Meet The Colorful Automotive Nomads Of The American Southwest

The town of Quartzsite, Arizona, has an official population of 2,413 according to the U.S. Census. But each winter, that number grows exponentially as vehicle dwellers of all kinds set up camp on public land just outside town, reports the Guardian. The warm winters and free camping on public land for two weeks at a time, or a seven-month Long Term Visitor Area permit for just $180, attract people from all walks of life, forming temporary communities and lasting friendships in the desert.

The reasons for taking up temporary residency in Quartzsite are as varied as the people themselves. They range from the well-off in their latest and greatest RVs, to digital nomads in homebuilt camper vans, to retirees trying to stretch their meager Social Security checks as far as possible while living in whatever vehicle they can afford. Some are there for the good weather. Others come for events like the Quartzsite RV Show and the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous. Still others simply appreciate taking a break from a life of constant travel and movement, always staying one step ahead of overnight parking laws and increasing restrictions on living in a vehicle.

The Guardian article is well worth a read if you've ever been curious about the realities of van life. It goes into the details of how and why various people do it. A common thread among the various nomads is being priced out of "sticks and bricks" housing, then falling in love with the freedom of life on the road.

The reason why I relate to the Guardian's article so much is that I was an automotive nomad myself. I lived in my camper van for three winters at La Posa South LTVA, just outside Quartzsite, and traveled the country the rest of the year. My $180 per-season fee covered water, trash, bathrooms, and a place to settle down for several months. I even know a few of the people the Guardian talks about in their story.

The community aspect the article keeps referring to is quite real. Many of the people who just happened to camp near me became good friends with whom I've stayed in touch ever since. One of them even became my wife, and now we're building a home together in the Ozarks. People in my camp would head into town to eat together, explore local wildlife areas, and celebrate holidays together. One time I parked my van right next to a friend's Super Bowl party so we could watch the game reliably through my Starlink. Just about every night, we would gather just before sunset, watch the sun go down, and enjoy the light show, because Arizona sunsets are the best.

Justin Hughes/Jalopnik

It wasn't just fun and games, either. We'd help each other out when we needed it. I don't know how many times I plugged my OBD2 scanner into some stranger's rig to help them figure out what was wrong with it. Likewise, someone I knew from the internet, but barely knew in real life, drove me to Lake Havasu City, 80 miles away, to buy a clutch cable for my motorcycle at the nearest dealer who had one in stock. It was a pop-up temporary society where we set our differences aside and genuinely looked out for each other. After my time there, I'm convinced that it's the sort of community we could use a lot more of in the world.