California, Here We Come!

April 18

We had a leisurely morning in Lake Havasu City, a resort and retirement community. In 1958 Robert McCulloch purchased 3353 acres and in 1962 McCulloch Properties bought 13,000 more acres. In 1962 the city was established and in 1968 McCulloch purchased London Bridge when it was being demolished in London. He bought the bridge disassembled for 2.5 million dollars and spent 7 million more putting it back together over a channel in Lake Havasu. 

So, after breakfast, we headed to the bridge and took a long walk along the channel boardwalk in  the breezy high 70s. This is "boat heaven!"  We saw a guy "fly boarding!"  If you're interested, Google it!  After a stop at In and Out Burger and then at Starbucks, we left Lake Havasu City at noon intending to go south on 95 in Arizona, onto I10 and into California. 

However, as we approached Parker Dam, which is on the Colorado River and created Lake Havasu, we decided to take a short detour across the dam and found ourselves on the Parker Dam Back Country Byway along Rt. 62 and the Colorado Aqueduct. We knew there were scenic byways but, after yesterday's trip, we realized there are also Back Country Byways. Talk about desert!!  Sand dunes, cliffs in the distance, 90 degrees. 

At 1:00 we decided to put up the top; we were frying in the sun!  67 miles through the desert, straight, flat, few vehicles, no cell phone service. This is about as desolate an area as we've traversed. These roads are 100% more fun, though, than the interstate and, except through the mountains, they're mostly 65 mph. NO TRUCKS!! It's 90 degrees in April.....can you imagine how hot it gets in July?  We hope the Mustang holds up!  So far, it's been perfect!  Oops!  Shouldn't have said that!  

At 2:20 we got on I10 in Desert Center and headed for Bea and Tom's in Indian Wells.   We arrived at 3:45, temp 96 degrees. We picked Bea up at the airport (she'd been in MN for Abe's first communion), had dinner at a French restaurant. After we got back to their hacienda, we gabbed for a short while but we were all tired!  Good night!