morning in Quartzsite / relo to Plomosa
I needed to make a run into Quartzsite this morning, and I wanted to relocate as my mobile data was terrible.
Dear Planet Fitness
I had to make a run to the USPS to send a certified letter to PF cancelling my subscription. You can do it in person at your “home” gym or send certified through the mail. PF says:
> > You can fill out a cancellation form at the front desk of your home club, or send a letter (preferably via certified mail) to your club requesting cancellation. _Memberships can’t, unfortunately, be cancelled by email or phone_. > >
They say that last bit as if someone other than PF were responsible for the decision. Bastids.
To be fair, I think the PF Black Card is a good deal for nomads when showers are open. There is usually fast wifi, ample parking, showers, lockers, and even gym equipment if (doG forbid) you want to get sweaty. Once Covid is over I might sign up again. The decision to cancel was based on the inability to shower there and the success of my recent paid shower.
while we were in town
Since we were already in town I wanted to do a couple things. I was at a half-tank and wanted to fill up Just In Case. The first gas station I came to had signs saying they had no gas or diesel which caused my concern level to ratchet up a notch. It must have been specific to that station because fuel was available and normally-priced elsewhere.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Cutter_mattock.jpg/330px-Cutter_mattock.jpg
Stemonitis, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
We did some flea-market / open air shopping. I have been looking for a used cutting maddock, or grub hoe or whatever they are called.
I broke my used trenching spade a few months back in a NF somewhere. The spade was working pretty well but in rockier areas or heavily matted areas it struggled. The ancient wooden handle finally gave out when I cowboyed it a little too hard. The mattock is narrower (better for catholes) and would work better in tougher ground, I think.
I found one in one of the flea market areas but the vendor wasn’t there yet. :-( There was another one with a vendor present but the handle was a poor fit: pass. I’ll come back on the day we relocate away from Q to see if I can get the good one then.
We walked all the vendors NW of the Main/Central area near the Post Office then crossed I-10 and wandered the areas over there.
I picked up some cards for kids’ BD and Christmas in 2021, some awning clips, a hoof for Muffin (already eaten), and a $9 hotdog. Hear me out. This “hot dog” was a giant, meal-sized sausage with about a half pound of grilled onions and other stuff on it. The fellow running the grill was a delight and very helpful. I got full so Muffin got the last bite. Muffin was a big hit with strangers, as usual. I think it’s because she looks at people’s faces when they pass, which gets their attention.
I think this is the first day of the Big Tent show. I’ve never been, but this doesn’t seem like the year to hang out with 1000 strangers in a semi-enclosed space. Maybe if I’d already had both rounds of the vaccine.
Plomosa Rd BLM
We’d finished our trip into town by 11am and decided to head back to Plomosa where I’d had decent reception before. I skipped High Jolly BLM as it’s a little closer to town and typically more crowded. Still fairly empty this year but I drove one.
I had a conversation with a local who’d seen drone footage fo the BLM areas and said there was about 1/3rd the folks here as usual for this time of year. I think that’s about right. Factors, IMO:
- Canadians unable to cross the border to warmer weather
- individual staying closer to home
- affilliation camping groups (Casita, Airstream, etc) have cancelled their annual camp-togethers
I am roughly where I saw that “ship of the desert” captain last time. Upon setting up I discovered two minor setbacks:
- my collapsible 5-gallon cube has split lower down and will be retired
- I left my little Ohuhu gasifying stove in Dome Rock.
I like the little stove but it is less than $20, all the way across Q, and there is no guarantee it’s still where I left it. Maybe I’ll pick up another one. I was mainly using it for burning paper litter.