Day 1 – Desert Rat Rally XV (Quartzsite, AZ)

Today was Day 1 of the Desert Rat Rally. This is the 15th annual Alpine Coach Association Rally held here off Plomosa Rd just north of Quartzsite, AZ. Here’s our agenda for the week (below):

The first thing I did this morning was to attach the sunscreen to the awning to make our patio a little more comfortable from the mid-day sun. The weather has been warm and mild so far with only a light sprinkling of rain in the late evening. The forecast calls for partly cloudy to sunny for the rest of our rally.

Tom Polk greeted Coaches as they came in throughout the day and directed folks to parking spots along with the help of a few others.

More and more Coaches rolled in during the day and the rows of Alpines grew longer and longer. We now have about 50 Alpines in attendance! Several more are still expected. Today was all about meeting and greeting as old friends met up again with folks they hadn’t seen for a while and new ones got introduced.

The check-in table set up in front of our rally tent and was a busy place all day long. Packets were handed out to all the arriving attendees.

Of course, Mike Fleming aka “Engineer Mike” stayed busy answering questions and helping folks with their various mechanical issues. And as usual, a crowd always seems to gather when an engine hatch or compartment is opened…

I volunteered to make the daily trash run at 2 PM, so I parked the pickup near the check-in table for a few hours prior as folks filled up the bed with their trash bags. John Foster jumped in to help me throw the bags into the dumpster at the local transfer station. Thanks John!

Happy Hour kicked off at 4:30 and shortly thereafter we had sandwiches from Subway® delivered. Our Rally host(s) Frank & Dessa Halasz greeted everyone, recognized new attendees, and thanked co-host(s) Norm & Beth Cannon for all their hard work and help.