Quartzsite, Women's RTR, 2025, Day 2 and 3

 

Day two at the Quartzsite Women's Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (2025) had a glorious presentation on safety. I found out my stun gun is one of the best! To date I've never had an opportunity to test it so this is good to know. I also learned it's important to use a stun gun on bare skin for best effect and Canada doesn't allow stun guns over the border. What would I do with it? Hmmm...

That afternoon we were treated to an "Open House" of vans, cars, trucks and small living spaces less than 22 feet. It still amazes me the organization some women have to live in a car. One particular vehicle was owned by, Angie, a delightful Californian with a free-flowing positive energy. She has a small pickup truck and the back looks like a doll house! Again, incredibly organized, but her creative sensibilities make it look so inviting with a blue and aqua color scheme and her fiber art works. She uses magnets to hold everything down on the counters so they don't move during transportation. I crawled in there and felt right at home wanting to curl up and take a nap:

I asked Angie about not having a refridgerator and she explained she doesn't use one, she buys and eats mostly fresh foods, lives out of grocery stores, and she's lost 40 lbs in the last six months! This was inspirational to say the least. She also took a hula hooping class so she would have easy and fun exercise on the road and has lost several inches around her waist. She was happy to demonstrate her skills:

Then the wind began...I'd been warned about wind both online and my friends at the south camp. This clocked in at 24 mph throwing sand and dust all over everything. I wondered if my van would still be upright in the morning. It was really nasty and I vowed never to live in Quartzsite. It stopped by the next day, but this is normal for flat desert locations.

Day three included a presentation on Hygiene with a panel of experienced van-living women. After their talk audience members were welcomed to share their tips. There was a lot of laughter as they shared not-so-good experiences, mistakes, and a whole lot of embarrassment.

After one month living in my van, I felt pretty experienced on toilet procedures having learned the hard way in most cases. Many shared it is difficult to separate urine and feces especially for older women and some claimed you have to train yourself. I have not mastered this skill. It was shared pine pellets from feed stores are good to use. Since I have been unable to find small bags of pine chips at pet stores, and as we all know, they only come in large quantities (20-40lb bags), I was so grateful when one woman who had just bought a 40 lb. bag offered to share so I acquired a ziplock full of them. Several women shared they don't use toilet paper! Some used a cloth one can buy that can be washed. Hmmm...sounds messy, but perhaps once I evolve from a "newmad" into a more experienced van lifer, I'll consider this. It would be nice to eliminate the expense of toilet paper.

Showers. I have grown accustomed to not bathing which is odd since I used to take up to four baths a day when living in a house. First, I'm warm so I'm not in a situation where I'm so cold I have to regulate my body temperature constantly. Second, the thought of bathing in a communal space gives me the creeps! Most of these women said they don't shower and they don't care! I loved the attitude! However, if one really needs to clean, aquatic centers and state parks are good options.

Laundry. Not much was mentioned about laundry. I was tempted to contribute to the chemical sensitivity challenges with laundry, but as a "newmad" I didn't feel that brave. Maybe next year.

That was the last day of the Women's Rubber Tramp Rendezvous. It was a day of sunshine and no wind! Tomorrow the all-inclusive Rubber Tramp Rendezvous starts.

Quartzsite: The Women's Rubber Tramp Roundup 2025, Day 1

Just over three hours from Tucson through Phoenix...

Phoenix in all its polluted glory...

...is Quartzsite, a dusty little nondescript town that doesn't make much of an impact on most people driving Interstate 10 until the winter when vehicle dwellers ascend to attend The Rubber Tramp Roundup in January which was exactly where I was heading. It's also a mecca for van dwellers to live during the winter fulltime since the town basks in sunshine and is surrounded by free BLM land (maximum stay of 14 days) or for-pay at a "long term visitor area" (LTVA) which costs about $40 for 14 days or $180 for seven months or anytime between September 15th and April 15th.

I've been reading about this event for years knowing it's the place to go to meet like-minded people, get help, get information, and have a great time. I was looking forward to the experience!

I rolled into town not knowing anything...where to go, where things were, where to shop. I dragged up and down Main Street like a teenager looking at the buildings and trying to orientate myself. Lots of businesses, novelty shops, small grocery stores, and gas stations. 

Millions of RVs, trailers, and vans of all kinds parked all over. Lots of desert. Lots of sun! The temperature was about ten degrees above Tucson, or around 60-70 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night. However, there is wind that kicks up the desert dust and is relentless.

Not only am I a total newbie not only as a van dweller, but also as a RTR virgin. They call us "Newmads." I have been told it's a bit of a derogatory term as people are proud of their longevity. I am definitely a newmad and not afraid to admit it. I just met someone this morning who has been living in his van for thirty years.

The Women's RTR was first, and my goal on this first day in Quartzsite was to find the city park. This part of the RTR is just for women and takes place January 8th continuing through January 10th. Women ONLY! I love it. I arrived right when the volunteers were being oriented and met Susan. I asked her where she was planning to stay that night and she gave me GPS to the Dome Rock BLM which I found easily.

Dome Rock BLM with Big Blue

Dome Rock BLM 
View from the Bush

I texted my friends Michele and Pete who I met at the Tucson BLM. They were staying at one of the LTVA's and invited me for a visit. They paid for a six-month pass and with that comes some amenities: bathroom facilities, garbage disposal, and water, although some of these conveniences are located at other LTVA areas. Here are the views out my van windows at their LTVA...lots of space between RVs, campers, vans and cars, some foliage, and lots of rocky desert landscape.

I love how some created rock or stick walls, designs in the deserts, compasses, peace signs. My friends constructed a Christmas tree out of a branch using some ornaments they found. (They were here over Christmas.) The wind picked up blowing the dusty landscape all over. My friends informed me to keep my windows closed as their RV is covered in a thick layer of white dust. I was instructed not to park near bushes or trees as that is where the car-chomping pack rats live!

The other option for camping are the free BLM campgrounds scattered all over. To the far north up highway 95 is Plomosa located at Plomosa Road. It's farther away which could account for it being not very populated:

Hi Jolly is located also on highway 95, but closer to town. It was very populated:

Roadrunner BML is located about 6.9 miles south on 95. I didn't visit. As I mentioned above, I stayed at Dome Rock BLM.

I checked Quartzsite grocery stores for healthy food options. Nothing. Not one item deemed organic or gluten-free. I brought enough food for the Women's RTR, but when I noticed the schedule for the regular RTR included some workshops I wanted to attend extending my stay, I wondered where I could get supplies.

There is a McDonalds, a Pilot gas station and a library (opens at 7am!) for free wifi! However, I was warned in advance due to all the people logging on it, it's very weak and not dependable. It kicks off without warning.

Day One of the Women's Rubber Tramp Roundup. They have free tables where people can bring the items they no longer want for others to take. I wish I would have known about this as I could have donated a whole lot of things from my storage unit. Next year! I gleaned about five blouses, toothbrushes, and dental floss. 

Many booths for bonding opportunities: games, crafts and even a booth for sewing if you need something stitched. Booths for nonprofits, t-shirts, name buttons, coffee and snacks. 

It's a shame there is no consideration for chemically sensitive people since so many are forced to live in vehicles. There is a smokers' section right next to the entrance/exit which I find poor planning as people who are chemically sensitive don't need that kind of exposure. There are air-freshened porta-potties that aren't too toxic, but there is a regular park bathroom they reserved for volunteers. It is not air freshened. Again, no consideration for MCSers who can't be exposed. At least most of us can go to the bathroom in our vans or RVs. Coffee and snacks are all conventional. No dietary restrictive options.

A majority of the participants were older women and many of them are living in cars. CARS! I watched a few during lunch from my van get their kitchen supplies out of the back. These ladies are ultra organized! This Smart Car below was on display at the "Open House". Yes! You can live out of a Smart Car!

Orientation was at 10:00am which gave us lots of tips and rules. Followed by instruction on how to camp on public land which was very informative.

Outside Quartzsite, I dump my garbage every day at a gas station, store or where there might be a bin. I wondered how we do it here...if every vehicle dweller dumps their garbage in Quartzsite, the little town would be overflowing. There is a transfer station and a dump north on highway 95 that is FREE! I'm hoping I can get my van weighed there.

After the speakers, I drove to Parker to check out the stores. There is a Safeway that has limited organic and gluten-free food. Walmart is across the street. Gas is cheaper in Parker.

That night I stayed at Dome Rock BLM right next to a group of solo women travelers: Susan, Valerie and Angela and as the sun went down, we howled like coyotes!

To be continued...

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