Theory on Snowbird demographic change

[DONnANNIE]

This sort of goes with the theme of this thread. An article in the Spokesman-Review - Wheel Life column, a WSU Professor got a grant to study "Snowbirds". I thought it was an interesting article.
If it is to big, delete it.

Wheel Life: Snowbirds 11/18/06


Washington State University professor Stephen Chalmers, photographed with his RV on Highway 195 near Spokane, received a grant to study RV snowbird culture in Arizona and California. (Photo by HOLLY PICKETT The Spokesman-Review )

Fast facts

If you are a snowbird and want to participate in this survey, contact Chalmers at image@askew-view .com or visit his Web site at www.askew-view.com.

Julianne Crane
Staff writer
November 18, 2006

Stephen Chalmers leans forward in his chair and confesses.

"I have absolutely no RVing experience," he admits with a sly grin.

"I'm an expedition-type backpacker," he continues, "and before this I have never been in an RV, much less slept in one."

All of that is about to change.

Chalmers, an assistant professor of photography and digital media at Washington State University in Pullman, recently received a grant to study RV snowbird culture in the Southwest.

The first week in December, he and a photography assistant are driving south for a four-week trip to RV hot spots in Arizona and Southern California.

The 36-year-old South Hill resident plans to meets RVers, then interview and photograph them in their mobile environments. He intends to do the same with a number of permanent residents from the communities near where the RVers have set up winter camp.

Part of Chalmers' study will examine the symbiotic relationship between the snowbirds and year-round residents.

After Chalmers returns to the Inland Northwest, he'll process his findings and organize his photographs for exhibition.
The rig

The WSU prof says his "seed money" grant does not include funds to purchase or rent a recreational vehicle, so he needed to find a good deal on a used rig.

A few weeks ago while scanning Craigslist online, Chalmers stumbled onto that "good deal"— a 1988 21-foot Toyota Dolphin for $2,000.

"I spotted the listing at about 10 a.m. one Sunday," recalls Chalmers. "I called the gentleman who was selling it and by noon I was on a plane to Portland."

After test driving the rig, Chalmers handed over the two grand and drove "Flipper" back to Spokane the following day.

"I've dropped maybe another $500 to $700 fixing up the engine and interior," says Chalmers.

He's also joined AAA and is considering Good Sam membership and picking up an additional RV emergency road service before heading out.
Quartzsite

At the top of Chalmers' destination list is Quartzsite, Ariz., the "Snowbird Capital of the Southwest."

Quartzsite, one of the most interesting RV locations in the U.S., is 125 miles west of Phoenix at the junction of Interstate 10 and U.S. 95, near the Colorado River.

Its permanent population of about 3,550 explodes when snowbirds flock to the more than 70 RV parks in the area and cheap rent on nearby Bureau of Land Management sites.

They also come for the giant, ongoing mineral shows, massive flea markets and annual RV show. The BLM and law enforcement agencies estimate more than 1.5 million people attend events.

•For background information on Quartzsite go to www.quartzsiteaz.com.•BLM information is available at www.blm.gov/az/yfo/laposa.htm.

•"Greatest DVD on Quartzsite," $24.95, is at www.rvbookstore.com.
Slab City, Calif.

Another spot circled on Chalmers' map is Slab City, a free RV oasis located in the desert near Salton Sea, about three miles southwest of Niland, Calif.

The "community" takes its name from the concrete slabs and pylons that remain on the abandoned World War II military base.

Today it is used by mostly recreational vehicle owners in the winter, and "Slabbers," the permanent residents.

Read about the informal organization that watches over Slab City by going to www.slabcity.org.
Holiday question

I'm working on a collection of special RV holiday memories that will be published on the Saturday before Christmas.

Where did you spend your most unusual, romantic or crazy winter holiday in your RV?

Sent it to me by e-mail: juliannec@spokesman.com, call (509) 459-5435 or write to Wheel Life, The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99201.

[Parrothead]

Great - an article by a guy that has never been in an RV! While Quartzsite and Slab City are there, I personally don't think this represents the "usual" snowbirds. I live in a snowbird town. It use to be more of one than it is now but I think he should have gone to various towns in AZ like Yuma, Phoenix, etc., and interviewed people at some of the more upscale sites. And perhaps here in Hemet. We have banners across the main street that says "Welcome Winter Visitors". JMHO
Happy trails.........................

[smc]

Same in Yuma, we are made to feel very welcome. There are a lot of businesses that only operate in the winter while snowbirds are here. They are even building a Walmart out here in the Foothills where there are a lot of Rv Parks. We have driven past Quartzsite many times and have wondered what people do there for the whole winter, specially the ones parked way out by themselves. In the parks here, a lot of people have been coming for years (20 or more in some cases) so it is like home. They have their circle of friends and have chosen their parks as to what activities they enjoy etc. There are lots of golf courses, a big flea market, lots of restaurants, and generally no lack of things to do, a lot of them geared towards snowbirds.

[FulltimeFollies]

Darn, I need to talk to this guy. I could use "grant" to study the ways of snowbirds or fulltimers or partimers or the flight of the dodo bird. Sure would help with the day to day living expensesa!! I think that slab city is a gathering of the less than lucky and the downtrodden who exploit the virtues of rvs. If that is indicative of rving of any kind, I dont fit the mold , nor any of our many friends. Q is strickly an idea that when bad about 20 years ago, and is now folk lore of days gone by. Used to be , you could go there for a couple of months and save up your rent money, while on a yearly trip to the promised land of Calif and good weather. Now its a tourist trap for rvers. Florida snowbirding is becoming the same due to "seasonal" activities such as the race week, bike week, christmas in St Augustine, rich folks in Key West (Which years ago was cheaper than other places in Fla). Disney killed the Lakeland/Orlando snowbirders and the hurricanes killed the homeowners. Until Az, and they seem headed that way now, figure out the allure of the rvers, and the RGV become North Mexicao, they are the leaders in snowbirders now. NMex still hasnt figured out they have everything these others have plus , but they will. Then again, these problems, if you consider em problems, are what makes snowbirding and living and traveling in rvs , the great living that it is.

[richfaa]

We are going to spend a "few days"in Quartz site, maybe less, Helen wants to go to one of the Gem Shows. I would not call Quartz site typical of snow birders at all. I did read the guys article and for a alleged researcher he did not research deep enough .Our investigation over the last 3 years indicated that folks are doing less"wintering"which I attribute to a weak economy and high fuel prices. Wintering is shifting from Flordia and points South to the S.W. It is much more profitable to build Condo's than to keep a present C.G or build a new one in Flordia. You may also note more "RV resorts" that are built around a Golf Course or other activities rather than just a place to park your RV...There is still a wide choice and something that will please everyone...that is the fun of it...

[carlson]

It is what ever fits your style!!
We live in NH for 5 months, the kids are in MN.
Looking at NH to MN to FL was 3100 miles and NH to MN to Yuam AZ was 3300 miles.
Yuma 1/2" of rain per month
Sunny 99% of the time.
Low humidity 20%
Warm days and nice sleeping nights.
Flordia 1/2" of rain every afternoon
Partly cloudy.
High humidity 90%
Warm humid days and sticky sleeping nights
Yuma, Spanish spoken here
FL, Spanish spoken there.
Yuma close to the boarder.
I was born and raised in Concord, NH 1 mile from state prison, when they escaped, they don't stay close to the prison.
Yuma, they cross the boarder, and don't stay in Yuma
It is all in what you like and if a couple hundred dollars in fuel makes you change your mind on a location, well that is your choice.

[fc5v]

I have to agree with Carlson.
We have been here in Yuma for a month now. The foothills is where we are staying. Been up to quartzsite looking around. You can see more & more people every day now. I hear after Christmas it really gets crowded. The people we talked to say the lower cost of staying here more than makes up for the added fuel cost.
Your right it was hard to find a place in Florida. The parks told me I needed to make reservations by April 1. I tried guite a few cg's. I was lucky and got a spot in Clearwater. Going there in Dec. Will stay until April. Then back to Michigan.

[Old GI]

Well, the snowbirds start arriving around Thanksgiving, or just after. Hurricane season officially ends 30 November, so we will have the usual crowds until Easter when they all head back up North. I spent most of my life away from Florida, 21 years in the Army and another 21 years with the Department of Defense travelling to all of the exotic armpits. Now that I am home to stay I doubt that I will ever go North of the Florida State line. It gets pretty warm here in the summertime but not unbearable. As far as humidity goes, Houston and St. Louis give new meaning to the word humidity, we live on the East coast not too far in from the ocean and there is usually a nice ocean breeze. I have lived and travelled throughout the Northeast, Southwest, midwest, Central/South America and the Caribbean as well as the far east, middle east and Europe. I guess a place is as good or bad as you want it to be, I'll take Florida year round over all of them.