Go to Quartzsite, Arizona! 

Long time subscriber..1st time commenting...Have thoroughly enjoyed watching your personal growth throughout the years. I truly enjoy your insights on all things van life and life in general. you are a kind, well spoken individual that has finally hit his stride after questioning a lot of life's travails. Bless you Brian and continued safe travels.

Never been to Quartzsite. Maybe one day I will get there. However, towards the end of the video you mentioned about not making negative videos and I have to say one of the reasons I subscribed to your channel years ago is the lack of drama. You share your life in your videos and it is the "Real" life. No drama, no manufactured drama for views just sharing and telling it like it really is. Thank you.

I can totally relate to how you were feeling when you first hit the road. Since we moved back to TX at the end of 2017 I have been feeling lost, stuck, isolated and long to break free. I am still working on our 1985 van, it's coming along, but slowly because I do most of the work alone. I wanted to be here for my mom, as my grandmother was getting to the end of her life, leaving my mom alone in her home. My grandmother passed two weeks ago, so my work here is just beginning. I long to get out on the road, but it seems that will have to wait for a while so I can be here to support my mom in her last few years. I will continue to work on the van, anyway. I will find local places to take it to and camp once in a while in the mean time.

I full-timed with my husband for 12 years. Enjoyed it tremendously. He died in 2015, I bought a teardrop trailer and have traveled with my dog since then though only a couple of years doing it full-time. As much as I love traveling I find it's more about the people I meet and have stayed in close contact with over those last 8 years. Bring an old lady of 80 years I'm always having many offers of help, invited for meals, wonderful conversation. I'll be heading to Q in a couple of weeks, meeting up with two old friends. It's a long drive for me but I'm anxious to head out. Thanks for letting people know more of the positive aspects of Q and living the life. It definitely is a wonderful life!!!!!

Ya know, sometimes the people who understand that doing nothing, being responsible to no one, and being able to exhale all your worries are the lucky ones. That sandy gravel pit has everything you need. Indepence and freedom.

Hey bud. You hit the nail on the head For us it's taking our little teardrop and finding a nice quiet place to camp and enjoy the sunsets. The people we've come across are super friendly. We had a woman come up to us in a quad and informed us where we were going to Camp was a day use only we never saw the sign until she Intel she pointed it out It's the little things that people do that are missing in today's world. Stay safe my friend

Thank you Brian for your civility and honesty. Kudos to you and Kelly for being there for Hobbs!! Now in our mid 70’s, we fondly look back to when we were 20 and traveling the southwest with two sleeping bags on our motorcycle. We had a blast! We are still together and still cruising most of the year, but now more comfortably in a pusher tugging a Jeep. We relive our youth watching how and where you camp. Can’t fit into all (or even most) of your camp sites, but we adapt where possible. We still love to boondock (we enjoyed a stay out on BLM land outside of Quartzsite the past two December’s). What you do is valued and appreciated. Thanks. Safe travels.

Your perspective is always appreciated. I have followed your channel for years now and consider your channel a staple of living a nomatic life. Your honest and caring personality helps so many people to broaden their understanding of how other people enjoy life. As I said in your other video, I love the charm of Quartzite. Not everyone goes because they have to have fun. I love to relax and sit in a chair and watch the sun come up from the mountains and go down. And I love what you said about the community and how quickly people lend a hand and support one another is genuine and unconditional. It makes it comfortable to know your surrounded by people who you know care. No place is perfect but I found Quartzite perfect for me. Brian, you are beloved and I hope I get to say thank you to you during my stays anywhere!

Hey Brian ..been watching yr awesome videos fr yrs....tday u brought tears to my eyes...I'm good judgement of characters n I have observed many male attitudes...You r truly a warm hearted humble sincere genuine person.. hopin to travel n my van someday...that's the plan! From One Introvert to Another!... Happy Safe Travels 😊

There are people of all "financial means" that camp. There are the rich and there are those that live on wheels because they cannot afford to purchase a home or to rent a home, and then there are the very poor. It's imperative to help each other no matter what part of the financial spectrum you are.

Brian, you're such a good man. I don't know how long I've been following your adventures, but you were doing van life videos from San Diego and I think you were doing landscaping or something similar back then. It's been a few years anyway. I am grateful for your honesty and humility. I'm an introvert and have a lot of social anxiety too, so, while our paths many never cross, I'll always be glad to see you on RU-vid. Happy trails.

It is about community, connection, and being around like minded people. That's the vibe I want to be a part of. I will be headint to Quartzsite soon for the first time. I'm excited and scared but I'm looking forward to it. I've been a subscriber for years. I've learned a lot from you. Slow down, be intentional. Remain present and teachable. Thank you for sharing your life experiences so candidly. Peace & love to you, Kelly, and Hobbs. Hope to see you down the road someday.

I feel freer boondocking in Quartzite desert than most places. No real close neighbors to "spy" on you while working on projects. You can start walking in any direction and keep wandering anywhere.. for hours if you want while listening to podcasts or just the wind.

We full-timed RV for 7 years and have yet to visit Quartzsite. Really not our lifestyle but get it that some folks really enjoy the social aspects, ability to save a few bucks, and snowbird. We all have different styles of RVing and none is better than the other. Just need to have an open mind and do what you enjoy. Thanks for what you are sharing and positive attitude.

Thanks, Brian! I appreciate your honesty and integrity. 🙏

Hey Brian Ron here again, I love traveling around in my van or now my motorhome and always loved going to Quartzsite. I took my wife there one time and didn’t get to stay long because it wasn’t anything she liked in fact, she hated it. So all 5 times I went to Quartzsite I went alone and always enjoyed it. If I was single I wouldn’t own property I’d be traveling around in my motorhome seeing and enjoying the country. In my opinion sir you are a very lucky man. Safe Travels and Happy Holidays.

A lot of wisdom! I love your videos. I could look at your video tonight and see you standing in your truck and call it quits. But your wisdom states that it’s not just what you see on RU-vid, you could be smelling cinnamon rolls or coffee and enjoying a perfect temperature, and just finished a wonderful lunch with some friends. You cannot just go on what you see on a video there’s so much more inside your soul. Hope that made some sense. Love you God bless love from Colorado.

I’m a retired trucker. I started following Cheap RV Living before I retired so I already knew what I wanted to do next. I’ve been living in a Ford Transit van for almost four years now.

Brian, I love that you do life different than what I do. I am a farmer and very tied to place and land but also have a camper van and my husband and I aspire to a nomadic time with retirement. Have a fun winter!

Cindy and I stopped in Quartzsite last March for Gas. The gas station was super busy and we were glad to find a less busy place to relax. I enjoyed both of your videos. Thanks for all the info. Hobs is a great addition to your life on the road.

*100% AGREE with your outlook. The community you experience far out weighs the small negatives. I hope to back at SOON!* 💛

I've recently come to Quartzsite after having to start my vanlife journey city camping, and even though I never thought of myself as a desert person, I am loving it here!!! All the camping options, the sunshine, easy access to laundry, etc. It's heaven. Looking forward to meeting folks at the RTR! I can see how it wouldn't be some folks' cup of tea, but for me, it's a little paradise right now. ❤

I also listed some of the negatives in the last video from my stay this past winter. Definitely some positives though. It’s one of the least expensive ways to stay in one place legally for up to seven months. Some people have been coming back year after year and try to get there early to grab their favorite spot. One old timer said he’s gotten there early enough to get his favorite spot every year for the past 20+ years in the LTVA North area. He did trail creation and maintenance in the washes and made some impressive site development over the years with local rocks and vegetation. One of the first things I noticed when I parked my Class C far away from the crowds was that it was very quiet and peaceful. Felt a deep sense of peace and calm for the first time in months. Stayed at LTVA North for five weeks, moving to an RV park for another four weeks while I was going back-and-forth to have work done on my coach in Brenda. Once you’re past January the RV parks get very affordable. Even though I had to pay for electricity, my bill was only $30 for the whole month as I didn’t have to run the heat or AC. Overall a nice stay but probably wouldn’t stay as long if I ever go back. Wouldn’t even bother with the RV or tent shows

The will for modern man to help, respect and be at peace with his opposite is a rare thing these days Brian, we all need to get along and be a help, not a hindrance to our kind!

Thank you Brian for your channel Ive followed you since 2017. Ive longed to connect to this life style but its been a work in progress. Thank you for giving people like me more encouragement to make that connection and start living this life.

Great video and I really do appreciate your videos. Your freedom on the open road is intoxicating, I’m not there yet but see it in my future!🎉

Always a pleasure

Your words make me smile. Such insight and wisdom. This ain’t your first rodeo. Thank you for your videos. I’m sure you put in many hours into editing and production. Take care.

This is why we live in America. So we can all be semi-free and choose our own destiny. You did a good job explaining the positives and negatives of Quartzite. It would be a lonely world if we all thought the same and wanted the same things.

With all the negative stuff in the world, people being mean to others for no reason, TV news, etc. Its good to hear something positive for a change.

Hey Brian, I've camped with you and other group meetups a couple times over the years and had a lot of fun. You have always been a gentleman and a prince to people at your meetups. Perhaps again next year if the stars line up. Be well...

We've been living an "RV Lifestyle" since 1993. It started out as a short term experiment to escape the Montana Winters...but we loved it. My work allowed us to work as Contractors in 50+ National Parks and Monuments over the course of 15 years all over the Western US. We eventually sold our house and bought property in AZ which we can park our big rig on. Now retired, we also have a Class B camper for shorter term adventures. We've never considered ourselves "homeless".

Thank You once again for your real content! And your real comments on what to expect at Quartzsite. Thay didn't come off negative to us (my wife and I). Just realistic! Thanks for ALL you do! Merry Christmas to you and Kelly! Be Safe

Always so informative Brian. I always appreciate your content. Thanks for sharing long time subscriber here from Australia 🦘🌏 and I'm so excited to see your almost at 1M subscribers. Keep well and safe 🙏🏾

It is like Burning Man, some love it and some don’t. I inherently don’t care for crowds. Ppl may be nice and friendly, I still get stressed out :(

I want to say thank you for sharing your life on RU-vid. I see campsites that I will never be able to see otherwise. Plus I want o thank you for a brilliant monolog on a recent video. I could hear your heartfelt sincerity. It was well written and well spoken!

Both Quartzsite videos are awesome Brian! Thanks for your take on this!

This way of life, it's about such an amazing sense of freedom; many won't ever experience it.😂

We felt the same about Quartzite! Loved camping there did many rally’s and also did RTR and camped at the Long term area. Wonderful experience !

Lots of love to you Brian! ❤

Really loved the way you, at the end of the video, got a big smile on your face when you talked about Hobbs. 😊

2016 was when we first met at RTR. Thank you for this video, Brian. 💯 agree. Blessings, and happy and safe travels. KOKO, d

went to the van build in parker one of the best 5 days meet some great people and got to help and learn from others

It sounds like you and most people with positive feelings of Quartzite are describing the culture of the experience. Love it.

Quartzsite is the Walmart of Boondocking.

A lot of people want a guarantee that it will be a good experience for them. Just take a chance and find out if it works for you. Thats what makes it an adventure.

A lovely post, thank you so much 👏👏👏

I agree completely! I meet amazing people there every year and enjoy reuniting with now old friends from previous years. The community is what keeps me coming back. Even the brand new arrivals I’ve met get it! But I also don’t care for the huge crowds, so I’m wandering a bit until February. As you say, there are plenty of other places nearby to explore with similarly good weather.

Thank you for this conversation. I've always been intrigued by the nomadic lifestyle. Sadly, I will probably never experience such freedom.

Have a good holiday and a wonderful new year. Please stay positive.

It's the Journey.

I'm only starting my 4th winter in Quartzite. I agree with you about the Quality people that winter here too. We all need to give the Yuma BLM Field Office much credit for their efforts to make all the land available for the public use. "Only in America". People seeing all our banter about the southwest can't understand what they've never experienced themselves. All I can say to you, Brian is: 👍 Rock on 🙂

Hey Brian, I just wanted to wish you and Kelly and Hobbs and your families a wonderful Christmas and I hope 2024 will be a great year for you all and for all of us too. 🎄🌞☮

I don’t think you were negative at all on your last video, I think you were being honest, it’s great to see both sides of it, thank you!

Life is too short and precious to be working all the time. ~ AdventureVanMan

My first reference to Quartzsite was from a ham radio operator and his wife that did gems and minerals. And another ham. Then BW then you.. it can be overwhelming from what I've heard at times and I've had friends that left and came back. So it boils down to live your life and if you're not having a good time, Go somewhere and have a good time. Love your channel. Take care. Tootles... Wade ❤

Great pro and con on Quartzsite, AZ.

Hi Brian great video I'm glad you like your camp even if you stay for 1 night thank you for sharing

Sounds like a very unique and special place!

I've been watching you for years and I can understand why you're not going this year. You had a lot going on with Kelly's mom and her house. 👍🙏🏞️🧑‍🎄

Great video Brian. thank you

It seems very similar to my Florida RV park where I am in my Class B. Many friends and activities, but I do own my lot and love the ocean, tropical foliage and climate.🪴🌊🌴🌺🌊

I. Came out to Quartzite in 21 /22 season and I had the greatest time ever and I never went to the RTR and I stayed on the LTVA.i visited the town and shopped. And celebrated the holidays. I came with an open mind and met a lot of nice people. There was some drama but it was over before it began..I went back to so.cal and this year I went back to the Q. And it was totally opposite but I kept what I had and probably won't go back This is my life and your life is yours I watch what others do and that's good enough for me. I'm 62 years old and I'm comfortable in my skin.you and Kelly and Hobbs enjoy your life have a great Christmas and new year. And I will watch from the cheap seats. Take care and always safe travels to you both.

Great one take video. That was awesome

Hi Brian, hope you and Kelly are keeping well. As an anxious introvert I couldn't tolerate the sheer number of people. I think the best thing about the campers/vanners is the wiilingness to help others who may not have 'fixing' skills. I've seen videos of groups set up to help with electrical issues, solar panels, woodworking, etc., and particularly for those who may be less well off. The community looks amazing and long may it continue. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe and keep up the good work.

You make me wanna go there, sounds like a blast. MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR, to you Kelly and Hobbs. And away we go. 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

Great insight, Brian.

Great followthrough … I appreciated your previous video as it spoke to Valid reasons for me not to go. Anyhow, thanks for showing the flipside of the coin.👍🏾

Today was the most beautiful day here in the Q. You are correct about the vibe here. I always laugh when people say there’s nothing to here. Oh well it’s there loss. You guys have a great Christmas!

I've been a follower for many years. You are a true inspiration. I get what your trying to say. Life is short. Get out there and connect with your fellow man. Live life to the fullest. Don't waste your life working for someone else.

Some German world traveler in a camper told me the western US is the only place in the world you can boondock for free almost anywhere. Public lands. Thankyou US government!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Brian, Kelly and Hobbes.

You hit the nail on the head

I've been saying I'm gonna make it for the RTR next year, for like 5 years now. Ha! I bought my campervan project 4 years ago, but then I bought a rotten old mobile home on property that needed a complete rebuild as well, so the van only got about 70% done in these years so I haven't been able to go as the house has taken priority. Getting the house closer to done so... This summer I WILL get this van running so I can get out of my grey SAD inducing Washington winter weather NEXT year for sure! I feel like folks that go there are 'my people'. Something I've been missing most of my adult life.

Very well said Brian

This commentary is so Christmasy it is a gift. It’s hard to feel community today in all walks of life. The nomad and snowbird community are in many ways are more connected to brick and stick neighborhoods. And from the description of the flat tire action more willing to be good to each other. Love it Thank You Brian

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I stayed at La Posa South for an entire winter. I loved it there! It was cold at night but mild during the day.

WELL. SAID

Great mail

Another long-time subscriber, We had our first taste of Quartzsite last January and hope to get back out there this January. You will be missed and we can catch another year. Duke and Deb from Alabama.

Happy Holidays! Since you have a new traveler with you, stay where Hobbs will be comfortable. Less people and less dogs.

Thank you.

Thanks, Bro 😃✌

Great video. Both of them 👍

I just happened to meet you and Kelly in the big tent I'm from Maine

Both video's on Quartzsite were very informative, as always great video, hope you and Kelly have a blessed and very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Brother👍

I appreciate this video. It tells the real deal. Seeya down the road my friend

Merry Christmas, Brian and Kelly...Followed you for years and met you near Bill and Darla at the Tent last January. All the Best to you guys😊

Your videos are always helpful and informative, and beautiful.

Thanks Brian for another GREAT video. Hope to meet you someday. Have nice Christmas.

Well played AVM. Love your videos, and all your wisdom. Can’t wait to get out there myself.✌🏻

RV'd for a couple years and the "old timers" walking up and giving you a hand is pretty consistent no matter where you go. I say "old timers" but I was one of those people, and I'm in my 30's.

Awesome T-shirt Brian.

I appreciate your transparency. Thank you, Brian. I think you get people both sides of the spectrum, thanks.

Great Information! Good to see you

be grateful you can have such a life. i am retired. most months i run out of money before the end of the month. (have not been out of this house in over 2 weeks, waiting on my ss check in another week). i am smothered under bills just trying to keep this house. can not sell at this time. my mom is in a care home...finely. and as long as she is alive i can go nowhere. i know sounds bad. but i do care for my mom. she suffers from dementia. i would love to go someplace. i would like to see other parts of the USA. but for now it is just to where she is at 70 miles away (states choice), or to a train club i am in. i have done nothing, been nowhere in over 6 years. everything here is breaking down. and no moneys to fix them.

Brian, I have felt a bit hopeless when van traveling too. I am glad you have found your people.

Dude! LOVE the shirt!!! I gotta get me one like that! Really liked these last couple videos -- exactly the kind of things I would want to know before I get there, so I can be prepared for what might be a minor issue, as long as it's not coming at me unexpected, like a rude surprise. Didn't think you were being negative at all -- just clear and specific. Appreciate such candid and straight-forward info. From a fellow introvert who also loves social connection. Also not on Facebook / social media. Cheers!...from North Vancouver

I've never been to Quartzite, but I have boondocked in Parker, attended a Jaime Van Build. But I think I'm going to pull my small TT out there next month. Sorry you won't be there Brian, it would have been nice to meet you. Anyway I hope you and your small tribe have a great Christmas and a Happy and safe 2024.