One of the most interesting characters associated with Quartzsite, AZ is ‘Hi Jolly’, or Hadji Ali, who died here in 1902. He came to the U.S. from somewhere in the middle east in 1856 as a camel driver for the US Army’s experimental Camel Corps. When the experiment was abandoned during the Civil War, he stayed and eventually became a U.S. citizen, taking the name (or perhaps reclaiming his real name) Philip Tedrow. He is buried in the Quartzsite cemetery and is honored with a large pyramid shaped monument.

The monument is of native stone and dominates the small cemetery.

The plaque on the monument.

On our walks we frequently follow washes in order to get out of the wind and explore the fantastic wind and water shaped land contours and flora. The mesquites or ironwood trees are numerous around here and great for campfires, if you don’t have to saw it!

The mesquites must stand a long time after death and weather to rock hardness!

This burl is massive!

Another rainy day, with a pot of gold sunshine at the end of the rainbow!

The rainbow was about 1/2 mile from the camper, but disappeared as we got closer!

No, really, it was a dark and stormy night! Yesterday morning, luckily after our campfire had died down, the wind came up and the innocent looking gray fluffy clouds scudded across the sky and stacked up until they were dark and ominous. After a sunset hidden behind ragged, wind whipped clouds we heard the pitter patter of raindrops on the camper that were soon joined by many multitudes of drumming drops that lulled us into an uneasy sleep. We woke to a fresh washed, bright, fragrant morning and soon headed out to explore.

Ephemeral pools dotted depressions along the road and washes.

Like any 4 year old, Mavrik ran into every pool he encountered until the novelty wore off.