Community Forums

Stripe34 · 11-01-2016, 08:24 AM

For our first NKK event, we are trying to decide whether we should go to Tampa RV show & NKK event, or Quartzsite (& NKK & SKP-Boomerville). We will be in TX for part of November for sure, and have to go to Ohio in April/May.

What would you do? Who here is going to either, or has been? (We haven't been to either Tampa RV show or Quartzsite)

I don't care for beaches or desert, so no help there (I like mountains! but not snow any longer)...

TIA for your thoughts.

Thx -

DSL417 · 11-01-2016, 01:52 PM

No one has answered so I'll give my TCW...Tampa if you want to look at the whole world of new coaches and all things for coaches. Quartzite if you want to have a go at dry camping with your new Newmar. Yes it is desert, but it is difficult to find any place that is any darker at night. Great for bonfires, visiting with friends, etc etc. As for the show...not so much to see. But the only place you'll ever see thousands of RVs dry camping across the desert... a real sight.

Been to both, so you really have to examine what you're looking for...given you don't like deserts and unless you do off roading with either an ATV or jeep, I'd probably point you at Tampa, and then further South if you can afford the campground fees. Then come up to Destin West RV resort in March, Nashville in April and then your Spring agenda. JMHO

Stripe34 · 11-01-2016, 03:11 PM

Thank you! My main purpose is to have fun and meet new people, especially full timers, retirees, and Newmar owners :-)

I was thinking the quartzite might fit in better with 2018 January, because we are talking about going to Alaska in that summer and we could just head north slowly afterwards :-)

DSL417 · 11-01-2016, 04:37 PM

Just thought I'd respond as you indicated you didn't like desert....Quartzite is just about as desert as there is.

Hopefully one of the NKK folks will respond; I don't recall seeing any NKK Quartszite posts on the forum, but you might check the NKK forum at the top...maybe ask if any NKKers are going to Quartszite. I know there is a Tiffin, Monaco, and Entegra gathering at the show this January.

HavingABlast · 11-01-2016, 09:11 PM

I have not been to the Tampa show so I can't comment on that. We live in live in Southern California, so we went to Quartzsite about a half day away. I don't recall the exact number of Newmar's present. It was somewhere around 50 coaches. There is no rally fee. It is on BLM land.

It is called a "Gathering in the Desert", and is hosted by Ted and Ruth Hines from the AZ Sun Catchers, the NKK AZ chapter. Ted and a Ruth did a wonderful job hosting the event. They brought in several vendors to talk about fire safety, driving safety, energy and tire pressure monitoring systems, and more...that I am forgetting about. There were group meals and fireside frivolity each night. We even had s'mores! Sunrises and sunsets in the desert were spectacular.

You can head into the desert or go to The Big Tent and surrounding area to see just about anything you would want to buy for your RV. Or, you could just enjoy the solitude of the desert in the winter.

S-n-L · 11-01-2016, 10:03 PM

I can't comment no the Newmar part of this but you mentioned the SKP boomers. Quartzite is truly unique as there is really nothing else like it. Last year I attended the SKP boomers group at Q. Over 150 rvs showed up throughout the event. It was a great time with great people.

If meeting people is what you want Q is the way to go. The SKP folks have happy hours, fires every night. Great way to get to know people and make new friends. I plan to be at the boomer Q event for one week this year.

Stuart

JNSNWT · 11-02-2016, 06:47 AM

Quote:

. and then further South if you can afford the campground fees. JMHO

I've never been to Florida in my coach. I'm used to paying $25-50 per night here in the SW. I'm assuming it's seasonal like everything else but just how expensive is the Sun Shine state?

JohnT · 11-02-2016, 07:03 AM

We're attending the Tampa Show with NKK for the first time. We enjoy rallies and meeting people. We've attended other rallies and had a great time.

This will also be our first year wintering in FL. Had to shop to find affordable places (< $1,200/month & 12% sales tax) that met our requirements (no trailer parks).

Ron_H · 11-02-2016, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnT

We're attending the Tampa Show with NKK for the first time. We enjoy rallies and meeting people. We've attended other rallies and had a great time.

This will also be our first year wintering in FL. Had to shop to find affordable places (< $1,200/month & 12% sales tax) that met our requirements (no trailer parks).

Quote:

Originally Posted by HavingABlast

I have not been to the Tampa show so I can't comment on that. We live in live in Southern California, so we went to Quartzsite about a half day away. I don't recall the exact number of Newmar's present. It was somewhere around 50 coaches. There is no rally fee. It is on BLM land.

It is called a "Gathering in the Desert", and is hosted by Ted and Ruth Hines from the AZ Sun Catchers, the NKK AZ chapter. Ted and a Ruth did a wonderful job hosting the event. They brought in several vendors to talk about fire safety, driving safety, energy and tire pressure monitoring systems, and more...that I am forgetting about. There were group meals and fireside frivolity each night. We even had s'mores! Sunrises and sunsets in the desert were spectacular.

You can head into the desert or go to The Big Tent and surrounding area to see just about anything you would want to buy for your RV. Or, you could just enjoy the solitude of the desert in the winter.

We have attended the "Gathering in the Desert", the NKK event in Quartzsite for the past two years. It is a regular on our calendar now and a great opportunity to meet up with the many friends we've made. As mentioned above, Ted and Ruth do a wonderful job hosting the event. There were between 70 and 80 NKK coaches at the event each of the past couple of years and, of course, thousands of other RV scattered across the desert.

We have not as yet attended the NKK event at the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa but we will be there this coming January. I expect the NKK event itself to be a great opportunity to reconnect with some old friends and make new ones. each and every NKK event we have attended in Canada and the US has been a wonderful experience.

Beyond the NKK portion of these events each will have other highlights. The Tampa show, like other traditional large RV rallies, will have a ton of learning opportunities in the form of demonstrations and lectures. If you are new to RVing, these provide a significant learning opportunity. The Tampa show will also be more structured and organized. Quartzsite on the other hand will have fewer vendors and little in the way of speaker sessions at the show so it offers less learning opportunity. Quartzsite is more laid back however and very inexpensive to attend.

tednruthy · 11-02-2016, 08:26 AM

I thought I better jump in here. I look forward to some day attending the Tampa show but for the foreseeable future We will be hosting the 'Gathering in the Desert' for the Newmar owners. Ruth Ann and I enjoy the desert setting and the huge RV gathering around Quartzsite each January.

This is our fourth year of hosting this gathering. As was already said we had about 75 rigs each of the past two years and close to that the prior two years. We prepare five evening meals for the group with help from our co-hosts (this year, Bud & Judy Hawley) and volunteers attendees. Some meals we ask attendees to bring something and others we provide all the menu. We had a nearly full seminar schedule last year and asked all attendees to bring a bundle of firewood. Socials each afternoon weather permitting and fires each night. The past three years the weather was GREAT. We pray for the same this year.

See the following link to the details available now. More details will be emailed to those who register or send us an email to tednruthy@hindesfamily.net

Quartzsite Gathering in the Desert

We already have 31 rigs registered for 2017. Open to all Newmar owners and their GUESTS too!!