Lake Havasu City, AZ

Ray wondered if we would see palm trees on our trip.  They were everywhere!  But we learned that they are not a native species to this area and need lots of water. There were so many different kinds.  This one is a date palm. 

Lake Havasu City is one of this little stops we made because it was halfway to somewhere else.  However, we did learn about it and several other stops we made, because of the "Paddling Bryans".  Sometimes the story is half the (mis)adventure!  We watched their second season which saw them paddling down the Colorado River, and this made many names like Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, and Lake Havasu City household names for us.   How could you NOT stop here?

Lake Havasu City is on Lake Havasu, a reservoir created by the Parker Dam.  And in a dry climate, any place with an accumulation of water, like Lake Havasu is a magnet for water sports. We saw houseboats in dry dock that were as big as our house!!!!  Its lesser claim to fame is that the actual London Bridge, which was dismantled from London England in 1967,was reassembled here in 1971 and still stands today.  An architectural marvel.  If you have the money, you can buy a bridge. (This is your geography lesson for today...)

And the last photo is on the way to Grand Canyon.  Within a 3 hour radius of Flagstaff you can go skiing in the Arizona Snowbowl (San Francisco Peaks), boating on Lake Havasu or Lake Powell, or hiking in the Grand Canyon.  They really do have it all.

On our we to Flagstaff and Sedona, we drive along the other side of those mountains.   Watch for them in the roadshow post coming up somewhere down the line!

In preparing for our trip I had really hoped to pick up a set of filters for my camera.  I ended up running out of time and decided to make do.   While driving in California  I discovered that I could adjust the colour saturation and add filter type adjustments in my manual settings!!  Playing with my camera is such a fun part of my vacation.

Next...a 3 day stopover in Grand Canyon National Park. 

Imperial Valley, CA

After leaving Salvation  Mountain we headed north-ish toward Lake Havasu City, AZ.
It is somewhat surreal to be driving through a dessert with dunes and with sand drifting across the road.  Like Egypt or an Arab nation. I felt it warranted to stop at the scenic lookout. It being scenic and all.

These fellas had been here for a few days already.  Made me think of my brothers and how much they like to play with sleds, quads, and bikes! So these shots are really for them!  It ended up being one of those fun, unexpected surprise type things that made you glad you stopped...even though it made you late!

The rest of the drive was just as adventurous complete with series of dips in the road where you surely could catch some air!  ....and a border patrol checkpoint complete with armed guards and a canine unit. We think they were checking for substances or smuggled humans.   This moment alone made us change our after-dark travel route to a much larger highway.  The road more traveled just seemed a safer option.

Salvation Mountain, CA

Salvation Mountain, is just outside of Niland, CA, in the middle of the dessert.

It was a warm but overcast afternoon and the light was amazing.

Salvation Mountain is one of the places on this earth that you'd love to visit someday, but know you probably never will. When  Third Day's, "Revelation" album came out in 2008, and featured this place I thought, wow, that is so cool!  When we planned our trip to Arizona, we decided to include this and make a 6 hr detour.  SO worth it!
 
I am amazed that someone would set out to accomplish a feat like this.  To declare this Good News to the world, wear it on your sleeve in a way that's visible from space on Google Earth! 

I sat for sometime by the Living Water on the hill, a River in the wasteland.  Feeling the dessert wind.  Just contemplating for a bit.  Looking out.  I see the campers, RV's, motor homes, and tents scattered across the road.  This is a common roadside sight, peppered all across California dessert areas.  People squat wherever they want and live off the grid.  They set up a clothes line, some chairs by a fire pit, and live their lives.  They are nomads.  No rules. No plumbing.  No expectations. No life demands.  Alone....and wanting to be left alone.  I'm not sure I see the appeal of that lifestyle.  Don't get me wrong, I loved the wandering nature of our trip and the remote hikes we made, leaving the crowds behind, but I don't think I could live outside of community, even when it gets messy. 

Next stop...a scenic lookout in Imperial Valley, CA.  Too much fun to skim over!!