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Old 12-16-2018, 02:49 PM   #1
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The Real Burning Man - Quartzsite RTR

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/s...s-vanlife.html
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Old 12-16-2018, 05:17 PM   #2
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The author obviously has never been to Burning Man nor have any clue what it is about. I have been to Burning Man twice but never been to RTR. When I compare the strict non-commercial leave no trace rules of Burning Man versus the anything-goes buy my trinkets and advice atmosphere depicted in the videos and stories I have seen of RTR, the only thing they have in common is a desert. Sorry but Bob Wells and the rest of the Youtube beggars don't impress me enough to sit 10 miles out in the desert for a week to worship them.
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Old 12-16-2018, 05:20 PM   #3
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I am no defender of the RTR, but I have watched a few of Bob's videos, and he stresses over and over, because this is on BLM land, there can be no commercial activity, but I do agree, from what I know of the two events, they have very little in common, other that they are on government land.
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Old 12-16-2018, 07:12 PM   #4
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I heard about Quartzite and actually considered trying to go one day. Then I started watching actual videos posted by Youtubers who go, and found that I have no desire to live that way. I thought it was a meeting of RV'ers like the iRV2 and FMCA Rally's. It is not and no longer appeals to me.

Then I saw the RTR and it was even less appealing.

Then I started looking at the people making the Youtube videos and saw a pattern. It reminds me of the 60's when everyone wanted to turn on, tune in, and drop out. Didn't want to work, didn't think the norms of society applied to them, and wanted a withdrawal from general society.

I look at some of them who have no plans for the future, work as they can from their vehicles, exist on government land, and espouse about how great the lifestyle is.

Don't get me wrong. Some of them are retirees doing what they want and enjoying their life. It's just that the majority appear to be existing on the fringe of society for whatever reason.

Can one really describe a great life as pooping in buckets, sitting in deserts and other government lands surviving from day to day, and bearing the miseries some of these folks endure? I don't know. I don't judge and figure to each his own. When I run into these type campers, I acknowledge them and their lifestyle, enjoy their company as they offer it, and go on to my chosen lifestyle which I know they do not agree with.

While I don't think RTR and Burning Man are the same as each other or as Quartzite, it just seems to be a growing fringe that I do not feel comfortable indulging in.

Of course this is the 02 cents of value opinion of a very inexperienced newbie. Truly hope this does not offend anyone.
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Old 12-16-2018, 07:40 PM   #5
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The author obviously has never been to Burning Man nor have any clue what it is about.
It is the NYT; what do you expect ...
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Old 12-16-2018, 07:46 PM   #6
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It's just that the majority appear to be existing on the fringe of society for whatever reason.
.
Very true. I was in Colorado boondocking an as time went on I found myself surrounded by campervans/RVs. It was a RTR.

A gathering of loosers. Play some bad music and pass the hat!
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Old 12-16-2018, 10:10 PM   #7
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This is my 3rd winter in La Posa South Long Term Visitor Area. I have never attended Burning Man or the RTR and I didn’t watch the video posted above.

The most interesting thing about those who winter here is the diversity and the acceptance of differences amongst those here. The majority of us are retirees escaping winter. There are people from every socio-economic level parked together and enjoying what the desert has to offer.

Unlike modern suburbia there are no gated communities, no plotted out lots, no exclusion of people based on their income or net worth. You can’t be a snob about who your neighbor is here.

I enjoy the mixed society. It is more real. There are people living in every conceivable manner and they all have value. The couple in the 45’ tag axle Class A, the van dwellers and tenters all rub elbows.

I was at the dump station yesterday when a woman commented about how it was the great equalizer of the community. Regardless of your status in the rest of the world, here we all have to deal with our own excrement.

Before you judge, I’d suggest you experience. What you learn from a series of videos is only what the poster wants you to know. Come on down! The weather is wonderful!
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Old 12-16-2018, 11:02 PM   #8
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I try not to judge anyone's life style, provided they don't overly infringe on mine. I have been to Quartzite and enjoyed the experience and would like to return. As Okmunky, I know Barb, explains there's all kinds of rigs and people there in a common setting. The 50 unit groups of $250,000+ Class As to the vans and school buses. Everyone has their justifications for whatever they drive and no one is any better than any other. For some living in a desert is a wonderful way to pass some time. Others will not like it at all and want to leave ASAP, and that's fine to me.

I have not been to Burning Man, yet. But have read plenty about about and have a fair idea what's its about. Living in Santa Fe and traveling through nearby places some of the folks in these areas live a life that are not that different from the values of RTR. I just don't find it that strange or different. Many people just do not accept the ideals of mainstream American life style of needing more and bigger. They place greater value on other aspects of life and make some adjustments to live that life.

I just say we need to respect each other, regardless of a few differences. Everyone has value and a story to tell, just listen.
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Old 12-17-2018, 09:04 AM   #9
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The most interesting thing about those who winter here is the diversity and the acceptance of differences amongst those here. The majority of us are retirees escaping winter. There are people from every socio-economic level parked together and enjoying what the desert has to offer.
I don't understand this. What would un-acceptance look like at Quartzsite?

People can park where they want and if you don't like who parks near you; the only thing you can do is move.
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Old 12-17-2018, 09:39 AM   #10
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Speaking about the BLM, not the city of Quartzsite - The only living arrangement that is unacceptable here is for units that do not have holding tanks. By BLM rules they need to choose a campsite within 500’ of one of the 3 outhouses. If you don’t care to have tenters or van dwellers next door then drive further out.

The city has RV parks with thousands of spaces. Next month they'll all be full. To some extent there is some class differentiation that is a result of price. There are no luxury resorts or Class A only parks and I see no evidence of the 10 year rule anywhere.

The HUGE RV show is the 3rd week of January. The population of this area swells from 3,600 in the summer to 500,000+ in January. It's crowded and crazy and there are long lines everywhere. But it's also fun if you can just "go with the flow". I stock up on groceries and essentials before the crowds arrive.

We often refer to this area as simply "Q". Then explain that Q is short for Quirky. There is a wonderful mixing of people from all stations in life and as Fred mentioned, everyone has a story to tell and a lesson to teach us.

What is not diverse here is race. There are only a handful of non-Caucasian people here, which I find odd. Perhaps it's an Arizona thing.

The point I'm trying to make is that here, at least in the winter months, there is an equality that doesn’t exist elsewhere. The "haves" and the "have nots" share the land, their lives and their campfires.
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Old 12-17-2018, 09:44 AM   #11
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The point I'm trying to make is that here, at least in the winter months, there is an equality that doesn’t exist elsewhere. The "haves" and the "have nots" share the land, their lives and their campfires.
What I'm trying to understand is: what would un-equality look like on the BLM land near Quartzsite?
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Old 12-17-2018, 09:59 AM   #12
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What I'm trying to understand is: what would un-equality look like on the BLM land near Quartzsite?
There really isn’t any inequity here. Nobody really cares how much money you have, how expensive your RV is or how big your dwelling is. In most US cities those are the "things" that many people use to measure worth.

Here it's more a matter of assessing others friendliness and willingness to help their neighbors - not with handouts, but with lending a hand when you see someone struggling to do something.
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Old 12-17-2018, 10:06 AM   #13
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There really isn’t any inequity here. Nobody really cares how much money you have, how expensive your RV is or how big your dwelling is. In most US cities those are the "things" that many people use to measure worth.

Here it's more a matter of assessing others friendliness and willingness to help their neighbors - not with handouts, but with lending a hand when you see someone struggling to do something.
While there are people that know each other that get together and act like you describe ----------------- That is not everyone.

The inequity is there. You may not see it or experienced it.
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Old 12-17-2018, 04:29 PM   #14
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So for those responding, my ignorance appears to be that the "fringe" was all that I thought went to Quartzite and it was not a general RV type assembly.

As I mentioned, I don't judge people. Who shows up at a campsite does not bother me at all. Actually spent some wonderful evenings sitting with some tent dwellers in one park recently. Opened my eyes to a lot of stuff. But they were not of the breed I seem to see on Youtube. They were true adventurists and travelers enjoying what they did.

From some later posts, it appears there is a general interest RV get together and some of what I seem to be seeing is people who stay in the desert without amenities or social "norms" is more because they want to, not that this is what Quartzite is about.

Hope this makes sense

I want to experience all aspects of RV'ing once. (I think). Am I shortchanging myself by blanketly saying I would never go? I am attending a large scale rally soon but I have seen posts by old timers who say they would not be caught dead there.

My mind is always open to changing. I guess my first post was made based on a lack of full understanding. Let me go read some more posts.
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