LAKE HAVASU CITY, 1 March 2011
The city of Yuma is home to a large military base called Yuma Marine Corps Air Station. The base is open to the public and tours are held on Tuesdays each week. Our friends Alan and Lucy had invited us to accompany them and we gladly accepted. Those interested must attend the basis for 9 hours and queuing to board buses provided by the base. The buses follow a predetermined pattern and a guide provides explanations and answers questions from passengers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Air_Station_Yuma
We stopped at the building that houses the center for weather information for pilots and we were invited out to a place along defined tracks. We saw a demonstration of dogs specially trained by the military to find drugs and stop criminals. The demonstrations were more than convincing and I would never become their target.
http://www.mybaseguide.com/article/military/yuma-mcas/367/MCAS-Past-and-Present
We were near the tracks and there was a constant traffic of combat aircraft of all models who were doing touch and go. I even saw Harriers take off and land vertically. What a spectacle. They had also spread from airplanes, helicopters, tanks, trucks designed for traveling in the desert and a plethora of offensive weapons. Almost every vehicle or weapon there were soldiers who explained how they work and answer questions. The machine which interested me the most is a small unmanned plane from a center control fixtures in a closed van. These devices called unmanned AREAL VEHICLES are used for recognition and a host of other functions. I invite you to click on the link below for more information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle
Back, Lucy and Alain invited us to go and have lunch at home and Marielle went to fetch some motorized dishes to complement the meal. It was another pleasant day spent in good company.
We rented our property for a month on January 21 and departure date approached. We decided to install awnings at the windows of our motor, the parts were on order and the installer informed us that they would not arrive before 21 this month. We decided to delay our departure a few days and we both scheduled for installation on 23. We were a little worried but eventually the pieces arrived as scheduled and had nothing wrong. Tuesday 22 I helped the technician to install and late afternoon the work was done.
We are very pleased with the results because we had ordered the equipment the same company that supplied the main canopy to the manufacture of the motorhome and we have a perfect arrangement of the color of the fabric and the levers of media. It has cost a little more expensive but it was worth it. Lucia and Alain invited us again to dinner to celebrate our departure. The spare ribs were tasty and pleasant company. Lucy said they were not yet tired of us and we think the same thing. The next dinner will be at home in Melocheville in May.
23, Wednesday morning, we went to settle our bill and after a first stop for fuel and propane to a second tank of gas we finally took off. We were in no hurry because he was only 10 o'clock in the morning and we only had 70 miles to go before we go to Quartzsite for the first night. I noticed a campground on the main street, close to shops, during our previous visits and decided that we want to be attractive, the rental would be very convenient.
http://rvingquartzsite.com/
The old lady who received us with two tariffs. $ 30.00US/jour with the three services or $ 7.00US/Dry camping, ie without any service. As our motor has a minimum of one week without any self service we opted for the Dry Camping. As we left the next morning, we did not loose the self or even used hydraulic jacks to level and stabilize the motor. We released the extension of the bedroom only and we went round the shops. We went to two other lots that were too full. People have told us that there were several activities planned in town for the weekend, which attracted many visitors who occupied all the seats usually available at this time of year. We do not expect it at all and we were very annoyed.
Proceedings at the northern edge of town, we noticed a shop LOWES and we decided to make time to do a search on our computer and possibly call to check rather than going in circles. The parking lot is small and crowded I decided to run on an adjacent street and Marielle then noticed a small sign announcing the Havasu RV Resort is located a quarter mile above. We decided to go there. An RV Resort is not a field camping but rather a luxury development which sells the land to RV owners. The unsold lots are available for rental short and long term. We were lucky because they had some land available for a reasonable price ($ 296/semaine, including wifi). We decided to treat ourselves and rent for a week. The lands are sold between $ 60,000 and U.S. $ 100,000 depending on additions. Many have a small garage or shed in addition to a bar / kitchen. There are some who have spent a fortune on landscaping. The Bebelle no shortage of either and we can see luxury cars, motorcycles and recreational vehicles of any kind. I do not remember seeing so many high-end motor. We are the land of Prevost, Country Coach, Beaver and many other makes and models of motorized sell for between $ 750,000 and $ 1, 000,000 U.S. and perhaps more.
http://www.havasurvresort.com/
Lake Havasu City is a beautiful city of about 55,000 inhabitants located on Lake Havasu, which was formed following the construction of a dam on the Colorado River in 1938. Parker Dam is the highest dam in the world and 73% of its total height is 320 feet below the level of original river bed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Dam
Havasu City is a modern city that offers everything that holiday makers hope to find during their weeklong vacation, or parks, beaches, campsites, modern stores , good restaurants and hotels. All within a radius of five miles from downtown. Those who want more can always go to Las Vegas is only two hours drive north.
http://www.golakehavasu.com/
A rather unusual attractions Havasu City is the London Bridge. This bridge of granite which measures 930 feet long, was purchased from the city of London and then dismantled. The pieces were numbered 10.276 and then transported over a distance of 7000 miles up to Havasu where they were reassembled from 1968 to 1971. If I had not seen, I would not have believed ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_ (Lake_Havasu_City )
Last Sunday, the 27th, the temperature was a little cold and we decided to go for a ride in a car. We followed Route 95 to the small town of Needles. We then saw a sign that gave direction to the old Route 66 and the town of Oatman, and we decided to follow her. The road passes through the mountains and the scenery is breathtaking. If the landscape does not cut your breath, narrow passages without guardrails or other protection and turns along the cliffs will produce a similar effect.
En route, we saw a small herd of mules grazed peacefully along the road and we stopped for a closer look. We were certainly not the first because they came to find us. Later, we stopped at Oatman, an old mining town who will not die like the ad says and has kept its cachet. Must say that people who dress up in period costume (Cowboys) and mimic the good old Westerns with their revolvers and rifles loaded with blank lot to the ambience. We took our lunch in a small restaurant on site and then we then went around the shops. By mid-afternoon, the main street, which is the only street was packed with people like us, appreciated the opportunity to go back in time while basking in the sun for that children preferred to play with the mules. A short tour of self without ambition that grew and eventually produce one of the most satisfying days of our trip to date. Looks like the glass of wine is always better to 4 hours when the day was excellent.
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