In Malibu

Jake is on holiday in Phoenix at his puppyhood home and I just arrived in Malibu! This is my first visit to this storied location and as you can see above, I landed in a spectacular spot. From my bedroom/living room/kitchen window I look out over the Pacific. My sister Cari who is out visiting from New York, passed me on the Pacific Coast Highway as I was arriving and followed me in to the RV park.

We each tried to park in my spot here, a difficult backing and turning operation. The guy across from me in the RV park (who is here from Quebec tent camping) offered to park the Airstream since neither Cari nor I were having much luck. He whipped it in to the spot and I am now set up for my Malibu stay.

Photo courtesy of Malibu Beach RV Park.

Quartzsite: It's a Wrap

Fifty days after arriving at this little desert outpost, we're finished. My time in Quartzsite has been amazing. Jake loved it too. Business was good and I've met people I'll remember for the rest of my life. Hopefully I'll see many again.

My good friends and fellow trailerites Dan and Darla came up from Tucson last weekend with their new truck and travel trailer. They have a rig very similar to mine, although they got a S.O.B. (some other brand--not an Airstream). Their trailer is very nice and has a killer floor plan. It was their second trip with their new traveling home. Darla will be full-timing starting in June when Dan heads overseas for a year on assignment with the United States military.

Utahredrock supporter Tom Collins helped me pack up this week. He helped out a lot these past couple of weeks. I am now loaded up and about to head west on Interstate 10. It's crazy how much stuff I have at the end of the show--Quartzsite is a great place to buy and stock up.

Scroll down to view the "Portraits of Quartzsite" series, dedicated to the interesting characters I met during the 2008 season. The series is just beyond photos of new inventory.

With Darla

The Airstreaming Rock Dealer and Darla. I was blessed, really blessed, to have many friends come visit me in remote Quartzsite. Here I am with my dear friend Darla.

The Final Weekend

Closing up shop this past Saturday, my second to last day open for business in Quartzsite.

The Q Marketplace

Another day at the market with Darla's beaming smile and me seriously at work!

Conducting Business

Me, two customers, and Tom Collins (far right) who helped considerably in the last weeks of the show.

A Man and His Airstream

Looking somewhat beat at the end of a long day, here I am with my 1973 Airstream.

Photo by Bryan Edmonds.

Campo del Cielo Meteorite

31 pound Campo del Cielo meteorite (April update: on hold with customer). We have all types of meteorites and all sizes starting at $15. This piece is museum quality. Wooden foo dog in rear (sold).

Pietersite Pendant by Lebe Loola

Pietersite is a stone from Namibia. This pendant ($375) is a good example of the simple but elegant work of Amy Sorensen's Lebe Loola line of jewelry. To see a few more pieces, as well as a handful of other jewelry currently available from Utahredrock, go to the Archive (upper right of this page) and click on the year 1999.

Buddha Carved in Relief (and other pieces)

March 3rd update: The Buddha in relief has sold . . . items in background still available.

Foo Dog, Amber Figurines, Carved Stone Discs, Amethyst

March 3rd update: Big foo dog has sold, other items still available.

Horses in Stone

Two horses playing. Carved from stone, approximately 150 pounds ($750). These horses are available to southern California residents. They are at a friend's warehouse in North Hollywood. Please call me if interested: 928.300.8010. Jim.

Fossil Products from Utahredrock

Trilobites, orthoceras, mosasaurus, ammonites--all from Morocco.

Ammonite Products

Buddhist Monk

Monk carved from wood stands just under 16 inches tall (sold).

Buddhist Monk Profile

Small Buddha Heads and Man

Small Buddhas $25, flat man $70.

Column and Vase

Green marble column 37.33 inches tall (sold) and marble vase--29 inches tall ($375).

Gold Buddhas

Serious and happy Buddhas cast in iron ($145 each). Serious Buddha is about 13.5 inches tall, the happy Buddha is just under 11 inches.

Green glass balls in this photo and others are antique floats for fish nets (sold out).

Foo Dogs

Pair of Foo Dogs 15 inches tall and 43.5 pounds each ($280). Smaller versions also available ($150).

From Wikipedia: "An imperial guardian lion, also called a Fu Lion or a Foo Dog, and called Shi (獅) in Chinese, is a kind of statue believed to have powerful mythic protective powers that has traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, temples, emperors' tombs, government offices, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy from the Han Dynasy (206 BC to 220 AD), until the end of the empire in 1911."

Trilobites

Antique Ship Wheels

The Airstream Land Yacht finds its wheel.

March 9th update: We're out of ship wheels.

Nannette and Foo Dog

The beautiful Nannette Vilushis, a native of Mansfield, Ohio and current resident of Scottsdale, was a house guest in Utahredrock's Airstream and an invaluable assistant in our booth for two days in January. Here she poses with a Chinese Foo Dog carved from wood and available from Utahredrock for $475. She is also modeling jewelry from Lebe Loola offered exclusively by Utahredrock.

The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.

Scotty!

New York antique dealer Scott Volinsky was one of Utahredrock's neighbors for the entire month of January. Always ready with his big grin (suppressed here), Scott has an amazing light in his eyes. Lacking the luxury of Airstream living, Scott is living in his van while on the road this winter.

The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.

Officer Norris

Part of the town's response to a travel trailer fire at Tyson Wells. The fire was on the verge of engulfing a vendor's trailer when Shaggy (see below) and Magic, two young civilians, managed to extinguish it. The city responded quickly, but luckily the job was done by the time they arrived.

The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.

Firefighter Josh Ecret

The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.

Saint B

Jake's not the only dog in Quartzsite.

The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.