10-11-17 - (Day 72 - Hanging around Quartzsite)

We took an easy ride around today, looking at the Arizona desert.   We still can't get over how many boon docking campsites they have here, in addition to the 41 full hook up RV parks.  It must be a madhouse in January when the all the vendors and the predicted million snow birds arrive.

We spent the afternoon getting ready for our departure tomorrow. I washed our clothes and took advantage of the clothes line provided by the campground to hang out our bed sheets for that wonderful, fresh, scent.

The sunset was gorgeous tonight with the reddish fluffy clouds.

We head in an Easterly direction tomorrow.

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10-10-17 - (Day 71 - Quartzsite, Arizona)

Lauren has been fascinated with Quartzsite, Arizona for quite a few years. We were just 143 miles from there when we left Laughlin, Nevada and are camping in a full hookup, Passport America Campground, Split Rail RV Park in Quartzsite.  We have all the amenities we need.

It was a very pretty ride along the Colorado River to get here on Highway 95.

The campground has some really nice managers that gave us a couple of must see spots.

We ate a late lunch/early dinner today then headed out on Amber.  We have never seen so many full hook up campgrounds, in such a small area.  And the boondocking, goes for miles and miles through the desert cacti fields.  We made a ride to the famous Hi Jolly Grave.  It's amazing what you find out about our country when you ride around 

Hi Jolly, was invited by  Jefferson Davis in the 19th Century to come to America.  Hi Jolly was a camel driver from the Middle East.  He and the camels helped the Camel Corp survey a wagon route, which became some of Route 66 between New Mexico and California.

Quartzsite is not the most elaborate scenery, but it is a Snow Bird Haven.  January is the peak month.  You can boon dock for $180 for 7 months, with access to water and sewage.  Pretty cheap living if you don't mind a little inconvenience of filling and dumping your tanks.

We sat outside tonight, thinking Ferny Kat won't like this gravel parking lot campground.  It was on, as soon as she woke up from her nap.  She likes it here.  Good thing, being we will be here at least another night.

We plan to ride around and check out our surroundings tomorrow.

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10-9-17 - (Day 70 - Heidi Ho)

We were awaken by an unbelievable 44 mph wind this morning.  I wasn't sure if it was going to flip us over the edge of the multilevel campground.  We had to scout around the campground to find one of our rugs.

We went to Riverside Casino to eat our last free buffet.  While waiting for the buffet to open, we went and played Ghost Buster's slot machine.  It was a hoot.  We kinda broke even, ate a great lunch, then went back to camp.

We had planned to go to Golden Nugget for Bubba Gump's appetizers tonight.  We had a couple of beers, was still full from lunch, and decided to go check on Heidi at Aquarius Casino.

                                                              Goldon Nugget Entrance

The Heidi Machine Lauren had played the other day, opened up shortly after we arrived.  My Heidi machine was occupied,  so I sat at Lauren's machine.  It was not nearly as exciting as the other day, really boring.    Finally the Heidi machine I played the other day, opened up.  I insisted Lauren play my machine.  He was adamant that someone just won and there was no reason to play it.

I thought he was right, when we were both losing our $20, I left and came back.  When I came back he won 87 free spins, and $248.15.  Thanks Heidi.

We cashed out way ahead of the $45 investment.

It has been a really great week here.  Tomorrow we head in an easterly direction.  Heidi Ho!!

10-8-17 - (Day 69 - Crusing on Amber and USS Riverside)

We rode Amber to Davis Dam this morning.  We watched boaters and paddler boarders in the tranquil Lake Mohave.  We made a  short trip into the Lake Mead Recreation Area to get a few more views of the lake.

When we got to back to the Highway 68 intersection, we decided to ride east.  It was a very pretty 12 miles of steep incline to Union Pass.  We turned around and took the steep 12 mile decline back to the intersection.

We made a loop on Bullhead Parkway then to Avi Casino.  We ate lunch for $4 after our comps they gave us for signing up for a player's card.  We gambled enough to pay them for the comps.  It was getting hot, so we headed back to camp and waited for the boat cruise.

We learned all about the history of Laughlin on this hour and 20 minute tour.  We first went to Davis Dam, amongst the numerous jet skis, then turned around.  Harrah's was the last casino before our next turn around.  Harrah's does not have the Riverwalk, but they have an awesome beach and river access for their patrons.

We learned a lot about Don Laughlin during our cruise.  We were really impressed that he had slot machines in Minnesota when he was 15 years old, and was told by his high school principal, that he had to close down the machines or he would get kicked out of high school.  Being he was earning more money on slots than the principal was making, he decided to drop out of school.  Mr Laughlin  purchased the 101 Club in Vegas, then sold it and bought a riverfront motel in Laughlin.

Riverside Casino started out in a 8 room motel, 4 of which housed his family, and the rest is history.  He donated money to build the bridge between Laughlin and Bullhead along with another major donation for the Bullhead Airport.  Who says, you can't make it without a high school education?

The other interesting thing, was a balcony on the top corner of Edgewater Casino.  We found out that one lady, (Mrs. Lafferty),  refused to sell her lot with her trailer on it to the casinos.  After unbelievable cash offers,  the casino's finally broke and told her they would pay her  an unbelievable amount of money, build her a suite at the top overlooking the Colorado River, build a fishing pier for her, and she would have attendants to take care of her every need.  She finally agreed.  Unfortunately, Mrs. Lafferty passed away before she could reap the benefits.

It was a very nice afternoon for this beautiful, informative, river cruise.

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10-7-17 - (Day 68 - Hangin around Laughlin)

We have ate lunch and dinner at Riverside Casino.  We decided to eat  breakfast at Riverside this morning.  We didn't think this was a big deal, until we waited in line for the first time at the buffet for a table.  We got a great table overlooking the Colorado River.  The breakfast was awesome.

We checked out the classic cars on the third floor of the casino.  It was very impressive.  A lot better than we had expected.

We stopped by the slot machines and broke even again.  Whew!! What one of us loses the other one wins.

We made a tour of the Fisherman Access and walked along the river.  That Colorado River is gorgeous.

We were planning on riding Amber around town today.  That didn't happen in the howling wind and the heavy traffic.

We sat around for a while at camp, got the ole coupon book out. and found a freebie at Aquarius Casino across the street.  Our freebie was 2 decks of cards.  Not exactly what we wanted.

This is one of the most impressive casinos yet in Laughlin.  It was huge, with a lot of interactive slot machines.  Even though, I wasn't very interested in the Bling Bling.

Lauren found a 2 seater, Wonder Women slot machine, after 10 bucks and no beer offers, we walked around.  We watched a truly, cool, volcano slot machine, that was occupied.

We happened on the Heidi's Bier Haus slot machine.  The German Beer Fest is going on  here, might as well get in the spirit and play.

Lauren won 30 free spins in just a few minutes.  The lady playing next to him, said she had been playing for a while and had not won much of anything,  Shortly after, she left her machine.  I stuck $5 in it to see what would happen.  It was a 75 cents minimum bet.  I never go above 50 cents.  Oh well, I spun.

Low and behold. My first spin won me $168.30.  This never happens to me.

I enjoyed the German music from the slot machine a lot better than yesterday when we payed $6 a piece for a beer to listen to the band.  It was a much happier music when you are winning.

We invested $25  and cashed out $280.  $200 was mine.  As I said before, this never happens to me.

La La La La, La, La, La, Heidi won us some MONEY!

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10-6-17 (Day 67 - Riverwalk to Davis Dam)

After a late breakfast, we walked to Davis Dam from the campground.  It was a nice, but windy walk.  We made it back to camp, and decided to check out Pioneer Casino.  We had a some freebies there.  We thoroughly enjoyed our freebies and a little more slot play.  It was a small casino, but very personable.

We headed to the Riverwalk and found the Das Beer Fest.  We stopped for a Bud Light and listened to the 4 man, actually one man and three women band,  The lead woman kept hollering.  I haven't heard that kind of scream since a few years ago when Ferny Kat was a youngster.   Anita went into our bathroom with Ferny Kat laying in the open bathroom window with the curtain closed, and Ferny Kat reached out her paw.  I am pretty sure Ferny Kat still laughs about this today, cause we do.

We saved our free buffets for the seafood buffet at Riverside Casino.  We expected a bland, not so good buffet.  We were wrong.  The only thing that was bland was the boiled shrimp and crawfish.  The crab legs were already sliced open.  They were wonderful.  It's hard to believe the seafood buffet here is so much cheaper than the Gulf  Coast.

Finally tonight, Ferny Kat came out for a short while.  She really don't have much for this place.  I bet it's all the yapping dogs that she does not like, we are tired of them too.

We watched The Band Perry from a distance tonight.  They were playing  at the Laughlin Event Center, which is right below our multilevel campground.  Pretty cool!

Pictures are here:

10-5-17 (Day 66 - Route 66)

We were supposed to get up early and ride Amber today.  It didn't happen.  We woke up at 8 am.  Very unusual for us.

                                   On the road, downhill out of this multi-level campground

We took a ride through Bullhead City, Arizona then to Oatman, Arizona on Route 66.  Oatman is another Old West town.  We were greeted by the Donkeys, AKA burros.  It was a very quaint town with some good tasting beef jerky.  We purchased a 3 pack.

                                                                   Oatman

We decided to take a ride up the hill to Sitgreaves Pass. It was a very curvy, steep, drop off, road, with a fantastic view of Bullhead City and Laughlin.  Definitely worth the curvy, switchback road for the view.

Again we continued on Route 66 to Lake Havasu City.  It was more touristy than we wanted, but a nice place.  After circling like a buzzard to find the Visitor's Center, we finally asked where it was.  Shortly after, we were at London Bridge.

I was amazed to learn that this bridge is constructed from the actual London Bridge over the Thames River.  It brings true meaning of the nursery-rhyme song, London Bridge Is Falling Down.

The bridge in London was sinking and blocking river traffic, and in 1968, the founder of Lake Havasu won the bid to buy the bridge blocks and then shipped them to Lake Havasu to reconstruct the London Bridge in Arizona.  The lady at the visitor center told me that the bridge was built first, then the land was dredged to allow the water to flow under it. It is a gorgeous river, under a gorgeous bridge.

We stopped at the Rotary Park and had a nice picnic lunch on the bank of Lake Havasu.  We watched a lot of boats puttering around.  People were enjoying the water today.

                                                                       Lunch view

We had been in Nevada and Arizona today.  We decided to hit California on the way back by Needles Highway.

Within the first mile of California, on I 40, in the late afternoon, 98 degree, hot desert, we were at a standstill for road construction.  About 40 minutes later, and HOT, we finally were moving.

We moved just a few miles past road construction and went through the, every vehicle has to stop for search checkpoint, on the interstate.  We were motioned through.  We have never seen anything like this that was not a border control, and definitely not on an interstate.

Needles Highway was a nice ride, but not like Needles Highway in South Dakota.

We made it back to camp and waited, and waited, and finally the Harvest Moon appeared over the mountain.  It was well worth the wait!

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