Two Meander December Annual Gathering 2018 – Rice Ranch in Quartzsite

It is time to start making plans. The Two Meander Annual Gathering 2018 is approaching. Mark your calendars now.

Why

Depending on how you reckon things, this is either our second annual gathering – or our first.

It is our second if you count the 2017 gathering that was widely known as “Debra’s Gathering at Rice Ranch.” Robert, of course, was there for the 2017 gathering, but Two Meander was not officially a thing until the following month (January 2018).

It is our first gathering if you reckon that the first gathering was just “Debra’s Gathering” that Robert attended, but we think it is more fun to consider it as our second annual gathering 🙂

No matter how you reckon it though, the 2017 gathering was a great time. New friendships were formed, existing friendships were strengthened, nomadic lifestyle tips were exchanged, gear was swapped and gifted, vendors were visited, meals were consumed, and campfires (complete with music) were enjoyed.

As you can see, whether this is our first gathering or second gathering, it is sure to be a fantastic time for everyone. We are confident that you won’t want to miss this event.

• 

• 

• 

• 

When

The Two Meander Annual Gathering 2018 will be held from December 12-16. The event begins at noon on December 12 and ends at noon on December 16.

After the gathering has concluded on December 16, we will be heading to a top secret location for some R&R 🙂

Where

The Two Meander Annual Gathering 2018 will be held at Rice Ranch in Quartzsite, Arizona. Rice Ranch is an RV park and vendor site located in the heart of Quartzsite just across the road from the Big Tent.

We selected Rice Ranch as the venue for our gathering for a few reasons:

1. Prices are very reasonable for drydocking. (Drydocking is just like boondocking, except you are not out in the boonies.)
2. Flush toilets and dumpster are provided on site just a short walk from where we will be camped.
3. Rice Ranch is located in the midst of many vendors and literally within sight of the Big Tent. We usually prefer boondocking as far from civilization as possible, but once in a while it is fun to mix it up and visit town.
4. While we spend a lot of time camping for free, we also like to support local, family businesses when possible.
5. Access is easy for everyone, regardless of vehicle or mobility impairments. The entire parking lot at Rice Ranch is level gravel, and it is located immediately off a paved, major road in Quartzsite. Nobody is excluded because the terrain is difficult.
6. It is legal. Hosting a gathering on public land often requires permits that can be difficult and time-consuming to obtain. Hosting at a private campground allows us to be sure that everything is legal and there will be plenty of room for everyone.

What

The Two Meander Annual Gathering 2018 will mostly be an informal time to meet new people, connect with old friends, and get to know us a bit (if you really want to). We do, however, have a few optional events planned during the gathering as well.

• A vendor walk-around to see and experience Quartzsite (it really is a carnival-like atmosphere during winter)
• Behind the Scenes Demonstrations (did you ever wonder what goes into making a Two Meander video?)
  • Planning and Shooting a Video
  • Editing a Video
  • Publishing a Video on YouTube
  • Social Media
• One craft/skills session. Open to anyone. Bring your own. (one afternoon for a couple of hours, TBD)
  • Robert will participate in a photography/videography session. Bring your own equipment and share ideas, skills and projects.
  • Debra will participate in a crafts session. Most likely Debra will be working with a friend to bead a bracelet, but bring your own craft to work on and enjoy the together time.
• Nightly meetups around a fire pit

Note that all planned events will be dependent on the weather. A tentative schedule is being developed, and events will be spread out during the gathering. While event dates and times are flexible and  subject to change, we will have a printed schedule available for you upon arrival.

Cost

We have carefully selected a venue that we hope will be affordable for everyone. The costs for drydocking at Rice Ranch are less than at many county, state, or Forest Service campgrounds. In addition, the managers have generously offered a discount for those who are attending the Two Meander gathering!

• Drydock Camping – $5.92/night (this is a $2 per night Two Meander discount)
• Site with FULL Hookups – $30/night
• Day Use Fee (only for those who are not camping on site, see details below) – $2/day

Reservations

Reservations are not needed at Rice Ranch to attend the Two Meander gathering. Please do let us know if you plan to attend though (and which dates) so that we can set up accordingly.

Please DO NOT contact Rice Ranch with questions. This is a very busy season for them, and we have agreed to manage the details of this event. Contact us directly with any questions or concerns, and then just register with the office on your arrival.

Camping Check-In

Please check in with the office to register if you will be camping at Rice Ranch during the gathering. Just let them know that you are there for the Two Meander gathering and they will charge you the discounted rate and direct you to where we are set up for the event.

Day Use Check-In

Please do not check in with the office if you are only visiting for the day, but are not spending the night. We will collect the day use fees and turn them over to the managers.

Directions

Rice Ranch is located on the southeast corner of Central Boulevard and E Kuehn Street in Quartzsite. We hope to see you there!

You can watch the entire playlist of videos from the 2017 Rice Ranch Meetup (here).