Quartzite Rally - the town of Q

During the long summer, Quartzite is a sleepy desert town of about 2,500 folks. In Jan & Feb, there are about 250,000 folks in the area. Many stay in the numerous RV parks, most of which are just gravel parking lots with basic RV utilities. Many others boon-dock on the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) areas which surround the town. Our group is boon-docking west of town near Dome Rock. Other RV groups have rallies at different times & different spots in the area - there's something for everyone, unless you're wanting a fancy RV resort - none of those here. 

The "business district" is a real hodge-podge. There are a few typical businesses, like McDonald's, a Pilot Truck Stop, & a big rock shop in a real building, but most of them are either odd in some way, or open-air booth-type things.  


The Horny Toad Saloon & Grill starts behind the American flag on the fence below left & runs to the truck trailer behind the Bud Light sign below right. The truck trailer serves as the kitchen, & the seating area is below a series of mismatched shed roofs; guess that business was good, so they kept expanding. 


Didn't check out the liquor aisles in the middle of the Big Market, but the hardware aisles on either side were quite well stocked. Somehow, a Chinese restaurant called the Stagecoach Restaurant fits right in here. 


This place selling iron sculptures & rustic furniture is selling everything on clearance as the owner is retiring; too bad I don't need a big iron sculpture of a stagecoach, a horse, or a camel! Love that this old gas station is named The Camel Stop & is now an auto repair shop. 


This open-air lot sells flags, metal sculptures, & assorted other outdoor items. Next door at the "Park & Sell" place, you pay a daily or weekly fee to park your vehicle (car, truck, golf cart, ATV, or RV) on Main Street to sell it. 


By far the most common businesses are rock shops. 



And this little place sells HO trains...that't it...just collectable trains. It seems that when they needed to expand, they just threw up a frame, put tarps over it, & voila, a new room in back!

                                      

And maybe my favorite place in this desert town is the Yacht Club Restaurant Bar. The only 2 boats for probably 50 miles around are right here; I'm guessing that the owner may live in the "yacht" in the parking lot in back. 














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