Fall 2022 Episode 6: Lake Havasu Part 2

On January 17, 2023January 19, 2023 By LToddIn Arizona, California, RV Travel, Travel4 Comments

Our two-week stay was too busy to pack into one post, so here is the rest of the story about our time in Lake Havasu City in October 2022.

We’re suckers for a parade, especially small-town parades like the London Bridge Days Parade. So we packed up our lawn chairs and headed to McCulloch Blvd. to celebrate the 51^st Anniversary of the London Bridge. The parade theme was Life is Better at the Lake.

Side-by-side owners showed off their off-road buggies

A show of force by the Lake Havasu City SWAT team

Later in the day, it was on to the London Bridge Marina to watch the costumed paddle boarders and kayakers navigate the Bridgewater Channel from Rotary Park to the bridge. It would have been fun to join the Annual Witches Paddle, but my wrist hadn’t quite healed enough.

Moms, dads, kids, and even dogs joined the event

Big turn out for the Annual Witch’s Paddle

It seemed like the whole town comes out for Lake Havasu Fright Night on October 31. We joined my sister Merri, her daughter Tracy, and her daughter Bobbi. I liked the idea of concentrating the trick-or-treating in one location. Given that many of the homes are built in hilly areas, and some are second homes and unoccupied full-time, gathering downtown worked out well for the kids and parents alike.

Bobbi (dressed as Wednesday) and friend checking out the dragon

Bobbi tries the ring toss and gets a five

I’ll take one from this bucket, and another handful from that bucket

Isn’t that the red-headed witch paddler we saw a few days ago?

Turn around, Tracy and look at the sunset.

Parker Dam at Take Off Point

After a busy few days, my sister Merri needed time to herself to take care of chores, so Jon and I went for a drive along the California side of the river. We can’t drive that route when we’re pulling the fifth wheel because trailers are banned from crossing over Parker Dam.

Before crossing the river, we stopped at Take Off Point, where there is a boat ramp, fishing piers, shade structure, picnic table, and if the fish are biting, there is a fire pit to cook lunch or dinner. Parker Dam is close enough to capture a few photos of the lakeside of the dam.

Darn, Jon left his fishing gear in the truck

We were lucky this great blue heron was unafraid of people. He or she posed for us from its perch on the rocks.

BLM Rock House Visitor Center

Next, we crossed the bridge and stopped to take photos of the river side of the dam before heading south on Parker Dam Road. Boy, how things had changed. The Bureau of Reclamation used to give tours of the dam. Not anymore.

About eight miles south of the dam, we pulled into the BLM Rock House Visitor Center. Neither of us remembered a visitor center along the river. Signs appeared at the entrance of all the resorts along the river, noting that the RV resort or campground operates in cooperation with BLM.

There wasn’t much to the center other than a few displays inside and a clean restroom. The facility host said it had recently reopened after having been closed for a few years. The landscaping looked okay out front, but in the back and on the side, the plants and hardscape were definitely in need of attention.

Boat launch at Rock House Visitor Center

Oatman

My sister Merri hadn’t been to Oatman ghost town for a while, so we took the drive out there. This is a Route 66 attraction for those interested in traveling the historic route. It was a gloomy day and a bit windy and cold too. The burros were a no-show in town. It wasn’t until we left we saw them moseying toward town. We wandered around, stopped in a few shops, and raided the candy store.

Merri walks past Jenny and Jacks Artifacts

A tinkling sound of wind chimes came from Fast Fanny’s porch

“Look, Jon. A candy store. Maybe they have the penuche fudge you’ve been looking for.”

Nope. It’s too short. Do you have a longer one?

More sunsets

As the sun slips below the horizon, painting another awesome sky, we close out this post and say goodbye to Lake Havasu.

And that’s a wrap of our Lake Havasu visit. What’s up next? Let’s see. We’ve been to the mountains, then to the desert. How about the sea? Join us next time for another stay at Pismo Beach.

Safe Travels

Fall 2022 Episode 5: To the Desert and Lake Havasu City

On January 14, 2023January 16, 2023 By LToddIn Arizona, RV Travel, Travel2 Comments

From Joshua Tree National Park, we traveled east to Lake Havasu on Twenty-nine Palms (SR 62) road on October 21. A short distance from the railroad crossing in Rice, something up ahead caught our attention. Folks on the internet call it the Gas Island Shoe Tree.

Someone expanded the idea and created a Mask Bush (my words). Close by stood the ruins of a concrete and stone building adorned by spray-can artists. There was an old school at this spot when my family drove this way to and from the Colorado River during the 1960s and early 1970s. I’m not sure if it is the same building.

After our brief respite, we continued on up the Arizona side of the Colorado River to Lake Havasu City and soon arrived at Havasu Hills, pleased we had found reservations to accommodate us since no other RV park had vacancies.

Lucky for us the 2022-23 season opener at Havasu 95 Speedway gave us something to do for a night out. Unfortunately, our friend Chris Blackwell had a bit of trouble with his #99 car and had to give up in the middle of the race. We still had a good time visiting with him and his family and watching the go-carts, flat karts, and factory stock cars race around the track. I liked the Bandoleros the best. The speedway operates races once or twice a month, from October through April each year.

It’s hard to pass up live music at the Bunker Bar while in Lake Havasu City. What could be better than rocking out,out,out,out, drinking a can of beer, and eating a hamburger or hot dog while watching a couple show off their dance moves in front of the bandstand? Checking out the collection of military equipment and dinosaurs installed since our last visit was a bonus.

We had a new restaurant to try during this visit. Next to Havasu Hills is Iron Wolf Golf and Country Club, where we ate at Bogeys and Stogies Sports Lounge and Grill. The golf course was, and still is as of the posting date, under renovation, but the restaurant had recently reopened. The typical sports bar with plenty of TVs hanging from the walls served up crispy-on-the-outside and flaky-on-the-inside fish and chips, paired with a delicious salad.

Bogey’s and Stogies Sports Lounge and Grill

We hadn’t been on the lake in several years, so we reserved three seats on the Sunset Copper Canyon Cruise. The 90-minute narrated tour set out from Lake Havasu Marina, passing by one of the 28 lighthouse replicas installed along the 400 miles of shoreline. Formed in 2000, the Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club builds and maintains the replica lighthouses. Each of the lighthouses is a scaled-down replica of a famous one gracing the shores of the East Coast, West Coast, and the Great Lakes. They all serve as working navigation aids.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse, original is at Corolla, NC, installed October 31, 2004

While the boat headed south, our tour guide regaled us with tales of Robert McCulloch, the founding father of Lake Havasu City, and the historical and military uses of the land prior to his arrival. I remembered as a child listening to my parents and grandparents talk about McCulloch. They laughed at the crazy man who bought the London Bridge and rebuilt it in the middle of a desert.

A lake perspective of the city showed us how much growth had occurred over the years and yet there remains stretches of untouched desert hills, much of which is owned by the Bureau of Land Management. I’ve watched the London Bridge Village during its bustling periods and in the lean years. By the looks of things during this visit, the businesses and restaurants have survived the pandemic and are thriving. With a population that has grown from 4,111 during the 1970 census to 57,144 in 2020, and adding in the approximately 835,000 visitors during a year, I guess Mr. McCulloch wasn’t so crazy after all.

As the sun began its descent behind hills, we entered Copper Canyon. Shadows revealed the gray and green and red tones of the canyon walls, which fade away under harsh sunlight, as if an artist had come along and splashed the walls with a touch of paint. It’s no wonder why this canyon is one of the most scenic on Lake Havasu.

Mine tailings are a reminder of mining activity in years past

Permaquid Point, original in Permaquid Point. ME, installed on February 11, 2017

The sunset photo is a good place to say adieu for now. More on our Lake Havasu visit to come.

Safe Travels

Fall 2021 Tour Episode 6: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

On March 3, 2022March 2, 2022 By LToddIn Arizona, Photography, RV Travel, Travel2 Comments

Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was our destination on November 5, 2021. We hadn’t seen my sister, Merri, since November 2019, four months before the world shut down to ward off a nasty virus. On the way, we stopped for a break at a spot large enough for our rig somewhere in the desert north of Desert Center on Rice Road, State Route 177. We lingered a while to take in the view of the red hills across the road.

Our usual RV Park of choice is Prospectors RV Resort, when we visit Lake Havasu. This time we tried Campbell Cove. At our site across from the office, trees shaded the driver’s side of our fifth wheel. And no one pulled in beside us. Although the sites were smaller than the ones at Prospectors, being closer to town was more convenient.

Breakfast at the Red Onion is a must, so we met Merri there the next day. After our meal, I noticed the London Bridge Mural on the building across the parking lot. “Hey,” I said. “Let’s take a selfie?” The series of photos below will give you an idea of how many boomers it takes to create a selfie.

We featured our visit to The Bunker Bar in our November 11, 2021, blog post, so here, I’ll just compare what the place looked like while under construction in November 2019 and what it looked like two years later. If interested in reading more about the bar and watching a 360 degree video, go here.

What could be better than sitting with family on The Blue Chair—now just called The Chair—patio overlooking the London Bridge, eating lunch, and listening to live music? The afternoon could not have been more perfect with a great view, great food, great music, and great family fun.

Check out The Chair for good eats and view

I wish I had photographic evidence of Jon, Merri, and me paddle boarding for our first time. None of us wanted to risk dropping our phones in the water, and I sure didn’t want to drop my Sony A6500 camera. Nautical Watersports hooked us up with boards, paddles, and life vests and set us loose in the little cove a few steps from the store. The no-wake location was the perfect place for our maiden attempt at balancing on a board and paddling about.

Merri, the youngest of us, popped up on her board first. I started out on my knees and graduated to a squatting position before my shaky legs straightened enough to stand. Then presto, magic. My legs stopped shaking. It took Jon a while to stand, and he said his legs never stopped shaking. Next time, we’ll do better. Can’t wait for warm weather to return so I can try paddle boarding again.

On our final day, we fit in a short hike at Mesquite Bay to enjoy the views of the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, to get a bit of exercise, and take in the views. Mesquite Bay 1 and 2 both have parking, fishing piers, and informational panels, and shelters. Non-motorized watercraft only are allowed in Mesquite Bay.

Mesquite Bay Havasu National Wildlife Refuge

President Franklin D. Roosevelt established Havasu Lake National Wildlife Refuge (current name Havasu National Wildlife Refuge) in 1941, to establish a migratory bird habitat. The refuge encompasses 37,515 acres along the Colorado River and protects 40 river miles and 300 miles of shoreline from Needles, California, to Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Hundreds of birds find the refuge a place to stop, rest, and refuel during their migratory journey each year. And like the human “snowbirds” that roll into town in their RVs, many of the fowl spend the winter and some even breed in the area.

Sadly, our visit to Lake Havasu came to a close, and it was time to move on. But I’m positive this won’t be our last trip to Lake Havasu City.

Next up: Barstow, California, where we check out Calico Ghost Town Regional Park, Peggy Sue’s Restaurant, Barstow Railroad Museum, the historic Harvey House, and Route 66 Mother Road Museum.

Safe Travels

Summer 2021 Tour Ruidoso, New Mexico Episode 1: We roast in Tucson and arrive in Ruidoso

On August 12, 2021August 11, 2021 By LToddIn Arizona, New Mexico, RV Travel, Travel8 Comments

We left the cool San Diego breezes for the furnace of Tucson, where temps reached 115 degrees or more. Tucson/Lazydays KOA Resort was our stop to split up the 12-hour drive to Ruidoso. It was 6:30 pm when we arrived. About an hour later, Jon walked in the door and sat down. Seconds later someone knocked on the door. It was the security guard who had showed us to our site. He said management wanted us to move.

What? No!

A regular guest wanted our site because it had a tree, and they were staying until October. Really? The tree was a scrawny little thing, and the site was one of several that had a cover for shade. Jon talked the manager out of his crazy idea and averted a heatstroke.

The next day we washed clothes, cleaned house, and stayed cool in the air conditioned trailer. We ended the day with an early dinner at Obon Sushi + Bar + Ramen, a place we had eaten before and highly recommend.

While walking back to the truck, I captured a few murals we saw in an alley and a couple of buildings. It’s never too hot to snap a few photos.

Rialto, California, is where I grew up, so whenever I see the name, I have to take a photo. Wikipedia lists 22 theaters named Rialto across the United States.

Mural found in the alley next to the theater

On Thursday, June 17, 2021, we drove the final 6 hours to RV Resort of Ruidoso, New Mexico. The location of our site could not have been better. The park is terraced, and our site was below one site and above another so that we did not feel crammed together. The bonus was that we only had neighbors on the weekend. Compared to all the other sites in the park, I think ours was the best.

We jumped at the chance to have Bailey’s mother and step-father show us around town. This helped us get our bearings and see where everything was located. The gracious company and our lunch at Oso Grill in Capitan was the highlight. Thanks Dale and Dorothy.

On Saturday, we headed to the Hubbard Museum of the American West. Sadly, it had not reopened after its pandemic closure, so we admired the statuary outside.

The empty parking was a sign the museum was closed.

I had seen the galloping horses from the street when we were driving around the day before and wanted to see them up close.

The breeds represented are Standard, Thoroughbred, Quarter horse, Appaloosa, Paint, Arabian, and Morgan.

The Free Spirits at Noisy Water are a collection of eight bronze horse sculptures created by Dave McGary who is known for his realistic and colorful portrayals of Native Americans.

It’s hard to believe the tail and mane are made of bronze too.

The horses appear to jump and gallop, their muscles taut, manes and tails flowing. I was amazed to learn that the eight horses weigh 3,000-5,000 pounds each and are supported and balanced by only nine hooves.

It’s unbelievable the foal galloping next to its mother has all four hooves off the ground.

Plaques detail information on each of the seven breeds represented. The distance from the leaping horse at the top of the hill to these two out front spans 255 feet.

After capturing the photos of the horses, we walked across the street to see if Billy the Kid Scenic Byway Visitor Center was open.

Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway Visitor Center

We picked up maps and pamphlets and wandered around the museum. Billy the Kid (born Henry McCarty and also known as William H. Bonney, Henry Antrim, and Kid Antrim) was a busy guy in Lincoln County. He left a trail of so many historical spots where he committed crimes, where he was jailed, or where he hid out from the lawmen, that he rates a National Scenic Byway. The roads connect the dots between Ruidoso, Capitan, Fort Stanton, Lincoln, and Ruidoso Downs along Highways 48, 380, 230, and 70.

With all the attention Billy gets in this area, you’d think he was a national hero, not an outlaw and murderer. I guess notoriety, no matter what kind, is something to commemorate.

Visitors can learn about many of Billy’s escapades, including his role in the Lincoln County Wars, from the displays.

Billy says, “Learn more about me in Lincoln. I’ll see you there.”

We’ll share a few more tidbits about Billy the Kid in future episodes.

Interested in extraterrestrials? They’re featured here to give a shout out to Roswell.

Extraterrestrials are also featured. Roswell is only 75 miles away.

Smokey the Bear is another popular guy in Lincoln County with a museum dedicated to his life and memory in the Village of Capitan.

The Village of Ruidoso is in Lincoln County and next to the Lincoln National Forest. It had a population of approximately 8,000 in 2019 and sits at an elevation of 6,920 feet (2,051 meters). Ruidoso is a popular destination for the ski resorts in the winter. The rest of the year, the village and surrounding area offers lake and river fishing, hiking, exploring local history, and horse racing at Ruidoso Downs.

Next we drove to Midtown Ruidoso to check out the independent stores and eateries. We didn’t stay long. With so many out-of-town visitors, it was difficult to find parking and hard to walk on the sidewalk with the families and friends taking up the entire width.

We found a much calmer atmosphere when we came back early in the morning one day during the week. With no crowds and few people, I had fun photographing the murals that graced many of the buildings. The Midtown Association funded the public art project, creating a fun outing for photographers and for people who share on social media.

Artisits: Logan Flerity, James Flores, and JB Heard

While taking the mural photos, I came across this Citizens Bank building. I sure would like to know why that little wooden door is there.

Another curiosity were the antique vehicles out front of Rusty Balls Speed Shop.

And the final spot in this post goes to the Ruidoso Fire Department’s community-built Wall of Courage mosaic monument. The monument measures twenty by seventy-five feet.

*Wall of Courage*, Brian Sarinova, designer and lead artist

Stay tuned for more episodes covering our week in Ruidoso.

Safe Travels

The Traveling Todds

Category: Arizona

Fall 2022 Episode 6: Lake Havasu Part 2

Fall 2022 Episode 5: To the Desert and Lake Havasu City

Fall 2021 Tour Episode 6: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Summer 2021 Tour Ruidoso, New Mexico Episode 1: We roast in Tucson and arrive in Ruidoso

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