The Rubber Tramp Rendezvous, held each January on BLM land at Scaddan Wash, is history for this year. Met some new friends, couldn’t find some I have been looking forward to meeting, and Charlie got us kicked out of one of the seminars.
He just couldn’t keep his barker quiet when other dogs were saying hello. Charlie did, however, learn some better behavior in an all around sense so it was a very good experience for him and a relief for me. He IS learning!!
The RTR is growing by leaps and bounds every year. From around 50 or 60 people just a few years ago to about 1200 last year, this year it was anticipated that the attendance would be so big that Bob Wells, the host and expert on van dwelling as he has been doing this for years, was required by BLM to bring in porta-potties for this year’s gathering. The unofficial count was over 3000 attendees, and I believe it.
Compared to last year when I arrived a couple of days early to try and find a bit of shade there were FOUR vehicles. This year my early arrival found what looked like a vehicle beside every bush!
Except for a very few scoundrels, and there are those in every crowd, it was a well-behaved, respectful group. Bob had the areas layed out into sections for Main Camp and Meeting Area, a section for the music crowd, a section for the disabled, a section for the larger vehicles. Two seminars, sometimes three, were held each day of the two week event. At the end a women’s gathering was held.
Having been under constant stimulation from so many people and dogs, vehicles coming and going constantly, and the general noise of so many gathered in one place the boys needed some peace and quiet and I needed relief from the dust so we did not stay for the women’s event.
I met many wonderful people, but clicked with a couple of really nice gals, Peggy and Mary, and we have tentatively made plans to meet up again perhaps in Utah when it’s time to move north to escape the heat here in Arizona. Peg had to leave a bit early and get back to her job, but Mary and I gathered around the campfire every night and took a few walks. YES, she gets all that stuff in her Prius!!!
One of those walks was to search for the labyrinth that was somewhere near the camps. We headed out to where we thought they were located and 45 minutes later while giving it up discovered the thing was right across the wash from Freedom!!
Freedom is just to left of us across the wash!
Thanks, as always, for stopping by 2DogsTravel!
Wow, I was wondering about all the cars and then to find they are mobile homes as well!! I have looked at the back of my CRV a time or two but am still tied to this house. I am not much of a roamer I guess. I might have tried it a few years back but with an A frame hard side camper. Thank you for the pictures…Take care and have a great week.
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It’s amazing what can be done to make travel fit into one’s life and budget. Pure inspiration!! Miss you!
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So glad I got to meet both you and Mary! Of course also the Chiweenie Brothers as well! Long live the women of fire and wine! Til we meet again my friend. Hopes in Utah
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Wonderful meeting you also! Sure hope Utah works out, but if it doesn’t next January for sure!!
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