Taking care of the boondocking chores today
The first order of business after breaking camp is to find a place to dump; since I still have 2 days on an LTVA camping pass, I head north to La Posa LTVA, just south of Quartzite. I dump, get rid of all my trash in the dumpsters, and fill my fresh water tank. It always feels good to get those three chores done. On my way through Q. I fill up my gas tank.
I check in at the Hi Jolly dispersed camping area just north of town.
I want to be close to town since I still have some errands to run without the trailer.
Hi Jolly is a free BLM 14 day dispersed camping area with no services and just 28 miles from my last camp. It consists of one main gravel road that runs a mile or two east off of hwy 95. There are a lot of trees and bushes which makes it pretty easy to find fairly nice camp sites for being so close to town.
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| Lots of rigs here; but pretty well spaced |
Historical side note: There are lots of things in Quartzite called "Hi Jolly". In the mid 1800's, the military decided to bring a bunch of camels from the mid-east to use as pack animals in the desert. Not knowing anything about camels, they also brought a half-dozen camel drivers (this is where Hi Jolly comes into the story). At about this same time, there was a young Greek/Syrian man who converted to Islam, changed his name to "Hadji Ali", and became one of the camel drivers who was brought to Quartzite.
The venture failed as they discovered the rocky desert floor was too hard on the camels feet for them to stay sound. Hadji Ali remained in the area trying various business ventures before dying in the early 1900's.
His name was Americanized as Hi Jolly.
This also explains why the city of Quartzite signs have camels on them!
Kitty Corner
FW is getting used to new campsites. She's spending less time exploring the car and trailer and more time exploring the surrounding area. She's still very cautious and runs straight back to the trailer if she's startled (good kitty!).
I've really enjoyed reading your blog, to hear of the adventures of you and FW, your great photos, and the culture/history of the places you visit. I am still quite jealous but look forward to hearing more stories. Have a safe trip home.
ReplyDeletePerhaps one year we will all spend the winter in the southwest! Oh wait, I couldn't possibly afford to lose that much money playing Mexican train dominoes!
DeleteI'll try not to show off my tan too much!
I like the Hi Jolly story. Never heard it before.
ReplyDeleteI learned about him at the little museum next to Silly Al's restaurant in Quartzite. I think there's a gravesite or memorial somewhere in town as well.
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