Russ and Tiña De Maris
Most of us picked up on life’s little niceties when we were young, say, in kindergarten. Sharing. Taking turns. Working at developing patience. For the most part we see it in our fellow RVers—courtesy seems like a general rule among most. But still, there are areas where it seems like some need those little “gentle reminders.” High on the list these days should be dump station courtesy.
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Limited dump stations
For those who spend months camped out on government land outside of Quartzsite, Arizona, you already know most of the drill. With thousands of RVers plunked down on four Long Term Visitor Areas, and limited dump stations to serve all, lines leading up to those spots can get pretty long. We used to count the number of rigs lined up, multiply that by five, and know just about how many minutes the last guy in line would have to wait for his turn. All in all, most folks acted fairly sanely, but at times there were little altercations where somebody who just couldn’t stand the wait had to try and cut the line.
Sometimes, during the big rush of the day, somebody (maybe they were greenhorns) would get the bright idea that this was THE time to try and really flush out the holding tank. Mount that special device, pull hoses, and wishy-washy that blank tank for all they were worth. Instead of taking the typical ten minutes to clear one of the two dump lines, they could take 20 minutes or even more. We often wanted to politely suggest that coming back late in the afternoon was a good time for protracted proctology, but we kept our mouths shut.
Another trick of some (who we hope were merely ignorant) was to either dump with a leaky hose or, heaven forbid, no hose at all. Maybe they’d make a half-hearted attempt to flush away their fecal followings, but in any event, these characters really left something behind to remember them by.
Kid(ding) glove treatment?
Rolling up to a free dump station one morning in Pendleton, Oregon, we found yet another calling card of folks that need a little education. Free dump stations, as most know, are a vanishing breed. If you find them, treat them with care and respect—too much of a good thing often gets shut down. But nope, it looks as though for some free means “disrespect.” Lemme tell you about that.
Years back, when we first started RVing, sanitary concerns and health awareness weren’t what they are today. Us “he man” RVers would roll up, sling hoses, and dump tanks in our bare hands. What, me worry? Eventually awareness arrived, and more and more RVers are embracing the idea of putting on a little protection when they dump tanks.
We found that clearly in evidence today: A big pile of discarded rubber gloves, stacking up at this dump station. Yeah, we know, the dump providers didn’t leave a handy garbage can, but what’s so tough about stuffing your used gloves in a plastic bag and taking them with you? A little bit of picking up after ourselves makes for a lot fuzzier feeling in those who manage those free dump stations. Not that we’re advocating leaving your trash when you have to pay to dump your tanks.
Like Mrs. Munger used to tell us in kindergarten, “Please, pick up after yourselves.”
The weekly statistics
Editor’s note: This week’s stats are a mess. Russ ended up in the hospital last week (not COVID), which is why there was no post on Quartzsite last weekend. At this writing he had been home for less than 24 hours. We’re picking up the pieces and apologize to you all for the mess. This “little visit” wasn’t planned! Some statistics just aren’t available this week. Sorry!
How many folks in Quartzsite? It’s impossible to accurately gauge. We’re using the census count from the Hi Jolly Short Term Visitor Area as a gauge.
| Last Week | This Week | Change |
| n/a | n/a |
Fuel Costs (Average)
| Last Week | This Week | Change | |
| Gasoline (Regular) | n/a | 3.795 |
Best price, $3.699, Chevron, Riggles Rd |
| Diesel | n/a | 4.279 |
Best price, $4.099 Chevron on Main Street |
| Propane | n/a | 3.234 |
Best price, 76 and Mobil—$2.95. Worst, Love’s— $4.30 |
Note: Motor fuel costs are based on credit card purchase price.
Internet Speeds
| Last Week | This week | |
| Verizon Mobile | n/a |
4.72D/0.33U 4:55 PM |
| ATT Mobile | n/a | 36.3D/9.17U 5:00 PM |
Note, tested speeds are on 4G networks. This week’s ATT test performed with a new router, showing significant speed improvement.
Health issues
Our “face mask count” is based on numbers of folks at three locations: a popular grocery store, the post office, and a “dollar store.” The count is the total number of folks present and those who are masked up. The percentage given is the percentage of mask-wearers. We are changing our COVID patient count methodology. We’re including new cases within the last week, and comparing the percentage of change from two weeks back. The data is provided by the Arizona Department of Health. Face masks at the dump station? May help with the smell!
Face Mask Count [Total people counted/masked (% masked)]
| Last Week | This Week |
| n/a | n/a |
COVID Patient Count
Our statistics are from the Arizona Department of Health, as presented by Arizona Central. They are:
Quartzsite average daily cases in last week: 1
Quartzsite average cases per 10,000 people: 2
Change in number of cases from two weeks ago: 22% lower
Want to know more about Quartzsite? Have something to share? Here’s what to do. Fill out the form below and include “Quartzsite” in the subject line.
Other stories by Russ and Tiña De Maris
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Hope you have a full recovery Russ!
Get well Russ.
Hope it isn’t serious Russ. God bless!
Best wishes to you!
All the best to Russ for a quick recovery!
I’ve been using Nitrile gloves in my former job for years (sealants, chemicals and household environs in the telecom industry). The easiest way to dispose of your ‘poopie’ gloves is to have a pump bottle of hand sanitizer in your water bay, and use them on your gloves when you are done dumping. Then, using your middle finger and thumb on your dominant hand, peel the other glove off at the underside of your wrist – pulling it inverted, OVER your still gloved hand. Now, with two gloves over one hand, repeat, inverting them both again. You can either reuse them, or wrap the finger inside and pulling the clean, inner section over the whole wad, before dropping in your own garbage. Just wash your hands (or use sanitizer) when you are all done.
But, most of all, pick up after yourself!
Best wishes to y’all. I hope it wasn’t too serious and Russ is doing good!
Love this report every week. Thank you!
America has lost all respect for anyone but themselves. Sad.
Loved your choice of words! “protracted proctology”….perfect!!!