Chapter 47: Dam!

After backtracking to find the last hotel room in Parker, we got up and headed for Havasu Palms, the resort that my grandparents owned for a few years when I was in the single digit ages.

First we had to cross Parker Dam. This is still a main road to get from Arizona to California and back again. I remember thinking how big the liftgate chains were compared to my bicycle chain. You can see where the highway goes across the second level.

While walking around the dam, I saw this sign. It seems like US Government Bureau of Reclamation signage could be spelled correctly.

Then we found the turn-off to Havasu Palms Resort. Literally, this was the widest, best maintained piece of road for the next 7 miles.

We pulled off the "road" and proceeded to get high-centered on a rock. I collected rocks and took pictures while Bob jacked the car up. I am getting a few choice words for taking this picture.

Is this the meaning of "on the rocks"? 

While Bob was jacking the car up, I was taking pictures of the scenery.

The road was non-existent at the bottom of the arroyos (washes).

Even though the picture makes this road look pretty good, it was single-lane. If we met anyone, we had to figure out how to pass each other with limited space. The space ahead is only one car wide.

We saw some wild burros (Spanish word for "ass"). It is said the cross on the burro's back is a reward to the burro left from Mary riding a burro into Bethlehem. This is a male yearling that has been thrown out of his herd by the dominate male. Poor lonely little burro.

This is not the rustic little fish camp I remember 40+ years ago. The colors are just as beautiful, though.

This are the camp bathrooms that Gram and I cleaned every night. Actually, Gram cleaned every night. I played dolls with rocks and drew pictures in the sand with the hose.

 

I will close with these buffalo on the roof of a convenience store in Vidal Junction. Vidal Junction consists of this buffalo-topped convenience store and a fruit inspection station.

See you all later!