Week 137 - Lake Havasu, Arizona - 03-29-2009

Helloo to you from Lake Havasu,

Before we left the Phoenix area, we had to stop for lunch with Ellen's cousins. At one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, Chipotle, we met up with Aunt Betty Lynn, Cousin Donny, Cousins Dennis and Kerry and their son Jason. Cousin Bobby was not able to join us.

We headed along the Colorado River to Lake Havasu City. Recently our friend Sid remarked how beautifully blue the river is. Did you know that is once was red? Unbridled by dams the rushing water carried with it the red earth in such a volume that it had a brick red color. Colorado is Spanish for "red". Originally named Rio del Tizon ("River of Embers"), in 1743 it was named on a map collection as the Colorado River. Nonetheless, it was called the Grand River until 1921, when Congress named it the Colorado. Starting in Colorado, it flows from Colorado through Utah, into the Grand Canyon in Arizona and then forms the border between Arizona and Nevada and California and finally into the Gulf of California. Today with six dams in the US and one in Mexico, little or no water makes it into the gulf as it is used up for irrigation along the way. It is because of the dams that no water is lost to the ocean and it has its gorgeous color.

At Lake Havasu City, Ellen stands in the foreground of the London Bridge. Lake Havasu City was founded in 1964. Ellen visited with her family for several years. In 1974 Pete and Ellen spent a few days of their 30-day honeymoon camping on the beach. The London Bridge stood in England from 1831 until the 1960's when it was determined to be sinking 1/8 of an inch per year. The original bridge, for foot traffic only, was built on a sand foundation. The McCulloughs (of McCullough chainsaws), the Havasu City founders, had the bridge dismantled and brought to Arizona. Each stone was marked and put back into the same location like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It was opened in 1971, just three years before our honeymoon visit.

1) The London Bridge spans the channel between the city and "The Island". The channel was dug after the bridge was in place, separating what once was the Pittsburg Point peninsula from the city. This channel is a favorite spot for boaters. During the warm weather season, these boaters launch their $20k to $100k boats and then idle them down the channel and park them. You can reach the same destination on a $100 bicycle, but then that wouldn't be "cool". 2) You can no longer camp on the beach as we did in '74. Sandra, the park ranger at Windsor Beach Park, told us that most likely we had camped at what is now Rotary Community Park, what Ellen is gazing at.

March is the beginning of the summer season here and there were many events going on. We visited the "Cost of Freedom", a traveling display dedicated to US soldiers.

A portable replica of the Vietnam War Memorial Wall is part of the display as well as tributes to all wars and their heroes.

"This is one of a very few remaining, flyable B-17 Flying Fortresses left in the world. It was also know as "The Flying Fortress". It was arguably the most famous and recognizable airplane to fight in WWII...maybe next to the Mustang. Ten men flew the airplane. It quite literally bombed Germany into defeat in 1944. Something close to 20,000 men lost their lives in this airplane over Germany". (Per Ellen's brother-in-law Frank , a history buff and author of the P-51 novel "Roseanna's Reply" Rroseannas Reply).

Each major US conflict is represented in this display.

A small portion of a very large car shows was at the Rotary Community Park.

And no day is complete for Ellen without a bike ride and some Mexican food! What at country!

We continue our trek to Northern California. Love, Pete and Ellen

Photos from Mar 2009