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Day 17-20 – Quartzsite AZ, Rocks, gems, Hi Jolly

Hi Jolly monument in in Quartzsite AZ Hi Jolly monument in in Quartzsite AZ

Today is Monday January 21. I haven’t posted the past 4 days while I was in Quartzsite AZ, There was so many people in the area the cell phone towers were overwhelmed. I fought reception on phone and WI-FI. I tried a dozen places and had the same results every where I went. I had the best cell phone reception at the flea market I set up on Fri-Sun. But it wasn’t strong enough for me to tether my phone to my laptop. I discovered as soon after I arrived I was in Quartzsite AZ the busiest weekend of the year.

My first stop was at a show that most the vendors were setup. There I learn that 3 major shows were opening or opened there in Quartzsite AZ. Most of them highlighted Rocks and Gems. Quartzsite AZ is known for being a central location for rock and gem collecting. There are even groups that will take you out on excisions for as little as $2 a day. Had I stayed longer I would have gone out on one. The 3 major shows ran from 5 days to 14. at rates of $50-100 a day. I wasn’t prepared for that. One of the vendors I spoke with that was here from Washington State west of Seattle told me about a drop in market that may have a few spaces available at a reasonable rate.

I went to that market and was told the manager wouldn’t be back until the next morning at 7am. I left and visited the biggest tourist attraction in town when the shows weren’t there. Quartzsite AZ is the resting place of Hi Jolly. The photo attached to this post is the monument erected to honor him. Read the information on Wikipedia.

My next stop was one of several Long Term Recreational Areas(LTRA) I visited. These are run by the U.S.Parks service. With the government shutdown there was no charge to enter. I found they were in need of cleaning up. The dumpsters were over flowing and the lines to dump and fill potable water were long. Those who come here this time of the year are use to the lines. Most are self contained campers and quite a distance from the restrooms, dumpsters and dump and water.

After taking a long drive through a couple of the LTRA’s in the area I found a spot I liked and parked for the night. I woke early in the morning, packed up camp and headed to town to check out the market where there may be space available. I was there at 7am sharp Friday morning and the manager didn’t show up until almost 8. He had a spot for me in a corner of an entrance across from the local post office. The temperatures for the weekend were a pleasant hi 60’s and low 70’s for highs. This market also allowed overnight. Total cost without electric was just $10 a day. Much better than I expected but it wasn’t near the 3 major shows in town. I did well enough to pay for a new canopy to give my product and I shade. I can also use for a nice tent once I get side walls for it. I left town last night with $22 more then I arrived and had a an experience I’ll never forget. If I return to Quartzsite AZ in the future I now know I what to expect.

Until next time, be safe

Days 11-14 The Market-Last night in Lubbock TX

Today is January 15th. For those of you following me I didn’t post the past 4 days while still here in Lubbock TX. I spent Friday preparing for the Market and checking out Lubbock TX. On Saturday and Sunday I was set up as a Vendor at the National Flea Market Lubbock TX.

The picture above is the space I was set up at inside the Market here in Lubbock TX. I will be writing a review of each of the Markets I’ve set up at and will be in the future.

This week with friends has been needed for some time. We have talked about me coming and staying for a week or so for the past 2 years. It finally happen. Even though my friend wasn’t here and it was his wife, son and niece we still spoke on the phone several times a day and face timed.

Yesterday, Monday the 14th I was going to write a review of the National Flea Market Lubbock TX but I stayed extremely busy. I spent the day repacking my Trailblazer, moving files from my backup storage for my main computer stored in the trailblazer to my laptop, laundry and a birthday celebration for my host family niece who turned 18.

She will be returning to Brazil to start college next month. She has aspirations to be an Attorney. Technically her birthday is today the 15th. But at 8pm here in Lubbock TX it was midnight in here home country of Brazil. So we had a impromptu party for her consisting of a cheese, meat and cracker plate, spinach dip, a birthday cake and a bottle of Vermouth.

I will be leaving Lubbock TX within the next hour or so. I have lunch planned with a friend in Midland TX. I hope he doesn’t mind it being a late lunch.

Until later, be safe!

Day 10 Prepping for this weekend

Today is January 10th. Yesterday I visited with Kirk, manager of the National Flea Market Lubbock. He showed me around the market and what indoor spaces were available this weekend. The National Flea Market Lubbock had been run down by the previous ownership.

Kirk explained to me how tenants were allowed to do as they pleased with there spaces as the previous ownership didn’t do much to keep any uniformity. Since the takeover of the National Flea Market Lubbock changes have been being made slowly to get more uniformity. Many of the spaces are still as they were when tenants were allowed to build them up as they wanted. In order to keep peace and harmony at the market long time tenants have been allowed to keep there space as the have been for years.

I selected a space to rent for the weekend in the building called the barn. The floors of each row are painted different colors. I will be located on Green St as the image above suggest.

I will have helpers this weekend. My host family’s son and niece will be working with me and no doubt be wondering around the market. We will need to make sure our phones have a good charge because we will all need to use Google translator app throughout the day. Neither of the two speak English, the speak Portuguese. I’ve been told the National Flea Market Lubbock has been called the Mexican market in the past. I’ve also been told the majority of the Mexicans here in Lubbock are 2nd and 3rd generations whose parents didn’t allow them to speak Spanish at home. I hope this is the case so I can communicate with the majority of the customers.

Kirk told me he expects about 2000 people both days this weekend because it is mostly indoors. The National Flea Market is located near Texas Tech University. Kirk has been trying to lure those that attend back to the market now it has been slowly getting a face lift. I wish him well. I can see that sometime in the future I’ll be coming back again. As of today I only plan this weekend here. Plans could change as my host family is needing some assistance with a few things.

That’s all for now. More preparation is needed for this weekend. Be safe!

Days 8-9 Weather – Friends – Pictionary

Photo of the game Pictionary — Played this for the first time last night

Today is January 1oth. The last two days has been spent with my friends here in Lubbock TX and I’ve been keeping a close eye on the weather.

The flea market I’d like to setup at this weekend has both indoor and outdoor spaces. This past weekend when it was a bit chilly and windy I didn’t do well. When it warmed up I did good. I sell a lot of rings and when it’s cool trying them on a cold finger is hard on the customer. This weekend it is suppose to be in the low 50’s with a light breeze here in Lubbock.

I’ll be going to the market and checking it out today. I have to see what kind of space I can get. I will then make a decision if I’m going to set up at all this weekend then. The cooler temperatures may keep the foot traffic away. I can’t justify paying for space rental if there will be a low turn out. One never knows. I may try Saturday and wait to decide on Sunday.

I had considered leaving for Phoenix and setting up at a market there this coming weekend because it is suppose to be in the high 60’s and dry. My friends may need help here Friday morning. I feel I can’t leave them early to go to Phoenix. I offered to be here just in case. Friendship is more important then making a few extra dollars.

Last night we played the game Pictionary. None of us had played it before. I read the instructions in English into a app and it repeated it in Portuguese, their native language. We had a very fun time working through the communications and trying to guess what the others were drawing. Luckily the mother/aunt of the two children knows some basic English and translation so the app wasn’t need as much once we started.

The youngest of the two children has moved here to the states to be close his Mom. The niece is returning to Brazil next month to complete summer vacation before beginning college.

Good friends are hard to find these days. I have been very lucky in meeting this couple and maintaining our friendship over the phone, Internet and occasional visits when I drove semi and he was still over the road and came through Ohio.

Time to get ready to go check out the National Market here in Lubbock.

Until next time, be safe.

Day 7 – Friends -National Flea Market Lubbock

Today is January 8th. I am writing summaries of the previous day. I’ll be spending a week with friends and preparing to set up at the National Flea Market Lubbock this coming weekend on the 12th and 13th.

Yesterday I arrived in Lubbock TX about 10am. I couldn’t reach my friends who are hosting me this week by phone or text. I had been given an address just in case this was to happen. I knocked on the door and greeted by my friend Elaine. She introduced me to her niece and Son who had both just arrived here in the U.S on Christmas eve.

The family is from Brazil. Zeno, husband has been in the states for 35 years and is naturalized having full rights as a U.S. citizen. We had meet about 7 -8 years ago when I was driving semi over the road. He meet his wife on a trip to Brazil just before we had meet. She came to the states for a couple visits before they married. It was on one of those visits I first meet Elaine. Over the years I helped her on a few occasions with her English. While she speaks broken English we can communicate. The children know very little English and we communicate through apps on our phones. We speak into the app and it translate to either English of Portuguese and relays by voice. I wish I knew about this app long before now. I could’ve used it at the flea market in Grand Prairie this past weekend. I’ll definitely use it at National Flea Market Lubbock

The rest of the day was spent chatting, catching up on laundry, relaxing, paying some bills online and eating very good food.

Today I already started some changes here on dapadoo.com I’ll continue to do more on the site and then the kids and I are going to go through some of the product we will be selling at the National Flea Market Lubbock this weekend. It should get quite interesting.

Until later, be safe