Q 2…..the Rally!

Sunday is our last full day in the Apache Junction area and I’m feeling strong enough to tackle the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet….1 1/4 mile and 1600 booths of shopping pleasures!  Think of a flea market on steroids!
  I’m in pursuit of breakfast and a new pair of Crocs.  Find both and a few other can’t-live-without items.  Check out my new Dawgs!

The Avon booth supplied the purple nail polish!  ( I am a bit tired of looking like a homeless desert rat!)
Monday AM we pack up and head the 160+ miles to Quartzsite and the fiberglass rally.  On I-10, just past Phoenix, a rock comes out of nowhere and hits our windshield!  It leaves a dime sized hole, our first broken windshield.  The crack stabilizes and we decide to deal with it later.
Glenda and Jeff are already there.  We decide to camp just behind them, back away from the main gathering.  Many trailers are already here.

We walk around looking for friends.  Find Bob and Mary a few trailers away.

That the famous Dome Rock right over Bob’s head!

It’s too early for registration to be open…instead George is baking bread in his volcano.

Wednesday John and BJ arrive from Mesa.  They like our little back lot and settle just to our east.

Our spot early in the week before the masses arrive.
Thursday we decide to climb Dome Rock!  Two years ago we went as far as the road goes and could not see any way to get higher.  One of our new Casita friends says he has been to the top and there is a faint trail.  Donning our hiking boots, camelbacks and trekking poles, we trudge off.  It is a perfect day for a hike, cloudy and cool!

Casita Land is soon far below.


There’s another couple coming up the road behind us.  We meet Mike and Jackie from Bar Harbor.  They have a toy hauler with a powered parachute inside.  Fun couple who offers to take our picture.

The picture is deceiving…we are on the edge of a cliff.  The Casita gathering is just left of my shoulder.
As we strive to go higher, I zoom in on my hubby.

There is no trail!!! At least we could not locate one.  It occurs to me that we are being slightly stupid in our endeavor.  The rocks are loose and the incline is steep.  We could easily tumble down the mountain.  Admitting defeat, we turn around.

I shoot into the sun to document our view of the top…so close…but still just over half-way to the top.

We are just above the white slash (tailings)!
The week is passing peacefully, it’s surprisingly quiet!  We meet the dog walkers who wander by our camp.  At night, when the wind permits, we have a campfire.  Another couple from Tennessee joins our little group and we spin travel tales.
Meanwhile  the rally grows and spreads out.  There seems to be a desire to not be on top of each other. 
I manage to get sunrises and sunsets.









It’s Saturday morning and I am posting from Burger King.  Been here at least a couple of hours…wondering what I’m missing back at camp?  We plan to stay at Q a couple of more days…not sure what’s next.  Dreading the thought of going back to the cold and ice.  Maybe it will be over in a few weeks???