This is where the gathering is held each winter. The gathering is for all brands of Molded Fiberglass Trailers!

 

The dates for the gathering are:

 

February 5th to 8th - Early bird Quartzsite Pre-Gathering (Monday thru Thursday)

February 9th to 11th - Main Event (Friday thru Sunday)

 

This is BLM and although you must obtain a free 14 day permit, there is no fee for camping here. This is pure boondocking, as good as it gets. There are no hookups of any kind, no parking pads, no picnic tables or fire rings. Just hundreds of square miles of open hard packed desert. Clear blue skies as far as you can see. February daytime highs are usually in the 70's and nighttime lows in the 40's. It must rain sometime, but we’ve never seen it do so. The wind can blow pretty good though. Water and dumping is available in town as are good places to eat, grocery stores and a laundry. There’s either plenty to do or nothing to do depending on your inclination.

 

Currently there are at least four Oliver’s that have plans to go. Let us know if you are interested.

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Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved Storm, Maggie, Lucy and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)

2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4 

 

             801469912_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-I.jpg.26814499292ab76ee55b889b69ad3ef0.jpg1226003278_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-H.jpg.dc46129cb4967a7fd2531b16699e9e45.jpg

 

 

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I may join you.  I plan to make my annual trip to visit my sisters in California (Balboa Island and Palm Desert) by tow vehicle/Ollie rather than airplane so I can explore Death Valley and Joshua Tree.  I'll travel on I-40 to Santa Rosa, NM and then drive south to I-10 at Las Cruces.  We'll be on the same route from there.  I'll keep in touch as I work through my plans. It would be great to camp with other Oliver owners.  Steve, I met you at the factory when I visited after my shakedown cruise after picking up my Oliver in March 2016.  You were there having some repairs done.  It would be nice to see you again.

 

Don

Don

 

2020 Kimberley Kruiser T3

 

 

2019 Ram 2500 Diesel

 

 

States I visited with my Ollie (Sold October, 2019)

 

 

States Visited Map

 

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Steve & Tali -

 

Thanks, once again, for the invite.  I am really interested in being with you guys but have the possibility of some foot surgery during the first week of January that just may preclude walking for 4 to 6 weeks.  I will certainly let you know if I can go!

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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I’ve never been there, is it dusty from vehicles passing by, and from the high winds?

 

How about loose pets wandering and getting into mischief?

 

Late night parties and noise?

 

How is the star gazing?

 

How crowded is it after the big show ends, do most of the hundreds of thousands of visitors leave?

 

I have to admit that I would like to check out the vendor displays but this kind of overpopulated camping does not appeal to me in any way, other than the boondocking aspect.....do the pluses outweigh the minuses?

 

Thanks,

 

John Davies

 

Spikane WA

 

 

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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John, we didn’t attend the show last year, got there just for the rally. Steve may have better answers, but here’s what I saw:

 

- there is very little dust.  The only vehicles passing by are those of fellow rally attendees going slow. There are no roads to anywhere, so no traffic just passing by.

 

- didn’t see any lose pets.

 

- not aware of any late night parties. Mostly old folks who don’t party like they used to. It was quiet enough after dark you could barely hear I-10 traffic a mile away.

 

- the stars seemed to be brighter out there for some reason.

 

- if you don’t want to be close to anyone there are miles and miles of desert.  Some folks bunched up, some were all alone. We parked up on the ridge with a few others away from the main group.

 

Mike

Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

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We will meet you there :)

 

We are heading home for 10 days starting tomorrow to get my niece ready for winter and to shut down the house, then we will be in Death Valley around November 14th for our anniversary on the 16th. We try to do this every year, we are meeting another friend in Death Valley and then we will be meandering East to Sedona, AZ for the Rally starting December 9th and then after that we will be boondocking South of Sedona until we have seen the whole area including Montezuma's Castle, etc... Then we will head east to Albuquerque and see some friends and see the sights before heading back to Quartzite to the Rubber Tramp Rally just before the big tent goes up at the main Quartzite Rally. We would love to meet up anywhere along the line and we will be in and around the area until after the Fiberglass RV Rally is over. This will be are first time actually going to the Fiberglass RV Rally, last year we had just picked up our Olli and ended up waving as we drove by to get back to California to register the new trailer.

 

John, you're staying on open blm land and can come and go as you please along with staying where you want, even out on your own... But there are going to be tons of people and many that you will find have the same interests. We will park in a group along with the others because it does give you a little extra safety, when you want to leave the trailer by itself while you are off seeing the sights, while knowing that you are surrounded by friends.

 

Reed

Happy Camping,


null


Reed & Karen Lukens with Riffles our Miniature Poodle


2017 Oliver Legacy Elite II  Standard, Hull #200 / 2017 Silverado High Country 1500 Short Bed 4x4


Past TV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic BlueTEC Diesel


Click on our avatar pic above to find the videos on our Oliver Legacy Elite II


 

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Sounds like a great adventure! Clair was just checking out the Quartzsite gathering & the nearby balloon festival but the event dates a bit too far apart.

Clair & Kathy Reed - plus our travel companion: Emma


2017 Legacy Elite II - Hull# 245


2014 Ram 1500 3.0 V6 Eco-diesel 4x4


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I will be going to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) Jan. 10-21 and then plan on remaining for the Big Tent. Would very much like to meet-up with other Oliver owners. Especially would like to connect with owners located in the northern California - southern Oregon area.

 

Frank McMichael

 

Hull101

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Steve,

 

 

 

when end we traveled to Arizona last year I 10was just awful from New Orleans to Houston.  Teeth jarring.  I don’t know if makes sense for you but when I go west again I will take I 20and turn south near Dallas.

Current 2007 Airstream Classic Limited 31


2015 Oliver Legacy Elite II (Sold)


2016 Ram 2500 HD 6.7i Cummins turbo diesel


 

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I will be going to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) Jan. 10-21 and then plan on remaining for the Big Tent. Would very much like to meet-up with other Oliver owners. Especially would like to connect with owners located in the northern California – southern Oregon area. Frank McMichael Hull101

 

Probably will not make Quartzsite, but hope to make the Oliver Rally in May, then head up to our reunion with sibs the first of June, just east of Portland. We have not done any planning for that trip yet, but there seems to be an increasing number of Oliver owners on the west coast. Would be nice to meet up with some next summer.

 

Stan

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Stan and Carol


Blacksburg, VA


2014 Dodge Durango 5.7 Hemi


2014 Legacy Elite II Standard  Hull 63

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I will be going to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) Jan. 10-21 and then plan on remaining for the Big Tent. Would very much like to meet-up with other Oliver owners. Especially would like to connect with owners located in the northern California – southern Oregon area. Frank McMichael Hull101

I will be going to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) Jan. 10-21 and then plan on remaining for the Big Tent. Would very much like to meet-up with other Oliver owners. Especially would like to connect with owners located in the northern California – southern Oregon area. Frank McMichael Hull101

Probably will not make Quartzsite, but hope to make the Oliver Rally in May, then head up to our reunion with sibs the first of June, just east of Portland. We have not done any planning for that trip yet, but there seems to be an increasing number of Oliver owners on the west coast. Would be nice to meet up with some next summer. Stan

 

There's a number of us here now in the West Coast region and Karen has been itching to set up a Rally of her own. She was one of the main program leaders at the Lake Casitas Fiberglass RV Rally last month and we all had a great time. We could easily put together a boondocking Rally at Emma Wood State Beach if everyone is OK with the price. The great thing about California is the senior and disabled passes available here that give you up to 50% off the regular camping prices at all State Parks. Emma Wood is $40 a night peak season regular price, but still so worth it. So with my discount it costs us $20 a night to stay right on the ocean with the trailer maybe 6 feet from the water at high tide. This year a couple of us went down there after the Casitas Rally and Karen and I ended up staying almost the full 2 week maximum. It really is our favorite right on the beach Campground, and it would be a great place for a mini Oliver Rally. Then we also love camping pretty much anywhere and we do boondock most of the time all over the west. Right now we are at home, just south of Truckee, CA and we will be heading to Death Valley National Park next week for a Friday rendezvous. So if not before, we will definitely have to get together at the Rubber Stamp Rally for starters :)

 

If enough of us are interested in a West Coast Oliver RV Rally, I'm sure that Karen would be more then willing to put one together, being that she has already become involved in many of the Rally's out here. We would just need to hear some suggestions for campgrounds and then pick the place, set the dates and make the arrangements.

 

Reed

Happy Camping,


null


Reed & Karen Lukens with Riffles our Miniature Poodle


2017 Oliver Legacy Elite II  Standard, Hull #200 / 2017 Silverado High Country 1500 Short Bed 4x4


Past TV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic BlueTEC Diesel


Click on our avatar pic above to find the videos on our Oliver Legacy Elite II


 

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Steve and Tali

 

 

 

Thanks for the invite, this trip sounds very intriguing. We never had any interest in Quartzite before, not a big fan of crowds, but now seeing the camping options it looks much more inviting. Ann and I just returned from Colorado and will be in Maine for a few weeks returning for Christmas and then leaving January 4th for FL and TX. Our trip will find us in BBNP again about the same time you are in AZ. We will be returning to CT end of March and then leave again for Oliver Rally in May. Our, winter 2018 plans make accepting your invite impossible, but you have peaked our interest. We would love a rain check if Quartzite is in your plans every year.

 

 

 

Grayson and Ann

Grayson and Ann Cook


Northwest CT and Mid Coast Maine


2016 Oliver Elite II, Twin Bed FP


Toyota Tundra, Extra Cab, Long bed, 5.7 V8


Yippee-i-o-ki-yah

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I would definitely be interested in a meet-up of Oliver owners. I will be having an article in the January Oliver Newsletter, entitled Lost Coast - Mattole River Campground where I ask if there is any interest of California/Oregon Oliver owners for a get together. To my mind, one of the objectives for a get together, after fellowship and friendship, would be the sharing of our respective knowledge about good places to camp. I am unfamiliar with Emma State Beach but  would be open to the experience. My thinking was that a late spring or early summer event would be nice, provided that weather and other exigencies allow. This past year was difficult for winter and spring camping because of the heavy rains and then the triple digit summer followed by extensive fires are examples of what I mean about exigencies; my area (Mendocino and Sonoma counties) lost over 8,000 structures and nearly a hundred people. As you asked, I will think about possible locations, however my general thought would be to see who would be interested, where they are located and then see if a camp place could be found that is central to most for traveling. If we meet at Quartzite maybe more extensive planning could be accomplished.

 

Mendofrank - Hull 101

 

frank@frankcamp.net

 

 

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Floyd,

 

Thanks for the response and your interest. I am hoping the Quartzite gathering will provide a discussion time for planning. I will keep you updated as I can. If you know some good locations to suggest for a gathering, please do so.

 

Frank

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  • 4 weeks later...

Beverly and will head south from Santa Fe around the 13th-15th of January and spend a few days at Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus NM, then on west, arriving around the time the big tent event starts on the 20th.  We usually camp close to Dome Rock with Casita, Big Foot, and Escape friends.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Sure do wish I could join all of you in Quartzsite this year - hopefully I will be able to make the journey in 2019.  However, for all of us that are stuck in this record cold here in the East, how about a bunch of pictures!

 

Be safe out there on the roads!

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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Due to unexpected health complications, I will not be able to attend the RTR, the Big Tent or Oliver meet ups.  I am disappointed that I will not have the opportunity to meet with the Oliver owners who may attend but sometimes events overtake plans. Good luck to all in your travels.

 

Frank McMichael

This was the day that was.

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Frank, So sorry to hear that health complications have made your travels impossible. Whether you or a loved one, I hope things improve quickly so you can get back our on the road and enjoy!

 

Best Wishes....Kathy

Clair & Kathy Reed - plus our travel companion: Emma


2017 Legacy Elite II - Hull# 245


2014 Ram 1500 3.0 V6 Eco-diesel 4x4


ALFLGAILINIAKYMIMONCOHPATNVAWVWIsm.jpg

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Due to unexpected health complications, I will not be able to attend the RTR, the Big Tent or Oliver meet ups. I am disappointed that I will not have the opportunity to meet with the Oliver owners who may attend but sometimes events overtake plans. Good luck to all in your travels. Frank McMichael

Frank, hoping for a quick recovery/resolution.  Mike

Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

ALAZARCACOFLGAIDILKSKYLAMDMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKSCSDTNTXUTVAWVWYsm.jpgALAZARCACOCTDEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMS

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