Stopping in Quartzsite

 We moved on to Quartzsite after our pleasant stay at Oxbow Camping Area.

Here the weather is cooler and bug free, compared to our winter camp in the desert of California.

Entrance sign to BLM land

Here also is a BLM LTVA area. (Bureau of Landmanagement, Longterm Visitors Area),

A former camper left a sign 

which is very crowded during the end of January when the big RVShow is held. It was somewhat less populated now and we found a nice spot not far from where we parked last year. 

Saguaro Cactus

We parked near the northern wash on BLM land called "La Posa South". 

The flat landscape is covered with sedimentary rocks, as Basalt, Quartz and Rhyolite, originating from ancient mountains which were worn down over the millennials.  

Creosote bush, Saguaro Cactus, Iron Wood tree, Palo Verde tree grow in the very dry climate.

View from our spot towards southwest

Why we choose to hang out here for a while instead of driving home right away: 

In the coming days there are several cold weather systems moving across the US. They will bring a significant amount of rain, snow and high winds into the area, and we don't want to get caught in that. We will be waiting for more favourable weather.

The "wash" behind our spot.

Yesterday, I walked the wash (dry stream bed) where flash floods occur when the summer monsoon months bring rain showers to this area.  The moisture gives plants the boost they need to survive and now is the time were a lot of flowers are in bloom. 

 With the help of  the"Google search function" I tried to identify the most of them.

Desert Lavender
Hyptis Emoryi

Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa

Chuparosa
Justicia california

Notch-leaf Scorpionweed
Phacelia crenulata

Purple Mat
Nama demissum

Desert Coulter's Lupine
Lupinus sparsiflorus

Desert Fairy Duster
Calliandra eriophylla

I found several more, but could not identify them properly.

As last year there also was an Ash-throated Flycatcher around.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Saguaro Cacti

La Posa South, Arizona

"La Posa South" is the area where we were camped; it is part of several vast semi arid desert stretches where people are allowed to "boondocks" (camping without any amenities) for a low fee from September 15 through April 15. 

Our neighbour, parked to the east, told us that he has been doing this for years, thus escaping the cold winters of Nevada.

Our German friends caught up with us yesterday, for an overnight stay, being on their way to Havasu Lake, AZ. 

What to do around here?  December through February are usually the busiest time in nearby Quartzsite featuring many exhibitions related to camping (RV Show) and rock hunting             (Gem Show). Thousands of campers invade the area at that time and everywhere it is very crowed for a few weeks. In March, though, many have left and everything is winding down; only a few booths were still open. But we did not stop here for shopping or partying. We just went for some necessary grocery shopping and then hung out together and enjoyed the quietness of the desert.

We parked near a wash (dry creek) which is only full of water once a rare rainfall occurs in the mountains surrounding the plains. Then those "washes" can turn into deadly small rivers within seconds. Early morning is the best time to go and look what was around. 

I was trying to identify a plant with tiny purple flowers. Lots of moths and bees were busy feeding off the flowers. 

It turned out to be Desert Lavender (Wüstenlavendel) While I was still pondering and that those droning bees might attract insect eating birds a pretty Wilson's Warbler (Mönchswaldsänger) 

made a surprise landing right in front of my camera. What a lucky coincident!A nearby squawking noise made me aware of a Greater Roadrunner observing meperched on a dead tree. Funny, they all seem to prefer the trees to the road at this time of the year. Another flowering bush attracted my attention. Not to get mixed up with Indian Paintbrush. This one is called Chuparosa or Hummingbird Bush (Kolibribusch). Ready for birding in my "camouflage" gear.Nearby I found this piece of Quartz.

Pyrite or Gold?

One could try to beat it with a hammer, Pyrite will turn to dust, Gold would not. But, to me destroying this piece of quartz would be a shame, right?

Translation

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La Posa South heißt unser hiesiger Standort. Hier kann man ohne weiteres vom 15. September bis zum 15. April Camping machen. Unser Nachbar hat hier schon jahrelang gestanden um den kalten Winter Nevada's zu entkommen. Unsere deutschen Freunde sind auf ihrem Weg nach Lake Havasu auch für eine Übernachtung hier bei uns eingetroffen. Zwischen Dezember und Januar ist um Quartzsite "der Bär los". Die Gegend wird mit tausenden von Wohnmobilen überschwemmt. Alle freuen sie sich darauf die Mineralienaustellung, den Flohmarkt und die große Show die das Neueste über Wohnmobil zeigen, zu besuchen.

Jetzt, im Monat März sind alle wieder weg. Nur noch ganz wenige Buden waren geöffnet. Aber wir genossen die Gesellschaft miteinander und die Ruhe der Halbwüste.

Wir hatten uns an den Rand eines ausgetrockneten Wüstenbachs (Wadi, Dry Wash) gestellt. Hier rauscht nur sehr selten, dabei aber um so gefährlicher, Wasser hindurch, wenn im naheliegenden Gebirgszug Gewitterstürme niedergehen. 

Diese Gegen ist mit allerlei Bäumen und Büschen bewachsen. Gerade betrachtete ich die winzigen Blüten des Wüstenlavendels, in dem die Bienen summten, als vor mir ein Mönchswaldsänger landete. 

Etwas weiter weg gab sich ein Wegekuckuck (Roadrunner) die Ehre. In dieser Jahreszeit scheinen sie sich mehr auf Bäumen als auf der Erde aufzuhalten. 

Ein rot blühender Bush wurde als Chuparosa, Kolibribusch identifiziert und ich fand dieses hübsche Stück Quarz das mit Pyrit (Katzengold) besetzt, oder nicht?

Es heißt daß wenn man mit dem Hammer drauf schlägt verwandelt sich Pyrit zu Staub. Doch dies auszuprobieren wäre doch zu schade!