Desert Messenger

September 16, 2015 www.DesertMessenger.com 5 585 N. Central Quartzsite Open Mon-Fri 8-5 928-927-8787 Johnny DelPino, Owner BEST AUTO RV & TRUCK REPAIR SERVICE YOU CAN DEPEND ON! We sell U-HAUL BOXES A Summer season for Quartzsite? by Paul Winer Yes! Yes! A summer season for Quartzsite! The old story "it's too hot" is not true. All over the HOT Southwest (southern California, Southern Nevada, All Arizona, Southern Utah, New Mexico, and Southern Texas) hundreds of thousands of ATV riders are surfing the Internet looking for places to ride. They like to ride in the cooler evenings and go beach- ing, boating and fishing in the afternoons. We need to put up a signpost (website) in the virtual world. Quartzsite is a unique summer vacation and riding opportunity for these folks. Here's my pitch--picture this: Imagine an ATV, UTV or OHV rider looking at a website that says-- • If you live in the heat and love using your toys enjoy riding in Quartzsite, Arizona • A Summer Off-Road Desert Paradise May through September • 11,000 acres of desert rangeland crisscrossed with trails • Hundreds of miles of BLM trails (w/permit) • Access to 700+ mile Arizona Peace Trail for Long OHV Trips and Camping, -a developing trail system interconnecting Counties of Yuma, La Paz and Mohave • 17 miles from public Sandy Beach & Boat Launches on the Colorado River • Special Discounts! Weekly, Monthly, Seasonal RV Park Rates • Special Deals for your Off-Road Toys & RVs • Special Restaurants, Stores & Service Discounts! • Glammis Dunes is only 1 1/2 hours south. Stay here and visit there! Contact Participating RV Parks for information and reservations or Contact Quartzsite Business Chamber of Commerce at 928-927-9321. Follow setting up this website with an e-letter to all the OHV riding clubs in the hot southwest offering special seasonal club rates for 2, 4, or 6 spaces so club members can come and check it out. Further, link the summer season website to as many OHV riding sites as possible. For the cost of a website, posters, and brochures, for promotion during the winter season--I believe we can initiate a new season next summer. At first, maybe 50 to 100 riders a week. A project by mid to late sum- mer maybe 300 or more each week by website and word of mouth (now amplified through social media and blogs, et al.) I project the second season will bring 200-500 rid- ers or more each week and by the 3rd season, maybe the participating parks will be able to use a NO VACANCY sign for the first time ever. I believe even a hundred extra people a week would help out every busi- ness that stays open in the summer--especially those people who stay overnight or for a few days and especially the people close enough to commute frequently and leave their toys in the parks. The Quartzsite Business Chamber of Commerce will facilitate setting this up. As a board member, I will be conducting the first meeting of all interested RV Parks, businesses and service providers and interested residents. Everyone is welcome. You need not be a chamber member to participate in the meeting and seasonal summer program. The meeting date and place will be announced in the first October issue of the Desert Messenger and on other area sites. Please, talk up the idea!! Call Paul at the bookstore to discuss any ideas (928-927-6551) I'm just one of the local businesses hoping this idea works! At the first meeting, I hope to set up a committee of a few park and busi- ness owners and or managers who can prepare page 2 of the website! The list of participating parks and what each offers, rates, facilities, etc. and a similar list of participating businesses and service providers with their deals. By a second meeting, the web site should be ready and new summer sea- son for Quartzsite will start next May. We're starting small like the POW WOW did 50 years ago with its original tail gate rock show. Look what it became by old fashioned word of mouth before Internet! We have a great chance of helping our summer economy. We're unique- -the only town in Arizona with so much long term public use trail cov- ered desert land. Please look for the meeting date and time and plan to come. Hopefully we can turn summers into $ummer$. READER'S OASIS BOOKS 690 E. Main - Quartzsite (one block east of Family Dollar) 928-927-6551

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