Hanging around…

One thing about the River Lodge RV park…it’s right about in the middle of the area between Parker, AZ and Lake Havasu, AZ. It’s on the California side of the downstream section of the Colorado just 2 miles south of Parker Dam, on a winding 2 lane road with several signs warning of wild burrows potentially in the roadway. Lots of blind curves.

A bit of info about the wild burros…they are remnants of the lost or freed burros brought up from Mexico by the Mexican slaves as part of the Spanish searches for gold or silver. They combed much of this area. Well known for their cruelty, not hard to image periodic rebellions and other disasters befalling a group like that traveling here, allowing burros the opportunity to escape. The Apache hated the Spanish and would attack them wherever found so that’s another way they might have escaped. So that’s where the burros came from, and centuries later, the herd had grown so big as to be a danger. I was told that last year (2018) they rounded up and culled 500 of them. Because of overgrazing and inbreeding was causing problems. In the month I was in the area, I only saw 5 of the beasties and they look pretty healthy so I guess the plan is working.

You can only travel here in an RV from the California side using Parker Dam Road as RV’s and trucks aren’t allowed to cross the dam so you come up from the south. Cars and smaller vehicles are OK to cross the dam. So you can drive to Parker for shopping on that road and it takes 25 minutes. If you go the other direction, cross the dam, than head to Parker on 95, it only takes 20 minutes. Nice road, 4 lanes in some places.

If you want to head to Lake Havasu, it’s a 30 minute drive. Cross the dam, turn onto 95 going north whereas heading south takes you to Parker. It’s just faster for shopping to take the 95 into Parker.

After settling in at the RV park, getting my engine looked at by the diesel mechanic, and wandering around the grounds, visited the dam since I was so close. Had fish and chips special at a nearby restaurant…pretty good.

I had journeyed up to Lake Havasu trying to find parts to fix a golf cart motor and while there did some exploring around the London Bridge but headed back a couple weeks later because I wanted to take the motor launch across the lake to the casino. Only costs $2 and is about all I’d want to pay for a tour of the lake…there’s really no reason in my opinion to pay the $20-$60 the tour boats charge just to see a shoreline. Here a few shots after boarding the catamaran. That is the London Bridge in the background. The casino water taxi building where you buy your ticket for this water taxi is in the 2nd picture below.

Got the cart before the horse in the arrangement of pictures…here’s where we boarded the boat. There was a line up and I was like 25th in line. And shortly after boarding, off we headed into the lake. The land on the left there is part of the big island I showed pictures of last article.

Ten minutes later, we’re at the casino.

After an hour of messing around the casino, even played $20 up to $35 and then back down to $0. So that was fun. This is over on the opposite (California) side of Lake Havasu. It’s a Chemehuevi Indian casino on their reservation. The water taxi crosses back and forth all day. Once every 1/2 hour if I recall. Might be once per hour. I forget. Nice bar. Had a pina colada for $7 freakin’ bucks even though I was playing the poker machine. Not comp’ed. Oh, well, it was good. Went out onto the casino floor and played one of the newer big ass ‘slot’ machines and had some fun there. Was even up for a while. Anyway, after that, headed back to the boat for the trip back to Lake Havasu City. Just waiting for the next group to disembark so we can get aboard.

And here’s a shot over to the cities shoreline.

One of the many lighthouses…one of the tour boats visits them all. They’re all around 55 years old. Build as the city was being built up and they seem to be scattered all around this island with a few on the mainland and a couple across the lake on the California side. Put in place for the many pleasure boaters that dip their boats here.

And soon enough, we were docked back near the London Bridge. Didn’t feel like walking any more that day, so headed on home.

So that’s all there is to tell about that. Not one of the most spectacular tourist type excursions but it’ll do to waste a day’s worth of time. When you’re retired, you have plenty of that. I did enjoy the trip and the casino.

Thanks for reading. Hope everyone had a great and merry xmas!