Attending this year’s caravan from left to right were Kathryn Sarter (Wagon Master), Lou and Carolyn Sue DeCarolis, Ted Blaine (Co-Wagon Master), Betty East, Richard Anderson, Virginia Mouw, Terry and Juli Thornton, Jim East, Debbie Blaine (Co-Wagon Master), Phil Batton, Pam Loo (2019 Club President), Marion Hanson Kaucheck, D.K. Loo and David Kaucheck.
Ted Blaine
Every January the Rovin’ Pebbles RV Club makes the 110-mile trek west to Quartzite. The attraction is a nine-day RV show and there are also gem and mineral sales going on all winter. There is a gigantic tent that has many items of interest to RVers. There are also new and used RVs outside the tent area to entice us to purchase a new rig. On January 21, nine rigs caravanned to Rose RV Park for what we call “dry camping.” There are no electrical, water or sewer hookups where we park, but services are available if needed. We learn to conserve water and electrical power over the 4–5 days of our stay. We have to run our generators a few hours each day to charge batteries and one rig even has solar panels to help manage electrical power.
This year we parked the rigs in a big circle and had food tables (a popcorn machine also) in the center area. On the first evening we always have a potluck dinner and on the third evening the Wagon Masters prepared a dinner for the group. Everyone brings a bundle of wood and we had two fire pits going on the cold mornings and at our late afternoon/evening happy hours. One of our RVers towed a UTV (a big 2 seat ATV with four-wheel drive) and gave rides in it. There were probably 100,000 people in Quartzite during the month and the place was really hopping.
The group had to say goodbye to an old friend. Sharon and Ted Oehlerking’s fire pit has been a mainstay at our January get together for many years. The time had come to say goodbye and while Sharon and Ted couldn’t be there, we honored it by placing flowers on the lid. Then on the last day of our stay, we had a huge fire and sent it on its next journey. Rest in peace, old friend.
The Rovin’ Pebbles RV Club meets at 3:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month from October–May in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom. Come join the fun.