# American Nomads



## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

On BBC 4 tonite first of 3 programs on American Nomads in their RV's seen a trailer for it looks good.

Andy


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

what time, andy? Might be worth watching, or recording...


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi Mike

10PM

Broom


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

I think it is on over 3 nights this week, saw a trailer on the net this afternoon. 

Some nice vans and you would not belive how many meet at a Texan town for the winter.

Andy


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi Andy

I have a mate who is on route there from Edmonton Canada, he is arriving around 5th December, awaiting him making contact as he is travelling by himself, not bad for 74.

Best Regards
Broom


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## BritStops (Mar 3, 2011)

Watched it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Not all about motorhomers, but the 10,000-strong encampment of "snowbirds"* in the desert was something to see, as was "Slab City", the anarchist free town of motorhomes and caravans.

Was also moved by the story of the young lad "Comfrey".

Will definitely try to watch the next two episodes. 

Many thanks for pointing it out Andy.

Steve

*snowbirds = white plumed creatures who migrate south in the winter (aka retired motorhomers!)


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## jonesy1 (Sep 28, 2008)

Can't wait till Dougie gets to "slab city." He will sort them out. 

Les.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Sort*



jonesy1 said:


> Can't wait till Dougie gets to "slab city." He will sort them out.
> 
> Les.


Or they will sort him out! :wink:

Is the show repeated ?

TM


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

You can get it on the iplayer. I will watch it tonite with any luck. 2 more this week I think.


Andy


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

inkey-2008 said:


> You can get it on the iplayer. I will watch it tonite with any luck. 2 more this week I think.
> Andy


For those without iPlayer can you say when the next prog is please Andy?

Ray.


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## wilse (Aug 10, 2007)

Not sure it's it's a repeat, but it's on BBC4, 1st Dec at 1.00am!


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## BritStops (Mar 3, 2011)

wilse said:


> Not sure it's it's a repeat, but it's on BBC4, 1st Dec at 1.00am!


Yes, and the third one appears to be on Tues 6th Dec on BBC HD only!?

Not sure how this BBC4 thing works!

Steve


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Just checked the programme guide on-line and looks as though that is a repeat. Been through as far as next Monday but it looks like this is a one off programme not a series.

Denise


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## BritStops (Mar 3, 2011)

Yes, think you're right, Denise.

They talk about all 3 "broadcasts", not "episodes".

Shame, I'd have watched more of them!

Worth 90 mins of your time on iPlayer if you can get it, though.

Steve


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Watched it on iplayer. quite interesting. So if you were full timing in the US would you rather stay in the desert with the Snow Birds or at Slab City with the hippies and loons?

I think I would do both but worryingly suspect I would have a better time at Slab City.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I found Slab City very interesting and full of characters. My wife on the other hand couldn't get out fast enough. She was worried about the 'inmates'.

Quartzsite is the Mecca of RVs all winter. There is a Brits Rally 10 mile south of Quartzsite on Valentines day (week) where a dozen or so RVs get together.

Ray.


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## bktayken (Oct 11, 2008)

*Amerian Nomads*

Its on BBC HD Tonight 30th Nov at 22.00 looking forward to it as we cant get bbc3/4 here.

Brian


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## PILOTEFAN (Jul 19, 2010)

Hi

If you have Virgin its on catch up. 
I saw it last night it was really interesting

Oh to be a snowbird, maybe one day

We met some in OZ and they seemed to have a lovely life, they are called "Silver surfers" over there


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Thanks for the heads-up. I watched this on the iplayer yesterday. Slab City looked scary.

I seem to remember there was a previous TV documentary on the US snowbirds and Quartzsite which featured them at much greater length. Looked like a lot of fun to me. Apparently, thanks to the snowbirds camping in their RVs in January and February the population of Quartzsite (officially 3,397 in 2006 according to Wikipedia) grows even bigger than the population of Phoenix, the Arizona state capital! Another advantage seems to be that the snowbirds can cross the border into Mexico to obtain much cheaper dental treatment and prescription medicines.

Not long ago I watched another TV documentary called Gap Year Grans about the Australian snowbirds and full-timers. Fascinating.

SD

[PS when the BBC website asked me to upgrade my Flash player version I made the mistake of also installing the google toolbar. Don't - the privacy invasion / snooping by google of all your web use is unbelievable, if you read their policy, and not all the snooping features can be disabled. So I had to uninstall + system restore to get rid of it.]


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes SD.
I still have two crowns, glasses and blood pressure pills from Mexico.

Great place for Margaritas and 'genuine' Rolex watches for $5.

Ray.


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## bktayken (Oct 11, 2008)

*American Nomad*

Very disappointing turned if off after an hour,thought it would be more about RVing in the US..when he got to Quartz/ Slab thought it was going to get interesting NO only skirted over the RV position.
Then we where off with the drop outs dead legs crackheads and outright nutters
Not for me 
Brian


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

I must say from the trailer I thought it would be all about the RV's and their way of life.

But along time ago I traveled down though alot of the places he went to and that brought back a lot of good memories for me.

Andy


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

inkey-2008 said:


> I must say from the trailer I thought it would be all about the RV's and their way of life.
> 
> But along time ago I traveled down though alot of the places he went to and that brought back a lot of good memories for me.
> Andy


Me too Andy.
We have experienced and enjoyed many of the places he went to and I would still be doing it this winter if finances allowed.

We came back to Quartzsite, Vegas, Yuma, Tucson and the Mexican border towns quite often.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the program.

Ray.


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi All

As in my previous post, my mate has confirmed he is parked up in Vegas, he is staying there until the 4th December, then progressing to the site where he is booked in until the end of March. 

He is meeting up with other Canadians/Expat-Brits, I am trying to find out what they call the site, but he is not the best at communication.

Best Regards
Broom


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi Broom.
Yes we do need more info.
Yuma has lots of Canadians and snowbirds that spend the winter in plots surrounded by Mexican Walls (rustic). Many of these plots are rented out to 4 or 6 RVs for the duration. 

We have many Brit and Canadian friends who congregate 10 mile south of Quartzsite for a week or ten days mid Feb. It's known as the Brits Valentine rally. All are welcome and it's free. 
It's at Marker 99 on State Road 95 heading south from Quartzsite. 

Ray.


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi All

As my previous posts, my mate has arrived at his winter retreat, the site is. Leaf Verde. Buckeye. Arizona. It is about 30 miles west of Phoenix.

May have a trip out to send some time with him. 

Anyone in that area call in and see him he will be glad of the contact, you will recognise him easily 6' 4'' tall, about 4' across the shoulders, around 18st, looks 50 but is 74.

Best Regards
Broom


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