Quartzsite, AZ

If you're a rockhound, you've probably heard of Quartzsite. Since the 60's, they've been known for their huge gem and mineral shows. All winter, Quartzsite is basically one huge show. In addition to the rocks:  RV's, classic cars, crafts, and swap meets (aka giant yard sales with hundreds, if not thousands, of vendors). Must be seen to be believed.

And there's more. Thanks to a tip from loyal reader Matt H., we stopped by a local bookstore. Mark was looking for something to read by Edward Abbey and was directed to a lovely first edition for $250 (but passed, being a reader but not a collector). There were many very unusual items including an extensive collection of old magazines of the west, as well as the usual paperback mysteries. A surprising find in Quarzsite.

The owner of the store is a guy named Paul Winer. He's pretty famous and you may even have seen him on Leno. He's an accomplished pianist and cartoonist. And he's a nudist, often wearing only a knitted covering on his privates, held up by string. He's happy to pose for photos! Fortunately, or unfortunately, he was fully dressed and heading out when we arrived. He was preparing for a "show" that night at one of the local RV parks. Not sure which of his talents he was going to be showing, and we didn't follow up. 

The Town Too Tough To Die

That's the tagline for Tombstone, AZ. I was unexpectedly impressed with this little town. I'm not saying it's NOT a tourist trap, but it does an incredibly good job of taking you back to the 1880's. In some ways, it hasn't changed much since then. There are actually grungy cowboys, maybe missing a few teeth, leaning against the sides of buildings or walking along the dusty boardwalks. (Mark insists they're in costume, hawking their gunfight re-enactments, but they sure look like real cowboys to me.)

Tombstone was the site of the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. You remember, where Wyatt Earp and his brothers shot four cowboys that allegedly stole silver from a stagecoach. Wyatt Earp's brother Virgil was the U.S. Marshall Sheriff, so they were the good guys, but the cowboys had friends who went after them, wounding Virgil and killing brother Morgan. The good guys then killed a bunch more cowboys until a Tucson judge issued a warrant for the arrest of the Earp contingent, which by the way also included Doc Holliday, so then they officially became the bad guys.

That's my summary - if you stop by Tombstone, you will be intrigued enough to study the facts for yourself.

Parker, AZ

Parker, AZ, on the Colorado River, is a renowned party town for college students. It must be off-season; we stopped for lunch at one of the famous floating bars and pretty much had it all to ourselves.